Icicle Creek Trail

Icicle Creek Trail (#1551) is a 9.6-mile out-and-back hike in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on Icicle Creek Trailhead. The route is listed for hiking with horse use, and it follows a dirt surface along Icicle Creek for a long distance day.

The first stretch stays mellow and streamside for roughly the initial five miles, then the character shifts toward steeper climbing as you continue up the drainage toward your turnaround point.

A practical planning constraint is the French Creek crossing: the bridge over French Creek is broken and unsafe to cross, and high water means fording isn’t an option. That effectively shuts down access to French Creek Trail and any routes beyond the unsafe bridge on the way up.

If you’re timing your hike from the Icicle Creek Trailhead, the common plan is an early start from Leavenworth by driving Icicle Creek Road/Forest Road 7600 about 20 miles to the end of the road at the trailhead.

At the trailhead there are vault toilets, but there’s no potable water provided on-site, so carry what you need for the whole out-and-back day.

Access is managed under Alpine Lakes Wilderness rules. A free wilderness permit is required at the trailhead, and recreation passes include the Northwest Forest Pass (as well as the interagency day pass options listed for the site).

The Icicle Creek Trailhead also provides trail access to French Creek Trail #1595, French Ridge Trail #1564, and Frosty-Wildhorse Trail #1592; however, the damaged French Creek bridge limits what you can reach up-trail right now.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, The 80+ Best Hikes in Wenatchee National Forest