East Shore

Trail Overview

East Shore is an easy road that any vehicle can do. It takes you along Hill Creek Lake, which has plenty of camping spots. The views are amazing; as you drive, you will see the water peeking through the trees, and in certain spots, the forest clears and you get a large opening to view the lake. This is a one-lane road with pull-offs. There is one section that has been slightly dug out due to people trying to make it up the hill during wet conditions with 2WD vehicles or heavy trailers. It will catch you off guard if you are driving fast. The WNF is home to over 300 species of wildlife including northern spotted owl, mule deer, bald eagle, Chinook salmon, black-tailed deer, bull trout, black bear, cougar, southern red-backed vole, elk, and wolverine. Early settlers came here for the logging industry as the WNF is full of Douglas-fir, pine trees, western hemlock, big-leaf maple, and western red cedar. Wildflowers paint the fields with purple, white, yellow, pink, and orange flowers. Northwest Forest Recreation passes are required at all trailhead and day-use areas and can be purchased online or by downloading the recreation.gov/mobile app. Firewood is plentiful in the WNF and free wood collecting permits are available through the local ranger station. Weather here during the summer is warm and temperate with rain in the spring, fall, and winter along with snow. Roads aren't accessible during winter months due to heavy snowfall and weather. There is little to no cellphone service in this area. If you need reception, the Dairy Queen near Chevron offers WiFi, a stop for breakfast, or a full menu all day. Please remember to pack it in, and pack it out. This area is known to be busy and people do tend to leave trash-clean up and keep our trails open!

Photos of East Shore

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Difficulty

This trail poses little to no difficulty, however, there is one section of the road that is getting dug out due to vehicles trying to make it up the hill during wet conditions. The road is typically unmaintained during winter and can be subject to closures. Campsites are on steep rocky roads which go down to the water. 4x4 is required to access those campsites.

History

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Hills Creek Reservoir in 1961. The dam was built to provide flood control, irrigation, power generation, water-based recreation, and improved downstream navigation. The 44-mile shoreline of this reservoir is managed to provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and waterfowl.

Technical Rating