Teeley Creek Trail #251

Teeley Creek Trail #251 is a multi-use hiking route in Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Packwood/Ashford, used for foot travel plus horseback riding and also open to mountain biking. It’s commonly used as a short connector into the Sawtooth Ridge area and for day trips targeting the lake chain along Teeley Creek.

A typical “classic” use threads the route into the Teeley Creek → Osborne Mountain Trail #250 line and then up toward Bertha May Lake and onward to Granite Lake. Many hikers treat it as a turnaround hike on the lake(s) rather than a long thru-excursion through the entire area.

Distance for common out-and-back objectives is usually about 4.1–4.3 miles round trip, with reported elevation gain in the ~475–777 ft range depending on how far you push past the intermediate lakes.

On-trail character is dominated by Pacific Northwest forest travel: dense old-growth conifer woods with a fern understory, plus occasional wildflowers in summer. The lake basins (Pothole/Bertha May/Granite) are recurring destination points along the hike.

Seasonal food and short-summer ecology are part of the experience later in the year, with huckleberries and mountain blueberries showing up along the route in season; wild berry patches are repeatedly noted by hikers.

Camp options show up at the lakes: there are established campsites at Pothole Lake, Bertha May Lake, and Granite Lake, which allows some groups to extend the plan into a quick overnight backpacking trip.

Trailhead access is generally via Forest Road 8440 off Skate Creek Road (FR 52). Forest service road access can be rough and may include potholes and sharp/rocky sections, so a high-clearance vehicle is often a safer bet than relying on a standard car.

More information: Conditions, Conditions, Teeley Creek Hike - Gravel Bound