Oregon · Hiking

French Creek Ridge

French Creek RidgePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
4.0 mi
round trip
1,580 ft
climb
4,523 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is French Creek Ridge open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Detroit Ranger District. It doesn't name French Creek Ridge, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Detroit Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

French Creek Ridge is a 4-mile out-and-back hike in the Detroit Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from about 4,120 feet to a high point of 4,523 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,580 feet over the round trip. The climb is moderate, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.7 miles in, where the grade reaches 23%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Santiam Junction, which sits roughly 770 feet lower than the ridge, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 42°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 38°F and lows near 24°F. The trail is open from June 1 to October 31, and the trip takes about two hours. Bikes are not allowed, and the surface is natural. Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347 starts just 0.2 miles away, and Opal Lake and French Creek Trail #3349 are both within about a mile. For paddling, French Creek is about 2.4 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit French Creek Ridge

    Best months: May–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

      38° / 24°

    2. Feb

      41° / 24°

    3. Mar

      44° / 26°

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

    5. May

      58° / 35°

    6. Jun

      65° / 38°

    7. Jul

      76° / 42°

    8. Aug

      76° / 42°

    9. Sep

      69° / 39°

    10. Oct

      56° / 33°

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

    12. Dec

      36° / 23°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santiam Junction, OR, 27.9 mi away at 3,750 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347Photo: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elkhorn Ridge Trail #3347

Next door

5.37-mile out-and-back hike on Elkhorn Ridge in Oregon with 2,500 ft gain

Opal LakePhoto: Jason McHuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Opal Lake

~1 min drive

2.00-mile out-and-back trail to Opal Lake in Oregon with 612 ft gain.

Water Tower Mountain TrailPhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Water Tower Mountain Trail

~7 min drive

1.26-mile out-and-back hike to Water Tower Mountain summit with 2,817 ft gain

Kopetski TrailPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kopetski Trail

~8 min drive

1.38-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,051 ft elevation gain.

French Creek Trail #3349Photo: Ian Sane, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

French Creek Trail #3349

~2 min drive

10.7-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,152 ft elevation gain and loss.

KopetskiPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kopetski

~7 min drive

2.68-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 713 ft elevation gain

Nasty Rock Trail #3356Photo: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nasty Rock Trail #3356

~10 min drive

5.64-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 3,350 ft elevation gain and loss.

Henline MountainPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Henline Mountain

~10 min drive

5.12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,830 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Sardine Mountain Trail

~3 min drive

1.78-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,398 ft elevation loss.

Opal Creek TrailPhoto: mjfmjfmjf, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Opal Creek Trail

~7 min drive

1.25-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 715 ft of elevation gain.