My husband and I did a small multi day hike from Panjab trailhead May 23-May 25. Memorial Day weekend is often our first trip out so we just wanted to break in our trail legs a little after a winter off. We had contacted the Ranger Station ahead of time and as expected Teepee TH was still not accessible due to snow, so Panjab it was! Panjab itself to the Misery/Rattlesnake Junction is a steady uphill, some downed trees, but nothing too difficult to get over considering it was so early in the season.

At the junction we headed up to Oregon Butte. Hit some snow especially the last couple of miles. We wore spikes for the last mile to the lookout to make travel easier, could be done without but it’s nice not to slide around. Snow was still packed down and very minimal post holing. Smooth ridge and Grizzly still under a decent amount of snow for easy navigation and we didn’t want to get ourselves in a tough spot where we’d have to turn back.

We could see why Teepee TH was still snow covered since we hit snow there less than a mile down. Could not find any of the springs before the butte and ended up taking a small detour downhill to Oregon Butte Spring. Spring was partly under snow but we filled up and were just happy that we wouldn’t be melting snow for dinner. We could see how the other springs weren’t able to be found and probably still under snow, we didn’t look that hard though. Saw a coyote dart through the woods on our way back from the lookout. Camped a little ways from the Butte at a perfect little site sheltered from the wind. Too muddy at the top to want to camp there but doable if needed. 

The next morning we found signs a cat had followed our tracks through the snow, maybe we had a visitor in the night? We backtracked to the junction, passed more signs of animal tracks in the snow (bear and more cats) and headed the other way towards the Diamond TH. Wildflowers starting to pop, loved the hillsides full of purple and yellow. We decided to make camp at Clover Spring even though it was an early day but it was surprisingly hot and we just wanted to explore without packs. Plenty of camping sites but disappointed to find trash left in some of the firepits. Did pull a couple of ticks off clothing so beware they are already out. 

Final day temps were HOT! Isn’t it supposed to be May not July? Made our way back to Panjab and got back around 10am but by then the sun was relentless with no breeze so we just enjoyed car camping by the creek. Great early season trip but definitely felt unseasonably warm. Very exposed with all the burnt areas and ridges, bring a good hat and sunscreen. 

I did a three-day, 40-mile figure eight loop through the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness.

Route:

Day 1: Started at Rattlesnake TH. Southeast on Rattlesnake to the intersection with Mount MIsery and Panjab Trails. R on Misery. Southwest on Misery to Teepee TH, with a side trip to Oregon Butte (signed as Weller Butte on the trail). Camped at Teepee TH.

Day 2: Departed Teepee TH north on Turkey Creek Trail to intersection with Panjab Trail. Right (east) on Panjab Trail to the same Mount MIsery/Panjab/Rattlensake intersection from Day 1. Straight (east) on Mount Misery trail. Camped on the ridge east of Sheephead Spring.

Day 3: Continued east on Misery to interesection with Bear Creek Trail. Left (north) on Bear Creek Trail. BC to left turn onto the Tucannon River Trail. Continue northwest to the Tucannon River TH. Road walk on Tucannon Road, then left on FS Road 4711 back to car.

Trip planning:

I stopped in at the Pomeroy Ranger District to discuss the route and get trail conditions. I’m not familiar with the area and there are many trails in the Umatilla NF that are impassable due to previous wildfires. Unfortunately, two of the trails they told me were maintained (Rattlesnake and Bear Creek) were degraded and extremely overgrown for much of their length.

Springs. This area has several improved springs with rubber hoses coming out of the ground and flowing into a hollowed out log. They are charted on Gaia. BUT, many of the charted springs either no longer exist or are impossible to find. Verify the status of the springs that you use in your water planning. I should have asked the rangers about springs but I didn’t. I filtered from the springs but I’m not sure that you have to.

Signage: Incomplete and confusing at times. Check all intersections against your map.

Day 1. 

There is no parking at Rattlesnake TH but you can fit a vehicle or two on the side of the road. I parked in a pullout a few hundred yards up the road. The trail passes through the Panjab CG right off the bat but it is not clear where it crosses Panjab Creek. With a bit of picking around you will see where it continues across the creek. There is no easy way to cross so I just waded through. Water was up to mid calf (I’m 5’7”).

Rattlesnake goes up, up, and more up for the first few miles, but the increasing views make it worthwhile. Once you clear the treeline the trail becomes increasingly overgrown with knee-high vegetation and you have to feel for the tread with your feet. It levels out and turns east at 5200’. Along this stretch the trail disappears into a burned area—or, I just lost the trail. Either way I had to use my map and compass skills learned in the Mountaineers to continue in the right direction until I could pick up the trail again.  I was planning to refill my water at Red Fir Spring but could not find it, despite extensive bushwhacking. Upon reaching the intersection with the Mount Misery Trail I dropped my pack and continued past my turn to search for Dunlap Spring. Luckily for me, this is one of the functioning springs. Bear right from Misery onto to the Crooked Creek trail, and in a few hundred yards you will see a good-sized campsite tucked away in the woods on the right. There are two springs at Dunlap which can be reached by going behind the camp to the right or the left. I used the one on the right and there is a bootpath to the spring.

From the spring I went back to the intersection and proceeded southwest on Mount Misery Trail. This is the most popular trail in the area and is in very good condition. When I got to the turnoff for Oregon Butte (Gaia’s name, but signed as Weller Butte on the trail) I again dropped my pack and headed the half mile up the butte. There is a lookout but it was locked up that day. Great views!

After returning to the trail I ran into a woman who was camped with her party on the ridge. We chatted about Teepee TH where I was camping and she was nice enough to tell me there was no water there and to fill up at Oregon Butte spring on the way. The spring is right on the trail into a catchment log and flowing nicely. I loaded up on water here for dinner, breakfast, and the first part of the next day’s hike.

I had read TRs where people mentioned camping at Teepee so I was expecting some tent pads but there weren’t any. In fact it was marked as a day use area and set up for equestrians. However, it was just me and a bear across the way knocking rocks down the hill to get at grubs. So I set up my tent on a flat rectangular area next to the feed trough. There are several picnic tables and a toilet.

There is also a charted spring that I couldn’t find, although several lengths of PVC pipe lying around told me someone was trying to get it flowing again.

Day 2: Teepee to east end of Mt. Misery Trail. 

I started north from Teepee on the Turkey Creek Trail. There are two trails leading out of camp. The TC trail is the one on the left. It is in better condition than previous TRs indicated. Some blowdowns, but many fewer than there were thanks to a WTA work party the previous weekend (thank you, trail crews!) I felt appreciative every time I passed a fresh cut. 

Approaching the intersection with the Panjab Trail, the TC trail makes two creek crossings. I used my water shoes for these. Turning right (east) on the trail begins a seemingly endless ascent through the river valley. This is a burn area so it is very exposed, and since it’s aligned east/west, the sun tracks you all day.  This part of the trail is in good condition and easy to follow.

After reaching the same intersection I passed on Day 1, I continued east on the Mount Misery Trail. I took the same path to Dunlap Spring (benefit of the figure 8 loop), refilled, and had lunch. I should note here that this intersection is poorly signed. You bear right to go on Crooked Creek to get to Dunlap Spring, and bear left to stay on Mount Misery. But the Mount Misery path is faint and unsigned.

After lunch I continued east on Mount Misery and obsessed about when/where to refill water and make camp, since I wasn’t sure about spring and camp site status. There are not a lot of prepared tent pads on the ridge, but it is a wide open ridge with many flattish areas to pitch a tent. However, there are many small burn areas and snags are everywhere, so be mindful of this. 

Passing Bullfrog Spring on the right, I saw a spur trail but did not look for the spring itself. Status unknown. Clover Spring is obviously located on the left side of the trail, flowing strongly into a log. There is an unnamed spring on the map just before the intersection with the Miners Creek Trail that I did not see. I also could not see the MC Trail intersection itself. Appeared to be very overgrown. The camp site by the Bear Wallow Spring is very established but in the middle of a lot of snags. I wouldn’t stay there. I looked for the spring a bit but couldn’t find it.

South Tucannon Spring, aka S@$%w Spring (Indigenous ethnic slur), is off trail to the left next to an established campsite. I didn’t see the pipe but water is flowing into a man made catchment basin. Still a lot of melting snow and mud here. I filled up water for dinner and the first half of Day 3.

There is an established campsite near Sheephead Spring, and even a sign for the spring—but I didn’t see the spring itself. This camp site is in a shaded saddle and it seemed kind of gloomy to me. It was a beautiful evening so I pressed on to find something more in the sun. I finally settled upon a beautiful dry camp site on top of a ridge about 1/4 mile past Sheephead Spring.

Day 3: Mt Misery Trail to TH.

I set out from my ridge top campsite to the signed intersection with Bear Creek Trail. BC is fairly open for the first half. There are few times where the trail disappears in a meadow and some elementary route finding/trail awareness is needed. I didn’t see Jelly Spring, but there is water flowing in the gully where the spring is. This was the first water I saw since South Tucannon Spring.

After Jelly Spring, the BC trail switches back down to the Tucannon River. About halfway down the switchbacks, the trail alternates between mostly and entirely overgrown. The trail is very narrow and you have to feel with feet and poles for long stretches, as the vegetation obscures, rocks, holes, and small washouts on the steep slope. This is not a trail for kids or beginners.

At the bottom of the switchbacks the trail is still overgrown as it crosses the Tucannon River and continues westbound on the far side. I don’t recall details of the crossing itself. After about a half mile, the BC trail continues uphill to the right. Turn downhill to the left onto the Tucannon River Trail. As the trail approaches the river it turns right and stays on the north side of the river. There is an established spur trail that crosses the river to a nice camp site on the far side. I wasn’t paying attention so I did this crossing, thinking it was the main trail. If you’re surefooted you can cross it on a narrow log, or if you’re not (like me) you can do a ford just over your knees. The water was flowing slowly so it was easy.

At this point the Tucannon River Trail is very easy to follow with good tread and minor vegetation encroachment. On reaching the TH I road walked to the Ladybug CG, dropped my pack, and walked back to my truck. Then I drove back to Ladybug and slept in the back of my truck under the stars.

All in all a great trip and I had the trail to myself most of the time. The only unexpected challenges were the varying status of the springs (my fault for assuming they were all easily found and flowing) and the very overgrown Rattlesnake and Bear Creek trails that were advertised as maintained by the land manager. 

I'm adding some more details to Mark's earlier report for the BCRT on the Panjab and Turkey Cr trails as following the BCRT, I hiked the entire Panjab trail to the ridge.

The Panjab is clear of downed trees across the trail up to 4460'. Beyond that, there were about 30 trees across the trail, from 2-14". Some posed no problem for hikers. A few were annoying. Horse riders might be blocked by some.

There was such flower diversity along the trail! The ridge top was lovely as reported by others. Lots of balsamroot, lupine, larkspur, and giant-headed clover. I found Dunlap Spring off of the Crooked Cr trail as mapped. There was a campsite there and one in the trees on the knoll just northeast of the spring, on the Mt Misery trail. I had no problem following the Panjab trail, but the trails on the ridgetop were indistinct. I recommend a map

The trail is exposed, so if it's sunny, I strongly recommend sun protection and electrolytes. Oof, it was just hot during the BCRT! There were several spots along the trail where the creek was accessible but not as many places as I would have expected by looking at the map, due to steep banks and brush.

The Turkey Cr trail had a very different feel. I enjoyed the greater shade but I wasn't impressed with the mile or two we traveled past the junction with Panjab. The trail junction is not especially distinct; it's a bit after the "Panjab" sign. You can wade the creek or, as we did, continue further upstream and cross on a messy but solid log jam. Note that further upstream, the Turkey Cr trail crosses the creek then back again in a spot that is not mapped. We cleared downed trees to somewhere in the 4200-4500', leaving a few that were too complicated. Horseriders would likely need to dismount at 4100' to get under an overhanging log. Like Panjab, the creek was always close by, but water wasn't as accessible.

Thanks to the person who put our left-behind hand saw at the trailhead!

By the way, here's some history on the name of Panjab Creek: https://cdm17061.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17061coll4/id/7394/rec/1

A four-day Washington Trails Association logout and trail clearing team in the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness in the lovely Blue Mountains, in the southeast corner of Washington close to the borders of Oregon and Idaho. A 280-mile drive from Seattle, but well worth it. We cleared over 40 logs over 10 miles of trails. If you haven’t volunteered for one of these, look at what you’re missing!

Things to love: 

1:  The historic and cozy Tucannon Guard Station is a perfect base camp for a logout team

2:  The leaders were awesome, everyone (leaders included) learned from the shared skills and openness to input from anyone

3:  The volunteers were fun, ambitious, and hardworking

4:  The trail work was challenging and super appreciated by local Forest Service staff

5:  With temperatures around 80 with very little shade in the burn areas, we were glad it wasn’t any hotter

6:  We were reminded of how important it is to have LOTS of hydration and electrolytes

7:  We had to make a lot of strategic and timing decisions as a group, and we made good choices

8:  Last but not least, Jane was an exceptional group leader, she successfully “herded the cats” and sweated the details. Jane keeps safety on the top of everyone’s minds. Outstanding! 

Things not to love?

 1:  Ticks!

I hiked the 14.5-mile loop starting at Teepee campground counterclockwise to Oregon Butte then to Indian Corral then down the Panjab Trail and finally up the Turkey Creek Trail to the starting point. The first leg (to Oregon Butte) was fine, next leg (to Indian Corral was not too bad with maybe 20 or so logs blocking the trail but readily passable for hikers. From Indian Corral down the Panjab Trail was clear of logs but the washouts from last year almost (but not quite) eroded the trail.  The junction with Turkey Creek trail was hard to find (marked only with a strange band around a tree).  The Turkey Creek trail northwards was very overgrown and unnervingly difficult to follow in many places; I'm inclined to say that this leg of the loop (with the extent of undergrowth) at this time makes this hike unnecessarily dangerous. But it was nice to see what this area looks like two years after a devastating wildfire. Photos from my hike are below.