14.4 miles RT
Elevation gain: 800 feet

If Bill Bennett (remember him?) knew about this trip he would have made it illegal. This trip is that much fun. It consists of the Meadow Creek Campground outing with the Brush Creek trail added on

But what an add-on! From Meadow Creek Campground (see Trip #1), continue on what the Forest Service calls Route 3A, turning right at the next intersection onto Route 3B. Here you pay penance for the joys ahead, as the trail climbs 400 feet over the next 0.6 mile. Not that you will mind the uphill much, as there are nice views to the right down the Chiwawa River valley and up Alder Ridge. At the next intersection (Junction T), stay to the right onto Route 3C –– the Brush Creek trail. If you paid your penance this is your reward.

The Brush Creek trail meanders slightly downhill to cross Brush Creek, then slightly uphill for a total of 3.4 miles until it simply ends. That's ok, because you can turn around and zip back over your outbound tracks. You will swear that this 3.4 mile stretch is downhill in both directions. As an added bonus, you get to ski down the 0.6 mile hill before crossing Meadow Creek.

Interesting story: A snowmobiler died on the Brush Creek trail a few years ago. It happened when a man and woman traveling in a storm got their sleds stuck in snow. Most days the Brush Creek trail is so gentle that it is hard to imagine someone getting into trouble up there. But this is a nice reminder to take enough to survive an accident, and to keep your head if something does go wrong.

Sign at the end of the Brush Creek trail. Jeez, can't we keep going?


The Brush Creek trail weaves in and out of old clearcuts.