The trail up the South Fork to High Creek Lake
High Creek Trailhead About 10.6 miles out and back Hard
From the trailhead at the head of the canyon, the trail sets off up the South Fork of High Creek and does not really let up. It runs about 10.6 miles round trip and gains close to 3,000 feet, most of it earned in the upper miles, so this is a hard hike by any honest measure and a full day on your feet. A fit party moving steadily should plan on six to seven hours of walking, more if you stop to fish the lake or pick your way carefully through the wet stretches.
The creek is a constant companion, and that is the catch. The trail crosses the South Fork several times, and the first crossing, less than a mile up, is usually the hardest of the day. There is a footbridge at one of the higher crossings, but most are rock hops or wades, and in spring runoff they run high, cold and genuinely tricky. The path passes through beaver ponds and a few overgrown, brushy pitches on the way up, so long pants and waterproof footwear pay off. The lower canyon opens through sagebrush, and as you climb the trail moves up into aspen and then dark stands of fir near the lake.
None of this is technical climbing; it is a long, steep, sometimes wet trail hike that rewards a summer or early fall start when the water has dropped. Save it for a settled day, carry more water than you think you need, and treat the turnaround time as fixed so you are not finishing the descent in the dark.
The details
Before you go
- Expect several South Fork crossings; the first, under a mile in, is normally the toughest and runs high in spring.
- The creek is untreated surface water. Carry your own supply and filter anything you draw from it.
- Some pitches are brushy and overgrown; long pants and waterproof shoes make the day easier.
- Start early and set a firm turnaround time; the climb back out of the canyon is long.
High Creek Lake, a cirque at 8,800 feet
About 8,800 feet Mount Naomi Wilderness Foot and horse only
The payoff is a small glacial lake set in a rock cirque at roughly 8,800 feet, near the high crest of the Bear River Range. Three of the range's big summits stand over it: Cherry Peak, Naomi Peak and Mount Gog wrap the head of the basin, and the ragged cliffs above the water are what make the last mile feel like a different world from the sagebrush you started in. It is a classic high mountain tarn, quiet, cold and worth the climb, and a favorite of anglers and backpackers who want the basin to themselves for a night.
The whole upper canyon lies inside the Mount Naomi Wilderness, roughly 45,000 acres of the Bear River Range set aside as designated wilderness. That status carries a rule that matters on the ground: no bikes and nothing motorized, anywhere past the wilderness line. Travel is by foot or horse only. It also means no development at the lake, no facilities and no signposted comforts, so you pack out everything you bring in and leave the basin as you found it.
If you want to turn the day into an overnight, dispersed backcountry camping is the norm up here rather than any built campground. Camp well back from the water, follow the current wilderness rules for fires and waste, and remember that at this elevation the weather can turn fast even in August, so carry layers and a way to stay dry.
The details
The drive in, the dirt road and the season
High Creek Canyon Road Rough dirt Snowbound into late spring
Getting to the trailhead is its own small adventure. From Richmond you head east and climb into the canyon on High Creek Canyon Road, which turns to dirt and stays that way for the last miles up to the trailhead, about 7 miles from town. It is a rough, washboard forest road with no services, and while a passenger car can usually manage it slowly in dry conditions, higher clearance and patience help. Drive it carefully, watch for oncoming traffic on the narrow stretches, and fill the tank before you leave town.
The season is short. Snow closes the upper road through the winter and holds on into late spring, so in many years the road is not clear until around Memorial Day, and it can be muddy and rutted for a while after that. Early and late in the season, check conditions before you commit to the drive, because the last thing you want is to grind up seven miles of dirt only to find snow across the road or the trail. Cell coverage fades as you climb, so download a map and tell someone your plan.
This is a hard, full day mountain hike, not a stroll. High Creek Lake is close to 10.6 miles round trip with nearly 3,000 feet of climb, much of it in the upper canyon, and the South Fork crossings run high and cold in spring. Carry plenty of water, start early, set a firm turnaround time, and be ready for fast-changing high country weather.
Know the road and the wilderness line. The dirt access road is snowbound into late spring, often not clear until around Memorial Day, so confirm conditions before you drive up. Past the wilderness boundary the canyon is foot and horse only: no mountain bikes and nothing motorized anywhere in the Mount Naomi Wilderness.
