Ruffey Creek
- 4.0 mi
- round trip
- 991 ft
- climb
- 5,706 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Ruffey Creek open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Klamath National Forest.
Temporarily closure of approximately 3.5 miles of National Forest System Roads 47N01
Agency alert covering Klamath National Forest · Order 05-05-00-26-08 · USFS · Klamath National Forest
Grayback Road Repairs
Agency alert covering Klamath National Forest · USFS · Klamath National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Klamath National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Ruffey Creek is a 4-mile out-and-back hike in the Scott River Ranger District of Klamath National Forest in northern California, about 4.8 miles from the town of Etna. The trail is rated moderate, with a one-way climb of about 991 feet from a low point of roughly 4,697 feet to a high of about 5,706 feet. The route is natural-surface, so expect a trail that stays close to the ground rather than a developed path. The most comfortable time to go is typically late spring through early fall. A nearby weather station records typical averages of about 60°F in June and 70°F in September, with July and August in the low to mid 80s. Several other outings sit close by. Etna Mill Creek is about 1.2 miles away, Meeks Meadow about 2.1 miles, and Taylor Lake about 3.1 miles. For paddling, French Creek is about 4.8 miles off.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Taylor Lake
~5 min drive
0.71-mile out-and-back trail to Taylor Lake in California with 315 ft gain.
Hogan Lake
~6 min drive
6.72-mile out-and-back hike to Hogan Lake in California with 1,074 ft gain.
Albert Lake Trail
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1.24-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,248 ft elevation gain
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North Fork Salmon Trail
~12 min drive
27.34-mile out-and-back trail in California with 6,361 ft elevation gain/loss.
Lipstick Lake
~10 min drive
1.15-mile out-and-back trail to Lipstick Lake in California with 597 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: theforestprimeval, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Duck Lake
~9 min drive
7.20-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,537 ft elevation gain.
Paynes Lake
~8 min drive
3.20-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,678 ft gain.
Horse Range Trail
~10 min drive
1.62-mile out-and-back trail in California with 678 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Etna Mill Creek
~2 min drive
9.80-mile out-and-back trail in California following a stream valley.
HORSE RANGE CREEK
~10 min drive
4.5-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,094 ft elevation gain and loss.
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