On June 30-July 1 we tried hiking the Jack Creek Trail and (on the second day) Jack Ridge trail. Our plan was to hike down to Stuart Pass, then back up Jack Creek and over Jack Ridge to Trout Lake. We were unsuccessful, but the Jack Creek Trail was pleasant at least. Jack Creek is a great trail for the first 5 miles or so. Well-maintained, plenty of water, a few good campsites, and not too many hikers. You go uphill at first but then it levels off and is gently rolling. The hike is relatively easy as far south as the Meadow Creek Trail junction (there is one section just before this where the trail becomes a river for about 1000 feet or so, but if you have good boots you'll do fine). South of the Meadow Creek junction things get hairier. Here the trail hasn't been as well maintained and fallen trees haven't been cleared, and about a mile south there seems to have been a landslide or avalanche that competely buried the trail under hundreds of fallen trees. We climbed from log to log trying to find our way through this area but it was hopeless...the trail was lost under the debris, and it's going to take a lot of work to make it passable again. We had no choice but to turn back. We camped just north of the Meadow Creek junction (excellent riverside campsite here) and the next day tried the steep Jack Ridge trail. This trail hasn't been maintained in a very long time and the brush has completely taken over. Even the sections that are possible to follow have blowdowns every few hundred feet. There were several times when we had to crawl up the side of the ridge to get around a wiped-out section, and this is not easy because the trail is so steep. The trail gets somewhat easier to follow near the top, but it was snowed in near the crest, and again, we had to turn back and fight our way through the brush for the downhill trip (nearly running out of water in the process...there is only one spot on the Jack Ridge trail where you'll have access to water). Don't attempt this trail unless you're very adventurous, have lots of time to spare, and don't mind crawling on hands and knees up a 2500-foot ridge, because that's what you'll be doing unless you bring a machete and a chainsaw. Wildflowers are in bloom, though.

This is loop 47 in the Mountaineers ""Best Loop Hikes"". The book says 8 hours, GrnLkHiker did it in 6 on 8/15/07 but it took us 10. Maybe our mistake was taking it clockwise, oppposite to what the book recommends; our older knees would rather go up steep slopes than down them. We did a lot of extra miles and elevation gain trying to find the trail up Jack Ridge and down to Trout Lake, and we also took an unintentional side trip. Be forwarned that #1557 is overgrown, there are many massive blow-downs, no signs and many boot tracks going who knows where. Also, this hike is almost entirely in the forest, it's a beautiful forest but we were longing for some views after a long day and when the trail left the wilderness area and entered a clearcut above Trout Creek, the opening was welcome. Jack Creek Trail #1558 is a fine trail along a pretty creek, we passed two fishermen, the only folks we saw all day. After 3 miles there is a sign for #1557 up Jack Ridge. The trail is immediately engulfed in thick brush, but passable. Soon you cross a creek and then switchback steeply up through more brush. Be careful not to get off on a dead-end boot track; we did twice, back-tracked one time and bushwhacked back to the trail the second time. You should hear the creek to your right most of the way up, and if you haven't switch-backed in about 50 yards you probably missed one. Lots of brush and blowdowns. The only views are from the top of Jack Ridge, not spectacular but nice to be in the open. We missed the trail down to slime-green Trout Lake because a boot track continues south along the ridge past it. When you see Trout Lake, look for a sharp switchback to the left just before an avalanche slope; there is no marker. Not realizing we had missed it, we continued south along the ridge and then up several hundred feet above a burn where the views are better; this side trip added an hour or more to the loop. The #1557 down to Trout Lake starts out okay but soon disappears beneath some massive blowdowns. We thought we had missed a switchback and backtracked before figuring out we'd just have to go over/under/around several huge trees. After bushwhacking for half an hour, we found the trail again. The lake is very marshy and difficult to approach because of all the brush and logs. We found the outlet and crossed it and then looked for #1555 heading north. There are no markers and I'm not sure what we took was a trail. We followed the east side of the outlet stream through a lot of muck and brush until the outlet stream meets Trout Creek, this is also the junction with trail #1554. Here we crossed back over the outlet stream and there are trail signs, though not particularly helpful ones. Find a trail going north with Trout Creek heading downstream on your right. This is #1555 and it is easy to follow along the north ridge above Trout Creek and then west back down to #1558. Fine weather, no bugs, plenty of water for our filter bottles and a few berries too.

I had originally planned to do the Chatter Creek trail today. Unfortunately, the Green Trails Map is incorrect and I spent a fruitless hour trying to find the elusive TH past the Chatter Creek camping area. On my way out of the Icicle Creek Road, I realized the TH has now been moved to just BEFORE the Chatter Creek Campground. Alas.... I found an alternative trail do to along the Icicle Creek and will have to return to do the Chatter Creek trail. I decided to do the loop trail up to Trout Lake. Aside from encountering some folks on horseback at the TH, I had the trail to myself the entire day. Started down the Jack Creek trail for about 1.5 miles. It was in great condition and cleared of blow downs. Then took a right on the Trout Creek trail and started the swichbacks up and up. The trail is mostly in the forest, a nice respite from the Leavenworth sun. The trail is pretty well maintained, although was a bit overgrown as it traverses the side of Jack Ridge. Reached the lake after 4 miles on trail #1555. There were quite a few blowdowns there, which could make finding a camp site a bit challenging. Shared my lunch spot on the lake edge with a beautiful doe and then started heading up and over Jack Ridge again on trail #1557. This trail is in much need of attention. There were multiple blowdowns and the trail is becoming overgrown. While hiking this section, I kept thinking that without some attention, this section of trail is at risk for being overtaken by the devils glove and slide alder. After what seemed like longer than 3.5 miles (as listed on the map), trail #1558 was again reached and it was an easy 3 miles back to the TH. All in all, it was a beautiful ~13 mile loop trip, easily done in under 6 hours. And now I know where to find that darn Chatter Creek TH!

Trout Creek - Jack Creek Loop This is a 13-mile loop trip that features a stop at Trout Lake, and great views of the Windy Pass country and the west side of Cashmere Mtn. The trailhead for Jack Creek trail (#1558) is located just past the Rock Island Campground on Icicle Road near Leavenworth. The trail begins with gentle switchbacks in open forest above Jack Creek. At 1.2 miles hit the first junction, and turn right and continue upwards on the Trout Creek trail (#1555). The trail works up and around the nose of Jack Ridge and emerges in an old clearcut high above Trout Creek with views south to Eightmile Mtn. while Trout Lake is out of sight below and ahead. The trail crosses into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and drops down to meet Trout Creek. Shortly afterwards, 5.2 miles from the trailhead and four miles from the Jack Creek cutoff, reach the intersection with the Eightmile Creek trail (#1554). If you want, turn left here, cross Trout Creek and climb to Windy Pass and Lake Caroline. To continue with the loop go straight ahead at the junction another half mile to Trout Lake. The trail at this point is improved over the last year or so, I think possibly by a WTA crew. In past years the intersection between the Eightmile Creek and Trout Creek trails was unsigned and the trail to the lake was lost. It wasn't clear whether the trail to the lake went up the east or west side of the creek. Now the junction is signed and the trail is obvious and easy, a half mile further to Trout Lake. The local consensus is that Trout Lake is seldom visited. Maybe because USFS first moved the trail following the logging in the area, then lost the new trail through neglect. Maybe because it can be spooky on some days down around the creek crossing. Never mind, the lake is in a beautiful spot below Eightmile Mtn. and the trail is short and moderate. Many campsites at the north end of the lake, and water is easily accessible from the exit creek. The Trout Creek trail ends at Trout Lake. The loop continues here where the Jack Ridge Trail (#1557) begins. The trail is clearly marked and in good shape, although apparently lightly used. A mile and a half to the summit provides great views of the ridge country to the east, including Cashmere Mtn, the area around Windy Pass, and Eightmile Mtn. The drop from here down to rejoin the Jack Creek trail is supposed to be just two miles but seems longer. Go this way and you'll be convinced you never want to try the trip going the other way. Rumor has it that just two miles further up the Jack Creek trail are nice meadow camps popular with hunters in the Fall. To finish the loop, continue straight down the valley on a horsepacker highway that takes you efficiently back to the starting point near Icicle Creek.

Starting at the Jack Creek trailhead (2800'), nestled a few hundred yards behind the Rock Island Campground, we stayed on the Jack Creek trail (1558) at the first junction for a gentle and very dusty 3 miles until we hit the second juction for Jack Ridge trail (1557) which leads to Trout Lake. We took a left and started to ascend through very dense brush up endless switchbacks until we finally came to the top of Jack Ridge (5710'), 2 miles later and half way to the lake. Views of Cashmere Mountain were spectacular, and there was plenty of bear grass, lupine, paintbrush, and tiger lilies to feast the eyes and cameras on. We continued our loop as we descended down to Trout Lake. At the lake we decided against our previous hope for a snooze when we encountered a plethora of mosquitoes. We followed the signs for the Trout Creek trail (or trail 1555) which looped us back through many clearcuts and several way-too-long switchbacks for 4.5 miles until we were again back at the first junction. A short retrace along Jack Creek in the dust and horse dung put us back from our 12.2 mile loop-hike to the rig in just a little over 7 hours.