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Buck Crossing & Horse Lake Trail
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Distance: 10.5 mi. / 16.9 km
Altitude (max): 6857 ft. / 2090.04 m
Altitude (min): 5540 ft. / 1688.69 m
Elevation Gain: 1653 ft. / 503.74 m
Elevation Loss: -1618 ft. / -493.17 m
Altitude (max): 6857 ft. / 2090.04 m
Altitude (min): 5540 ft. / 1688.69 m
Elevation Gain: 1653 ft. / 503.74 m
Elevation Loss: -1618 ft. / -493.17 m
Season:
July-October Are you up for an adventure on a secret trail? For some reason, the Buck Crossing Trail has been abandoned, as the trailhead signpost on the road is knocked down with the sign missing. The beginning of the singletrack has no indicator a trail is there, but when you're on it you'll be convinced that, in fact, a trail is there...at least most of the time. Because it isn't used, it is grown in occasionally and disappears at times, but there is plenty of evidence that humans and cows know it exists. There is some apparent trailwork taking place in the form of cutting logs and leaving rock cairns and signposts, so at least you don't have to get off your bike much if you can follow the trail. Certain sections are very good and then others need a bit of work.
It's all good fun until you reach the creek crossings. Upon the first crossing you enter a very difficult and mostly unrideable stretch. You have to navigate the crossing of several streams and marshy meadows. The trail is too rocky to ride. Once you spend 20 minutes getting through this quagmire, the riding gets better and you soon begin to join up with ATV tracks coming from the Horse Lake Trail.
The Horse Lake Trail is a beautiful climb up a ridge through the burn, hampered only by some very dusty sections from the ATV traffic. Other than that, it offers some good hard but steady climbing back up to Rd. 66.
The route shown here combines the Buck Crossing Trail 1866 and the Horse Lake Trail 1873 to make a loop using gravel Road 66 to connect the two trails' terminal points. Twin Lakes Campground is halfway between Buck Crossing Trailhead and Horse Lake Trailhead, and would serve as a good place to say. Also, Fish Lake Campground is only a few miles away.
Trail Notes
- The Buck Crossing Trail begins of Road 66, 1.5 miles east of Twin Lakes Campground on an unmarked road on the right.
- 0.4 mi., this is probably the official trailhead, as the road ends when reaching the (dry) creek. Loop for a post across the meadow to begin the trail.
- 1.4 First stream crossing at Cabin Creek.
- 1.6 Pass a directional sign on a tree reading Buck Crossing and pointing left. Soon Elk Creek and then Big Elk Creek will be crossed.
- 2.8 Crossing of Aspen Creek. There is some good riding through the section before and after this creek.
- 3.2 Begin picking up some two-track ATV trails
- 4.0 Reach the intersection with Horse Lake Trail. Turn right. (Continuing straight goes on to Horse Lake and eventually crossing with the Lake Fork Trail)
- 7.2 Arrive at the Horse Lake Trailhead, just off of Rd. 66. Take a right and follow the gravel road back to the start.
Location
45° 5' 2.76" N, 117° 1' 32.916" W
Pictures from Buck Crossing & Horse Lake Trail
^ The nondescript entrance to the Buck Crossing Trail on the right (pictured traveling east on Rd 66)
^ The "official" trailhead entrance. Aim at the standing post through the cutout in the log.
^ A pile of rocks and evidence a trail exists.
^ The crossing at Elk Creek
^ Sign at the junction of Buck Crossing Trail and Horse Lake Trail (looking back after making the turn).
^ Nearing the top of the climb up the ridge on Horse Lake Trail
Contributors:
Rachel Sather 