![]() ![]() We only hiked about a mile before the slippery rocks made crossing the creek too dangerous, but it was delightful to be in West Fork without the masses. The temperatures were below freezing during our hike, but it gave us a good excuse to hold (gloved) hands with our hiking partner. ![]() Sheer, red rock canyon walls soar up around you so that the sky is just a snaking ribbon of blue above. The gambel oak trees, cottonwoods and bigtooth maples are bare at this time of the year and the ferns and reeds that surround the trail look dead (they arenât), but youâll still smell the pungent pine trees and conifers. The trail remains almost completely flat throughout the hike. West fork trail movie#Zane Grey set his novel, The Call of the Canyon, in this area and the silent movie of the same name was filmed here in 1923. Youâll notice the area is referred to as Call of the Canyon. The Forest Service bought the lodge in 1969, but it was destroyed by fire in 1980. At the start of the trail, youâll cross a footbridge and come upon the ruins of Mayhewâs Lodge, a hunting and fishing lodge built in the early 1900s. The trail begins at the Call of the Canyon Day Use Area. With the exception of the gurgling creek and a solitary woodpecker, we didnât hear any other sounds. That said, this Oak Creek Canyon tributary becomes blissfully serene after a snowfall. You might not make it to the end of the trail, 3.5 miles from the trailhead, and you should only attempt the water crossings â there are 13 of them â if the water isnât too high and if youâre surefooted. If you really want to experience the pristine wilderness of the area, hike West Fork just after it has snowed. West fork trail update#But itâs not just the colors of the changing leaves that leave you spellbound itâs the crowds that seem more appropriate to a theme park than a hiking trail. Trail Update 6/9/22 West Fork cleared all the way CDT Trail Please share any trail updates in the Comment section below West Fork Trail 561 Map Length: Total trail: 11.6 miles to Continental Divide one-way.Weâve written about it.Äonât misunderstand: Oak Creek Canyonâs most popular trail (and arguably the most heavily used trail in the area) is breathtaking in the fall. Itâs so beautiful and the view is spectactular but the caveat is that the trail is a an old roadbed and the rocks are huge so you have to pay really close attention to where you step.West Fork in the fall. It was an incredible hike but grueling! I might not do it again until the fall. The old roadbed is so rocky youâll have bruised feet if you donât! Make sure to wear a hard soled hiking shoe or trail runner.A permit is required to hike and it can be picked up at the trailhead.7.5 miles from parking lot to Pinnacle Peak.It was fun picking out all the Sylva landmarks from this point: We ate lunch at the top and it was so nice with a breeze but I do wish Iâd remembered a hat because there isnât any shade. It was an elevation change of 1,800 feet. It was pretty exhilarating to finish such a relentless climb to the top. Thereâs nothing I love more than a craggy open peak at the end of a hike! The 4-wheel drive trailhead is located about 1.0 miles south of the 2-wheel drive trailhead and will shorten your day: Dunsinane Mountain. When we finally reached the top we knew it was worth it. West Fork 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive trailhead - The 2-wheel drive trailhead is located around 2.5 miles south of FR 860 and is prior to a substantial creek crossing and some fairly rough spots. Towards the top of the hike the trees start to open up to almost a bald: I was really tired at this pointâ¦itâs a constant climb. This is one of two campsites on the way up. There were signs of spring just starting to emerge: There are quite a few waterfalls and springs along the way: The whole area used to be the watershed for Sylva and itâs now a 1,100 acre park: West fork trail crack#That crack is so big that someone could stand in it: The first thing we came upon was an enormous boulder called split rock: We took the West Fork Trail which the sign says is 3.5 miles but we clocked it at almost 3.75 miles each way. We thought we were going out for a leisurely little hike and this hike was no joke. I hiked to Pinnacle Peak a week ago with my friends Erin and Gianna. The best view comes after the hardest climb. ![]()
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