French Creek

One of many trails in this area that create tons of fun loop options, the French Creek Trail is 14.4 miles long, and gains 3200 feet of elevation along its length. Due to diminishing funding, the trail is very brushy in sections, making it difficult to navigate. Hiking it end-to-end makes for a fun traverse through the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and over county lines!

The trail has no trailhead of its own, instead branching off from the Icicle Creek Trail, then switchbacking steadily uphill for about a half-mile. After the initial climb, the grade moderates, weaving through the valley bottom alongside French Creek.

At about 3.5 miles, the trail meets up with French Ridge Trail, which heads northwest. Your route, on French Creek, continues southwest, eventually coming to a junction with Snowall Creek Trail after 1.1 miles past the French Ridge trail junction.

Soon you'll arrive at another junction, this one for Klonaqua Lakes, which heads west. If you're not heading to the lakes, the French Creek trail continues paralleling the creek heading south and crossing many streams and creeks, until it intersects with Meadow Creek Trail after 3.7 miles.

From here, the trail climbs steeply southeast, until it ascends Paddy-Go-Easy Pass and crosses county lines. The trail descends steeply from the pass for the last 3.0 miles, dropping through heavy forest and ending at Cle Elum River Road / Forest Road 4330.