California · Hiking

River Trail

11.0 mi
round trip
914 ft
climb
1,606 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Oct
best months

Is River Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Klamath National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Klamath National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

River Trail is an 11-mile out-and-back hike in the Happy Camp Ranger District of Klamath National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from a low point of about 990 feet to a high of about 1,606 feet, with a total elevation gain of 914 feet. It is a hard route, and the surface is natural. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 72°F, while July and August average about 94°F. Curly Jack Campground is about 2 miles away, and the Happy Camp Town Trail is about 1.7 miles off. Paddlers can reach South Fork Clear Creek, about 6.6 miles away, and the Siskiyou Wilderness Preston Loop is about 8.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Oct

    Best time to visit River Trail

    Best months: April–June and October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 32°

      17 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      55° / 33°

      15 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      60° / 34°

      16 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      67° / 37°

      12 wet

    5. May

      76° / 42°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 46°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      94° / 52°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      94° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      87° / 44°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      72° / 39°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 36°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      47° / 33°

      18 wet · 1 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cave Junction 1 Wnw, OR, 29.9 mi away at 1,377 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Devil's PunchbowlPhoto: Miguel Vieira from Walnut Creek, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Dillon CreekPhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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