Bear Basin Mines
Explore 100 years of mining history on this splendid excursion into a remote creek basin.
Total Distance: 6.0 miles
Total Ascent: 2400ft
Highest Point: 4200ft
Total Ascent: 2400ft
Highest Point: 4200ft
Take I-90 to exit #31, taking a left into North Bend. After the outlet malls, take a right on North Bend Way and an almost immediate left onto Ballarat Street. After four miles the road splits, veer left onto the North Fork County Road (Forest Road #57). Continue on what soon becomes a bumpy gravel road for little over 18 miles to a junction where FR 57 turns left across the river. At the next junction, follow FR 57 to the right for another 3.0 miles to the trailhead. View Google Directions >>
The trail begins from the Bare Mountain Trail head, following trail #1037 into a mixed forest. The well graded trail is what remains of a long-abandoned mining road that once provided access to the claims in Bear Basin. At 0.7 miles, the trail crosses Bear Creek and getting across can be a little tricky when the water is high. While crossing is easy during the summer, use caution during the spring and fall.
At the 2.0-mile mark, ignore the main trail switchbacking sharply up the mountainside. Instead, plunge into the brush, following the largely obscured roadbed as it parallels Bear Creek and leads you deeper into the basin. Hop over the creeks that cut across the faint booth path, soon reaching a mossy and slick puncheon bridge at 2.3 miles. The trail splits not far past the mill site, with both forks worth exploring to find old mining equipment, adits, and plane wreckage.There's a lot more to Bear Basin Mines, and you can learn all about it in Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!
At the 2.0-mile mark, ignore the main trail switchbacking sharply up the mountainside. Instead, plunge into the brush, following the largely obscured roadbed as it parallels Bear Creek and leads you deeper into the basin. Hop over the creeks that cut across the faint booth path, soon reaching a mossy and slick puncheon bridge at 2.3 miles. The trail splits not far past the mill site, with both forks worth exploring to find old mining equipment, adits, and plane wreckage.There's a lot more to Bear Basin Mines, and you can learn all about it in Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!
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