Rough Gulch
Photo: Jesse Palmer, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 8.5 mi
- round trip
- 3,649 ft
- climb
- 5,970 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Rough Gulch open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Six Rivers National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Six Rivers National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Rough Gulch is a hard hike in California's Six Rivers National Forest, on the Mad River Ranger District. It is an out-and-back route of about 8.5 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 3,600 feet, from a low point of roughly 2,500 feet to a high of nearly 6,000 feet. The trail is on natural surface and is open to both horses and bikes. The Forest Service manages the surrounding land, and the trail is open year-round. The climb is long and steep. Horse Mountain Lookout sits just 0.3 miles away, and Horse Ridge Trail is about 1.4 miles off. Paddlers can head to Barry Creek, about 3.5 miles away, or the South Fork Trinity River, about 4.4 miles away.
- HORSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUTHikingPhoto: Jesse Palmer, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi
- Horse Ridge TrailHiking1.4 mi
- Barry CreekCanoeing3.5 mi
- South Fork Trinity RiverCanoeing4.4 mi
- Scott Flat CgCamping7.5 mi
- Forest Glen Guard StationCamping7.7 mi
- Poison GardenRock climbing9.6 mi
- Mystery TowerRock climbing9.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- HORSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUTHiking · Next doorPhoto: Jesse Palmer, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Smoky CreekHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: aspidoscelis, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)- Seven Up TrailHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: aspidoscelis, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)
- South Fork Trinity River TrailHiking · ~5 min drive
- Low MountainHiking · ~12 min drive
- Horse Ridge TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Packwood FlatHiking · ~14 min drive
- NORTH BARRY CREEKHiking · ~3 min drive
- South Fork National Recreation TrailHiking · ~8 min drive
- Snow GapHiking · ~6 min drive
Route details
- Distance
- 8.5 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 3,649 ft
- Summit
- 5,869 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
Season
Season: Year-round.
Questions about this route
How long is the Rough Gulch on Chinquapin Butte?
About 8.5 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Rough Gulch?
About 3,649 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Rough Gulch?
It is rated hard.
When is the best time for the Rough Gulch?
Year-round.
Conditions and forecast on Chinquapin Butte
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
