East Tule Creek Trail
East Tule Creek Trail is a remote singletrack hiking route south of Hayfork in Trinity County, California, run through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It functions as a segment of the Bigfoot Trail, tracing the creek drainage in parts while also reaching exposed ridge-line terrain. Despite the mapped length, expect a route that keeps asking for route-finding attention in lightly trafficked, brushy stretches.
As a long-distance day hike or multi-day outing, the trail runs point-to-point with an overall effort profile that’s typically described as Difficult/blue. Published estimates put the route in the roughly 5.5 to 10.9 mile range depending on where you start and end, with elevation change on the order of about 1,438 ft of gain and about 1,404 ft of descent.
The trail’s character alternates between shaded creek-side sections and more exposed terrain when it moves toward ridges. Along the way you can encounter natural-surface trail with notable elevation changes, plus occasional rougher ground tied to creek crossings and drainage terrain.
Water can be a factor, but it’s variable: you’ll pass along parts of Tule Creek and its forks, with seasonal spots that may be muddy or include surface water depending on time of year and recent conditions. Expect the creek corridor to shape the route, including crossings at confluences and stretches that don’t stay wet year-round.
Because this is a remote segment of the Bigfoot Trail, plan for light maintenance and occasional obstacles such as downed logs and rocky patches. There are volunteer maintenance efforts focused on restoring tread and clearing log fallout, but the trail can still require solid navigation skills when the line fades or branches into animal paths.
Dogs are allowed on the route, but leashing may be required in certain zones. Horses are also supported use on this route, and the trail is mapped as a non-motorized path.
More information: East Tule Creek - Moments in Dirt and Ink, Maps \u0026 Directions - Friends of Wissahickon, Trinity River Country Archives - Bigfoot Trail