Brice Creek
​Hike details:
Mileage: 7.8 round trip w/ 1,390 ft. elevation gain (to Lund Park Forest Camp)
10.5 miles round trip w/ 1,900 ft. elevation gain (full trail without Trestle Creek Falls side trips)
Approximate hike time: 3 hours 23 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (to Lund Park Forest Camp)
4 hours 33 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (full trail without Trestle Creek Falls side trips)
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail usage: Low to medium until you get to the Trestle Creek part of the hike
Highest elevation: 2,050 ft. Lowest elevation: 1,430 ft.
General location: 23 miles south of Cottage Grove - Umpqua National Forest
Accessible: Year-round
(Best time to go is end of September through October for prime fall foliage).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, mountain bikes
Possible dangers: N/A
10.5 miles round trip w/ 1,900 ft. elevation gain (full trail without Trestle Creek Falls side trips)
Approximate hike time: 3 hours 23 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (to Lund Park Forest Camp)
4 hours 33 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (full trail without Trestle Creek Falls side trips)
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail usage: Low to medium until you get to the Trestle Creek part of the hike
Highest elevation: 2,050 ft. Lowest elevation: 1,430 ft.
General location: 23 miles south of Cottage Grove - Umpqua National Forest
Accessible: Year-round
(Best time to go is end of September through October for prime fall foliage).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs, mountain bikes
Possible dangers: N/A
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Description:The Brice Creek trail is a beautiful hike that follows the creek for a total of 5.25 miles each way. If you want to see the whole trail but only hike one way you could take two cars and park one at the lower parking lot and one at Champion Creek trailhead. You can also camp in the area and break this hike up into two days by hiking to Lund Park Campground and back to the parking lot, making it a 7.8 mile hike, and the second day hiking the Trestle Creek Falls Loop, which would then complete the entire Brice Creek Trail.
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The parking area for the trail is on the right side of the road and the trail starts on the left. You will see a sign that has the mileages on it and at this point you can decide how far you want to go. The first part of the trail is fairly dry and in the fall the big leaf maples glow yellow and orange in the sunlight. The further you hike, the deeper you will get into the more typical Oregon woods that are green and lush with ferns, moss and oxalis.
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(Brice Creek Falls)
After 1.75 miles you will see flat rocks in the river that you can go out onto when the water is low enough. There is a lovely little 8 foot waterfall here which plunges into one of the best swimming holes along this creek. In the summer Brice Creek is extremely popular with campers who are enjoying the cool forest and people who come out for the day to swim in the creek. However, in the fall and winter Brice Creek Trail is visited much less, even on weekends, and becomes a haven for those seeking a beautiful hike not too far from Eugene. This trail is mountain bike friendly, so you might see some bikers riding past.
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About 1.1 miles past the waterfall the trail climbs a bit and you get a great view of the trees and creek from the top. Then the trail traverses back down to a very beautiful wooden bridge that crosses the creek over to Lund Park Campground. Lund Park was named after Alex Lundgren and Tom Parker who owned an inn which stood at that spot back in the 19th century when the Bohemia Mines were operational nearby. This is a great campground with 10 spots, 2 vault toilets and garbage. Note, there is no potable water at the campground so you must bring a water filter or bring your own water when camping.
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Once you have checked out Lund Park Campground and used the restroom, you will cross the bridge again to get back to Brice Creek Trail. Here you can decide if you want to continue the 1.3 miles through the woods to the end of the trail and then turn around, or if you’re camping in the area you can break this up into two hikes and turn around here making it 7.8 miles round trip and you can do the rest of the Brice Creek Trail the next day when you hike the Trestle Creek Falls Loop, a lovely 3.75 mile loop featuring two amazing waterfalls.
The Brice Creek is a very beautiful and relatively easy hike. There is only one spot where there is some exposure on the trail, however it is very minimal and the terrain is not loose or rocky. Because there are three access points to the trail, you can break it up and make it the perfect length for the whole family. Whether you’re checking out Brice Creek in the spring, summer, fall or winter, you are sure to enjoy this trail! |
(in 2019 there was a really bad winter storm that really damaged this forest and trail. This trail has mostly been repaired since then but you can still see some damage).
Directions:
From Eugene
- Drive Interstate 5 south to Cottage Grove. Take exit 174 and follow signs to Dorena Lake. Continue on the main paved road NF-22 through the towns of Culp Creek and Disston (these communities are so tiny you don't even realize you are driving through a town) a total of 21.7 miles from the freeway. About a mile past the Umpqua National Forest entrance sign, look for a trail sign on the left marking the lower Brice Creek trailhead and park in the parking lot on your right. (Total of 43.4 miles)
- Drive Interstate 5 south 78.9 miles to Cottage Grove. Take exit 174 and follow signs to Dorena Lake. Continue on the main paved road NF-22 through the towns of Culp Creek and Disston (these communities are so tiny you don't even realize you are driving through a town) a total of 21.7 miles from the freeway. About a mile past the Umpqua National Forest entrance sign, look for a trail sign on the left marking the lower Brice Creek trailhead and park in the parking lot on your right. (Total of 105 miles)
- Drive US-97 south 46.9 miles then turn right onto Crescent Road/Crescent Cutoff Road and continue for 12 miles until you T into OR-58. Take a right and drive OR-58 for 35.6 miles. At a sign for Hills Creek Reservoir turn left and then turn right onto Road 21 and almost right away turn left onto NF-21 for 5.7 miles. Turn right onto NF-2110 for 10.2 miles then continue straight on NF-22 for 0.6 miles then stay right on NF-22 for 3.4 miles. Turn right onto NF-22 and stay on this road for 8.1 miles until you see the parking for the Brice Creek trailhead on your left. (Total of 124 miles)
- Drive Interstate 5 south 125 miles to Cottage Grove. Take exit 174 and follow signs to Dorena Lake. Continue on the main paved road NF-22 through the towns of Culp Creek and Disston (these communities are so tiny you don't even realize you are driving through a town) a total of 21.7 miles from the freeway. About a mile past the Umpqua National Forest entrance sign, look for a trail sign on the left marking the lower Brice Creek trailhead and park in the parking lot on your right. (Total of 148 miles)
- Drive Interstate 5 north 145 miles to Cottage Grove. Take exit 174 and follow signs to Dorena Lake. Continue on the main paved road NF-22 through the towns of Culp Creek and Disston (these communities are so tiny you don't even realize you are driving through a town) a total of 21.7 miles from the freeway. About a mile past the Umpqua National Forest entrance sign, look for a trail sign on the left marking the lower Brice Creek trailhead and park in the parking lot on your right. (Total of 170 miles)
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: The trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.
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