Silver Creek

Trail Overview

Silver Creek is an advanced trail in the Challis National Forest near Stanley, Idaho. From the intersection with Peach Muley Cutoff, it starts with steep switchbacks to drop down the mountainside. The switchbacks are pretty rideable for the experienced rider, being less tight than the ones at the southwestern end of Peach-Cinnabar, but they are still pretty steep. The trail in between the switchbacks is very troughed out with deep ruts, as it must get a lot of use. Another challenge is that several logs are down over the trail that you have to ride over, and branches are sticking out that can grab you. As the trail keeps descending, there is water running through the trail for an extended period of time, and it dips into and out of stream crossings. This trail has some pretty exposed sections of side-hilling as it continues to descend. Another challenging feature is steep sections where the trail is full of scree. This would be particularly difficult in the uphill direction, as most riders will be spinning trying to climb through the scree. There's an old cabin near the west end, and it widens up near the west end like an old road, going under powerlines. Overall this trail is really fun with a lot of great challenges, and is a common start to the route to the Custer Lookout. This trail is open 7/1 - 9/30 for motorized use.

Photos of Silver Creek

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Difficulty

This is an advanced trail due to constant advanced features, such as technical switchbacks, significant exposure, steep hill climbs/descents full of scree, and downed logs. The bulk of the trail is rutted and troughed as well, increasing the difficulty.

Technical Rating