Silver Creek Marsh Campground to Antler Trailhead

Silver Creek Marsh Campground to Antler Trailhead

Rating

            4 out of 5 for whole trail

Mileage

            Silver Creek Marsh Campground to Road 3038 crossing North Fork             4.0 miles

            Road 3038 crossing North Fork to Antler Trailhead                                       3.0 miles

           

Elevation Change

            Silver Creek Marsh Campground to Road 3038 crossing North Fork             +708 feet

            Road 3038 crossing North Fork to Antler Trailhead                                        +849 feet

GPS Coordinates                                    Latitude                             Longitude

            Silver Creek Marsh trailhead        43  00.176                        121  08.421

            Road 3038 crossing                      42  58.341                        121  11.802

            Antler trailhead                             42  57.509                        121  14.853

Trail Description

           

The start of the trail is about .2 miles west of the Silver Creek Marsh Campground on a dirt road.  Go about .2 miles up the road passing through a gate.  The trail begins to the left and drops down to the West Fork of the Silver Creek.  The next 2 miles of the valley were burned in the Silver Fire of 2002.  Brush has grown up around the trail and the first bridge across the West Fork about 1 mile upstream was burned and has not been replaced.  A log can be used to make the crossing.  The trail crosses the West Fork in another .2 miles with a new bridge.  From here the trail climbs up the North Fork valley and follows the North Fork all the way to the Antler trailhead.

After the first 2 miles of burned ponderosa pine forests the trail returns to live forests of ponderosa pines.  The trail crosses Road 3038 and the North Fork after 4 miles and continues upstream on the north side of the creek.  As the trail moves up the north bank, it reaches the bottom of some unusual basalt rock formations.  In the last mile two more dirt roads are crossed.

Driving Directions to the Trailheads

Silver Creek Marsh Campground

            About 1 mile west of Silver Lake on 31 turn south on Road 27.  The Silver Creek March Campground is 10.4 miles on the paved road.  The trail is most easily accessed on a dirt road .2 miles past the entrance to the campground.

Antler Trailhead

            About 1 mile west of Silver Lake on 31 turn south on Road 27.  Turn right after 9.4 miles and follow signs to Antler Trailhead for 9.6 miles.  There is a campground at the trailhead with water, toilet and paddock for horses.