Crow Creek: Sand Creek Tr963, West Quartz Creek Tr952
Overall: 5
Aerobic: 5
Technical: 6
Steepness: 5
Flow: 5
Singletrack: 100%
From the Crow Creek Washington campground, the Sand Creek Tr963 and West Quartz Creek Tr952 loops cover most of the Little Naches River valley.
Type
Loop
Length
Avg: 19.5mi
Ascent
Moderate
Elevation Change
TH:2700'
Avg Ascent:4000'
Ascent Incline
7%
Duration
Avg: 4hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
popup
USFS
The nearby Kaner Flat campground is the trailhead for the Quartz Mountain Tr948 ride.
Unlike the nearby Raven Roost ride, the Pyramid Peak Tr941 to Sand Creek Tr963 CCW Loop is a great intermediate ride, long enough to be challenging but with moderate enough climbing to be doable without a lot of hike-a-bike.
Ding: Like all the other trails in the area, Pyramid Peak Tr941 is enjoyed by Orv, a lot.
The result of so much motorized use is a trail which is rutted and rocky.
It's not just the pedal-pushing mountainbikers who notice the natural loop configuration of these two trails, so expect heavy weekend Orv traffic in the high summer months.
The 15.5mi (3800' ascent) West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 is commonly called Fifes Ridge and provides access to Fifes Ridge Tr954 as well.
Fifes Ridge Tr954 enters the Norse Peak wilderness area after 2.5mi, and the first 1.5mi covers moderate terrain, so could be added to West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 as a spur ride.
West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 covers moderate terrain and could be ridden in either direction, and made easier still by using FR1920 for the ascent.
West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 can be reduced to a 12mi (3000' ascent) loop by starting from FR1922 instead of the Crow Creek campground.
Directions: See Map. NW Forest Pass required right at the TH. SR410 to FR19 to the Kaner Flat campground. View Larger Map. No Map?.
Loop Directions
crow creek observatory
- TH: From the Kaner Flat campground, ride Pyramid Peak Tr941 or FR19 to FR1906, passing the Mount Clifty Tr947 intersection on the right at 6.1mi. This section of Pyramid Peak Tr941 is popular with Orv, which sometimes leads to poor trail conditions (and hazardous riding conditions as well).
- 7.1mi: Go left onto South Fork Tr946 and cross FR19, then go left onto Sand Creek Tr963, paralleling FR1906. Ride Fr1906 if lost in the endless tangle of trails in this area.
- 8mi: Cross FR872 and pass the Yellow Jacket Tr963B intersection on the left. Option: Ride Yellow Jacket Tr963B to FR1902, an easier climb than remaining on Sand Creek Tr963. The forest service has reinforced the corners with cinder blocks, either for Orv or really fast climbers.
- 9.9mi: Cross a singletrack intersection at 9.3mi, crest a ridgeline at 9.5mi then cross FR862 at 9.6mi, descending to the FR1902 crossing and upper Yellow Jacket Tr963B TH.
- 11.5mi: After crossing FR1902 and resuming the ascent alongside Sand Creek, make a sharp left turn on the trail as it meets FR961. Ascend to the ridgeline ride summit at 12.1mi, with some steep hike-a-bike as the trail merges with and crosses FR961. Descend along the ridge to the Crow Creek campground, overlooking the steep Crow Creek drainage. The descent is technical, due to trail damage, so watch the speed.
Fifes Ridge: Quartz Creek Loop
- TH: From FR1234, ride past the Crow Creek campground at .5mi on Sand Creek Tr963, then go left onto West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 at 1.2mi.
- 2.2mi: At the FR1922 West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952 T intersection go left and continue the ascent to Fifes Ridge, crossing FR1920 at 3mi.
- 3.6mi: Cross FR824 then pass the Indian Flat Tr955 intersection on the left. Fifes ridge is sloped so the entire ridgeline ride is a moderate climb..
- 6.1mi: Cross a flat section and FR823, as the trail parallels FR1920.
- 8.1mi: At the Fifes Ridge Tr954 T intersection, go right to continue on West Quartz Cr Loop Tr952. Option: 2.5mi Fifes Ridge Tr954 OAB.
- 9.2mi: Cross FR829 then jog left on FR1920 to regain the trail. The descent winds past several knolls alongside West Quartz Creek, crossing FR848 at 10.6mi and FR840 at 11.4mi, with a few brief climbs along the way.
- 13.5mi: Cross FR1922 at the loop intersection and head back to the TH.
Trail Index
This Ride
Fifes Ridge Trail 954, Pyramid Peak Trail 941, Sand Creek Trail 963, South Fork Trail 946, West Quartz Creek Loop Trail 952, Yellow Jacket Trail 963B
Area
Wilderness
American Ridge Tr958, Fifes Ridge Trail 954, Indian Flat Trail 955
Orv
Pipeline Trail 4W688, Kaner Flat Trail 4W676
Campgrounds
American Forks Campground, Cedar Springs Campground, Cottonwood Campground, Crow Creek Campground, Halfway Flat Campground, Hells Crossing Campground, Indian Flat Campground, Jungle Creek Campground, Kaner Flat Campground, Little Naches Campground, Lodgepole Campground, Pine Needle Campground, Pleasant Valley Campground, Sawmill Flat Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
