Cougar Creek Trail #413

Dogs Off-leash

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The route starts off following the creek and sloping gently upward. The trail through here is shaded by Alder and Douglas-Fir. After about 0.5 miles the trail leaves the creek and begins switchbacking up the slope. After a few switchbacks, views begin to open up of the canyons of Cougar Creek and it's tributary, Medicine Creek.

The switchbacks end at about 1.2 miles as the trail continues to climb, swinging into a side drainage full of birch and young Douglas-Fir. After leaving the drainage the trail crosses Forest Road 9400 (Granite Ridge Road), and then Forest Road 9400B (Lower Granite Road). Soon after crossing the roads the trail gains the top of the ridge.

The ridge-top is covered in young Ponderosa Pine, through which intermittent views of Golden Canyon can be had. At 2.9 miles the trail drops steeply down the backside of the ridge and terminates at the gravel of Forest Road 648 (Lower Cougar Road)

Across the road is the beginning of an ATV trail, this is the Big Burn Point Trail and can be used to extend your trip.