City Creek (North Fork)

April 27, 2018 -HIKE

The reasons to go out for a hike are as numerous as the people who take that motivation and get out there into the hills.  Exercise, viewing wildlife, peace and quiet, walking the dog, horn-huntin, getting way back in to a remote fishing spot, are a few examples.  Lately I’ve encountered several people who have the desire to explore the Tushar Mountains east of Beaver, they just don’t know where to start.  Well, that’s where I come in. This is Jesse McMullin, up here in North Creek, and my summer job with the Forest Service, clearing trails, is all in vain if no one knows where the trails start or go.  So I’m going to continue writing about my adventures. My intentions with these articles this summer is to inspire folks of all ages to put down the remote/game controller/mouse and GET OUTSIDE to see how lucky we are to live in Utah where public lands abound and see the amazing resources offered by the Tushar Mtns!  Every other week I will write about a trail that I’ve recently cleaned or conquered so I know it’s current state, and to include everyone, I try to do hikes where you only need a passenger car to access. This is becoming more difficult because I’ve already written 40 articles! You can read these on a website called “mcmullins.wixsite.com/intothetushars”  or you are welcome to call me with questions or concerns at (801-243-0095). I will include tips on backcountry safety, preparedness, gear, ethics, and turn by turn directions to get you to the trailheads. Sound good? Great, LETS GO!

I’m sorry for the longer drive on this hike,  but, I 100% guarantee you will not see another soul on this trail.   That’s a shame because this hike up trail 071, North Fork of City Creek, is beautiful, shady, not very steep, parallels a stream, and offers the widest array of different plant and tree species of any hike I can think of, seemingly all in the first mile out of four miles, where you eventually tie into the Skyline Nat’l Recreation Trail clear up at 10,600 feet near City Creek Peak.  I ran out of daylight clearing the first 2 miles of this trail, so I wish you luck if you continue past the 3rd of 5 stream crossings. The second half of trail 071 becomes quite steep as you leave the dark and dense conifer forest, switchbacking up between open clearings of sagebrush and lovely aspen stands which adorn City Creek Peak’s Southern flank. Until the snow melts off Big Flat, you have to drive clear around the Tushar’s to the town of Junction on U.S. 89, where you turn west on Ut. Hwy 153.  Stay on the asphalt until the sign which reads, “Sharp Curves/Steep Grades”, then veer right onto a dirt road. Drive through the stream, and turn uphill to the left, passing City Creek Campground. This road dead ends a half mile west of the campground where you’ll spot some water-works and the fenced in spring which is the town’s culinary water source. I wouldn’t take a horse trailer past the campground, but there is room at the spring to park 3 or 4 vehicles. The trail is well marked starting on the left hand side of the spring fence.  I really hope you get your hiking boots on and enjoy the miracles of nature whilst hiking “Into the Tushars”.