Buck Creek Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Views · Wildflowers

A permit and bear canister are required for overnight (backpacking) stays in the King Range Wilderness. They can be reserved on www.recreation.gov.

The trail follows an old road that served a long gone cabin near the mouth of Buck Creek. It descends determinedly through a mix of tree cover, prairie, and brush. Usually the trail bed is wide, but it can be overgrown in some areas. There is sufficient open space that an accent on a hot day will feel shadeless. There are no springs along the route so water is only available at the bottom.

While it is a demanding trail, it creates excellent options for loop runs including the beach and King Peak, the highest point in the King Range and the Humboldt County prominence point. The ridges offer coastline vistas. There are frequent iris patches along the lower mile that bloom in the spring.

BLM provides these stats for running from the road and down this trail: 4.5 miles, 400 feet climb, 3300 feet descent