Whether you are hiking the whole trail or just section hiking the trail is ripe for exploration. Most thru-hikers will start in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel in mid-June and hike north. The advantage to this approach is that the snow in the higher mountains to the north will have time to melt off and river levels will drop so crossing them will be less dangerous. Another important consideration for hiking the Bigfoot Trail in 2021 is the trail’s yet unknown conditions after 2020 Slater and August Complex Fires. Please be safe out there!
August Complex
In mid-August of 2020, lightning ignited a series of fires in the North Coast Range. These fires eventually merged into the mega August Complex. As of late October, they have consumed 1,032,264 acres and are still burning (though 91 percent contained). The fires consumed a variety of vegetation across seven counties and parts of Shasta-Trinity, […]
Bigfoot Trail Youth Stewardship Project
Connecting Klamath Mountain Communities The Klamath Mountains, a world biodiversity hotspot, is providing a laboratory to engage local elementary, middle, and high school students in hands-on learning about their home region. The Project is providing K-12 environmental education curriculum and field experiences to rural schools across the Klamath Mountains. The project team has built relationships […]
Oregon Big Trees on the Bigfoot Trail
There are big trees on most sections of the Bigfoot Trail. However, an exceptional collection can be found along a short stretch of trail in Section 17. Only 15 miles of the trail are in Oregon and along three of those miles, with a little searching, the Oregon champion incense-cedar, a 31′ circumference Douglas-fir, and […]
Seiad Valley to Canyon Creek
A group of ultramarathoners orchestrated a 120 mile section-hike of the Bigfoot Trail that involved a car shuttle and key-swap. Suzanna Bon and Sean hiked from Seiad Valley to Canyon Creek while Lucas Horan hiked the opposite direction. While they executed this epic trip in only four days, the approach exemplifies the endless possibilities that […]
New Wilderness Restrictions Along the Bigfoot Trail
Restrictions have been put in place to limit environmental impacts in Caribou Lakes Basin (on the trail) and the Devil’s Punchbowl (just off the trail). In a move that has been a long time in the making, the Klamath National forest has enacted restrictions in two of the most visited backcountry destinations on the forest. […]
Mark Schramm
Thru-Hiking Journal Mark Schramm, from Medford, Oregon, completed his 2020 thru-hike in mid-July by combining the Bigfoot Trail and Trinity Alps High Route. He began on June 20th and finished on July 19th. During a phone conversation he reported a fabulous trip highlighted by seeing barely anyone along the trail (outside the Pacific Crest Trail […]
Day Hikes
On the Bigfoot Trail This is the summer for outdoor adventure and, while there are many folks visiting the wilderness of northwest California, not so many are venturing out away from mountain lakes. What follows are a few ideas on how to visit the Bigfoot Trail on a day-hike (or shorter backpacking adventure) and enjoy […]