The Grizzly Camp to Horse Linto Creek section of the Horse Ridge Trail traverses a post-apocalyptic landscape, the product of a series of devastating wildfires. After a gradual one-mile climb through the most intensively burned stretch, the trail drops very gradually to the headwaters of Horse Linto Creek, crossing several small drainages along the way. The trail peters out beyond that but you can bushwhack up the last half mile to the saddle for a nice view north across the Soldier Creek canyon to Devil’s Backbone. As with any hike through a burn, be prepared to scramble over logs and push through encroaching brush.
Six Rivers National Forest Lower Trinity Ranger District: 530-629-2118
This stretch of trail has received no Forest Service maintenance in several years. It remains passable for experienced and patient hikers to Lipps Camp. Parts of the route are fairly heavily overgrown with brush, and there are deadfalls. Some sections of forest have been spared destruction by fire, and are quite scenic, with the trail easy to follow. Past Lipps Camp, a hiker’s report from June 2018 said that there was an impenetrable “sea of brush.” It may be possible to bypass the blockage by traveling crosscountry, departing the trail to the west below Lipps Camp, ascending following close to the bed of Horse Linto Creek, and then climbing to the ridge line where the creek approaches it closely, to rejoin the trail. This is a distance of a little under half a mile. Close study of Google Earth imagery is advised for anyone thinking of making this attempt. Once the trail gains the top of the ridge to the west, it appears to open up again. However, parts of the route passing Devils Hole, to the junction with the Tish Tang Trail are quite vague.
The Lipps Camp Trail, which branches north past Lipps Camp, burned heavily in the 1999 Megram Fire and subsequent fires. It can be seen on aerial imagery to be severely overgrown with brush.
The “post-apocalyptic landscape” is now green and overgrown with 8-ft tall brush. I just hiked north from Grizzly Camp and was pleased to see trail clearing almost to Lipps Camp. The trail north of Lipps is totally overgrown and gone.
This trail is currently closed to the public, due to the ongoing Red Fire.
Once you get past the initial uphill slog, an easy trail through partially burned forest. Yes it has greened up a lot since the photo was taken. I saw seven bears in three hours, six of them appearing to be smaller adults in pairs–maybe two year old litter mates still sticking together? All fled immediately upon sensing a human presence. What you won’t see is any other people. Pleasant camp near the end of the trail. Possible to hike up through Devils Hole to the old guard station on the ridge dividing New River and Trinity drainages and that trail network.
I’ve gone out there twice and would like to go again.