General Creek Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Swimming · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The lower crossing of General Creek can be dangerous during spring snow melt runoff in normal-high snow years. It is usually an easy crossing by June. The crossing here, well, sucks, and is sorely in need of a reroute or bridge.

The General Creek Trail can be accessed from the western apex of the General Creek Fire Road which begins in the campground at Sugar Pine Point State Park. The trail is easy and well maintained (fire road) near the campground and gets progressively more difficult the further you get from the campground. The section near the campground, was part of the 1960 Winter Olympic Cross Country Ski and Biathlon course.

The trail proceeds west to the Richardson Lake fire road near the Desolation Wilderness border. The western end is also about 1/4 mile from the McKinney Rubicon Jeep Trail. Along the way, the Lily Pond Connector makes a nice 0.3 mile detour. Lily Pond is exactly as it sounds, but is a nice scenic spot. Lots of wildflowers in the spring.

For those looking for an epic backcountry experience you can head out General Creek Trail to Lost Lake Trail. You can also connect to the PCT/TRT via Richardson Lake.

Other notes for General Creek as part of a backcountry epic: there is an awesome old hunter's cabin near the western end of the trail. Keep your eyes peeled on the left side as you follow the old jeep road at the beginning. It's definitely worth a look and a couple pics.

Richardson Lake is worth a side trip via the Richardson Lake Trail. It's a nice lake, and the TRT/PCT crosses through at Richardson Lake. Also at Richardson Lake there is a little known Sierra Club hut (the Ludlow Hut) on the hill above the south side of the lake that is worth checking out.