Mine Gulch Trail #338W03

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Spring · Wildlife

Adventure pass required to park. Most hikers are headed to the Bighorn Mine but some take this trail by mistake. Bugs can be brutal during warm weather. Water may not be available until Prairie Fork.

Trail starts at the white pipe gate at the Vincent Gap Trailhead. Follow an old dirt road down 0.1 miles to a junction. The right fork (unsigned) goes to the Big Horn Mine Trail. Take the left fork (sign may be missing) with 2 short switchbacks through an avalanche zone before entering a tall forest of Jeffrey pines, yellow pines and white fir. The well shaded trail contours around the side of the mountain then begins a series of gentle switchbacks to the canyon floor.

The trail stays on the east side of Vincent Gulch passing under a canopy of large canyon live oaks, bay, maple and sycamore trees. Watch for occasional clumps of poison oak. The trail may be hard to find in places due to abundant leaves on the ground.

About 3.5 down the trail drops to the canyon floor. There is a spur trail on the left by a large rock outcropping that leads to an informal camp site popular with hunters. The main trails goes down around the rock and continues on the bench above the canyon floor for another half mile. It then drops to the canyon floor where a slide took out the original tread. From there an improvised route marked by cairns follows the wide canyon floor down to the junction with Prairie Fork. Pieces of the original trail can be found up on the bench on the east side but they are hard to follow due to fallen trees and overgrown bushes.

Alder shaded Prairie Fork has reliable water. There is an improvised camp site at the junction. The Mine Gulch Trail Camp is located a few hundred yards downstream on a bench on the north side. The wide, shady site has ample room for several groups.

Mine Gulch can be reached by going down another few hundred yards. A large part of Mt. Baden-Powell has collapsed forming this fascinating geological feature.

Tall alpine forest of Jeffrey, sugar, yellow pines, white fir, incense cedars, oaks, manzanitas, flannelbush, various ceanothus species, poison oak. Deer, bears are common.