Smith to Summit: Smith River

Six Rivers National Forest

DAY 1  |  DAY 2

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I didn't exactly jump at the chance to head up South Kelsey when Daniil offered the trip, but it has been nearly 5 years since I was on it and he had the good sense to want to go up the mountain, not just stay by the river, and there was a break in the rain. And it would be a sad thing to waste a break in the rain. And it would be a sad thing to miss a chance to hike something other than another loop through the community forest. On the drive up, I noticed I'd forgotten how pretty the Smith River can be. The G-O Road looked a little more clear, the narrow gravel off it to the trailhead and trailhead looked just the same.

The trail is still in outstanding shape with bits of water passing it frequently. It's a while to see the river.

The vertical rock walls are a thick garden of green.

It wasn't a problem for me when I last was on this trail, but I recall hearing that Yellowjacket Creek can be a bit much to cross.

Yellowjacket Creek makes a nice cascade.

And it is all over the trail. Daniil shows the drier feet crossing beside the trail.

And a quick glance over the South Fork Smith River.

The trail tends to be high up above the river with plenty of growth between. Not getting a good view of the river didn't matter when the trillium put in an appearance. They were leaves and a couple seeds on my previous trip. Now they were soggy flowers as the last few spatters from the finishing rain still fell.

The very soggy brook wakerobin is actually a Pseudotrillium.

The little Del Norte salamander should have been safely unseen under its bit of wood.

More lichens populate a vertical rock.

The big view of South Fork Smith River. It looks like a glacial river to me this day, but maybe it's been too long since I saw one of them. It is nearly 20 years since the last Alaska trip.

The sierra gooseberry is getting some flowers around its thorns.

And the wakerobins continue to struggle under the weight of the gathered water.

Another semi-view of the river. Much of the time it is even harder to see.

The river got distinctly closer as we approached the shelter at Buck Creek. Suddenly we were practically on top of it.

River view from a camp site just short of the shelter at Buck Creek.

The shelter was having a mighty wildflower display. I gather it's a popular place for the short backpack and a lot of camping and swimming sort of trip, but there's plenty of space around it that isn't getting stomped. That was gearing up for an extravagant display of lilies, but already has plenty of others blooming.

Snow queen (speedwells) along the sides of the trail.

The checker lilies getting ready for a grand show.

A remaining shelter of the many mapped by USGS in the area.

Buck Creek coming over a little waterfall just before emptying into the river.

Wood saxifrage full of water drops.

It's all good when there's a bridge.

Buck Creek is so much water under the bridge.

And finally into the Siskiyou Wilderness.

The trail retreats from the river once more, although not always so high up a cliff. Well, a steep, rocky slope. Not so much of that.

A small waterfall as one tributary empties into a swimming hole.

Quartz Creek is another big one, but it pours in from the other side.

Lots of green along the trail.

Another stream crossing requiring wet feet unless there's a perfect set of rocks.

We were camping at the trail junction, or rather just past it at the sign for Elkhorn Bar Camp near another of those shelters USGS mapped. It is long gone, but there's some flat and it isn't under water. (Daniil came here recently just after a night with 6 inches of rain, and the water was deep then.) I wanted to visit Eightmile Creek again, so we dropped some gear and continued on. It's less than a mile further.

Arrived at Eightmile Creek. As I recall, it was simple to get to the island, really a long finger of land, and a little more difficult to continue to the other side. Also, there were more rocks to be seen through the water.

Much like Buck Creek, Eightmile Creek would be all good with a bridge. I looked a little along the banks to see if I could find the cables from it but could not. I think that was this creek and not Harrington. We poked around the camp area and watched the water rush and roar a little.

Some of that water rush.

There's a level of calmer at the confluence.

Future milkmaids.

The camp area at Eightmile Creek.

We headed back to our own camp for a bit of food and set up. This short day would be in support of a rather longer day heading for the summit of Summit Valley.

Sunset finally shows the clouds clearing.

Continue on to the next day ⇒

*photo album*



©2025 Valerie Norton
Written 11 Apr 2025