Upper Bear Gulch Trail

The Upper Bear Creek Trail is an 8.5 mile loop in the Sterling Mine Ditch area above the Little Applegate River. The great views require some uphill hiking!

Driving

– It’s a 60 minute drive from Interstate 5. From the Phoenix exit #24 drive towards old Route 99 and turn right on that and then quickly left on South Stage Road towards Jacksonville. HOWEVER… before you reach Jacksonville you will hit Griffin Creek Road where you will turn LEFT and then in less than a mile right on West Griffin Creek which turns into Poorman’s Creek Road somehow. But it definitely dead ends into Sterling Creek Road so turn left.

10 miles along Sterling Creek road until you arrive a Buncom (It’s two old shacks) where you will turn left on Little Applegate Road and a couple miles after you hit the dusty gravel road, the trailhead will be on your left and the parking on the right.

Parking

– It’s about 30 yards past the trailhead but it’s a well-maintained dirt area for a dozen cars. And easy access to Little Applegate River for a nice cool down after the hike.

Hiking

– Across the road from the parking area is the Tunnel Ridge trailhead. Begin uphill on that (In the spring, the creek is creekin’ awesome!) and in 1 mile you intersect with The Ditch Trail. A quick detour to the left shows you The Tunnel. You can crawl through that 50 yards to the other side or just go back the The Ditch intersection.

From here, cross the ditch and head straight uphill. This is a steady, sweaty uphill for 2 1/2 miles. Mostly open with some cool patches of pine and madrone. At your 3 1/2 mile point the trail levels out below the ridge line and you stroll along with open meadow and view after view of the Little Applegate Valley and beyond.

At the intersection with the Wolf Gap Trail you head downhill towards The Ditch Trail once more. Just before you reach the ditch trail there is a small intersection with a “Wolf Gulch Express” trail so take that left and you quickly hit The Ditch Trail. Turn left on that and in under 1 mile you will hit the Bear Gulch Trail. Take that to your right downhill for about 1 mile.

You will emerge onto The Little Applegate gravel road and now you have under 1 mile of country gravel road walkin’ back to your parking spot where yes, there is a little trail down to the Little Applegate River where you can take off your shoes (or as many clothes as you feel like) and cool off in the river. You earned it!