Often described as one of the premier mountain bike rides in the state, this is also a very nice hike or trail run. Nice buff trails with beautiful pine grass and ponderosa pine forests. Because it is a popular ride, it is probably best avoided on weekends unless you're hiking early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Maps: Wenatchee National Forest road map, or view our topo map (8.5’x11” portrait/landscape or 8.5”x14” portrait/landscape). Note: use ‘Print Preview’ before printing to properly scale this map to a full sheet of paper.
Activity: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Trail RunningNearest Town: Wenatchee, CashmereSkill Level: 2Fitness Level: 3Distance: 20.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,730 feet
Access:
--From Wenatchee, reach the upper trailhead by driving up Squilchuck Road toward Mission Ridge. Follow the Squilchuck Road 1 mile past Squilchuck State Park and turn right on Forest Road 9712 (Beehive Reservoir Road). Drive this road about 4.3 miles to the Devil's Gulch Upper Trailhead.
--From Cashmere, exit Highway 2 at the westernmost Cashmere stoplight. Cross the bridge into Cashmere and at the main intersection in town (flashing light) go straight (you’re on Division Street). In a few hundred yards the road bends to the right around the schools and becomes Pioneer Avenue. Shortly after this bend, turn left on Mission Creek Rd. Go roughly .5 mile and turn right at the T intersection. Cross Mission Creek and turn left at the next road, which is Mission Creek Road. Now drive 7.5 miles to a Y in the road near where the pavement ends. Near the end of pavement and around this Y in the road, the property bordering the road is private, strewn with dead cars and junked appliances. No trespassing signs are visibly posted making, it seem as though you can’t drive the road. Ignore them. Take the left branch and follow Road 7100 along Mission Creek for about 2.75 miles to the lower Devils Gulch Traillhead (el 1,750 feet). You can park and hike from here.
Or to reach the upper lot, drive 2.25 mile to a fork and go right staying on Road 7100. At 8.6 miles from the lower lot, remain on Road 7100 by going right at a 5-way intersection. In about another mile Road 7100 ends, turn right on Road 9712. About 11.2 miles from the lower lot, turn off Road 9712 into the upper trailhead (el 5,000 feet).
Trip Instructions (from Lower Trailhead):
--From the Lower Devils Gulch Trailhead, take the trail following the drainage of Mission Creek. During the first few miles a few spur trails join your trail (one spur leads up the Mission Ridge Trail, another farther up leads up Red Hill). Just keep following the Mission Creek drainage uphill.
--Roughly six miles up the trail, and after crossing and recrossing Mission Creek a few times, the trail leaves the creek bottom and zig zags uphill.
--Mile 10.3. Trail intersection in a beautiful ponderosa glade. A good place to turn around--if you haven't already (elevation 4,480 feet). Retrace your route back. Or...take the left trail which traverses and climbs up to Mission Ridge (not the ski area, but the ridge bordering Mission Creek) and follow the trail that undulates up and down along the high ridge flanking the creek (this is a longer, harder return).
Fees/Permits: A Northwest Forest Pass is needed to park at the Lower Trailhead but not at the Upper Trailhead.
More Info/Links: Click here to read the Wenatchee World's report.
Leave It Better Than You Found It: This should be every outdoor user’s goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, disperse old fire rings (they encourage more fires), throw branches over spur trails and spurs between switchbacks (make it harder to do the wrong thing than the right thing).
Important Disclaimer: Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Things change, conditions change, and those contributing these reports are volunteers--they may make mistakes, fail to give complete information, or may not know all the issues affecting a route. So forget about finger pointing: If things go wrong, you are completely responsible for yourself and your actions. If you can’t live with that, you are prohibited from using our information.