Mule Creek
- 0.2 mi
- round trip
- 53 ft
- climb
- 2,821 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Mule Creek open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Powers Ranger District. It doesn't name Mule Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.
Rogue River National Recreation Trail Emergency Closure
Agency closure covering Powers Ranger District · Order 06-10-28-26-05 · USFS · Powers Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Powers Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Mule Creek is an easy hike in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, on the Powers Ranger District in southwest Oregon. The trail is an out-and-back less than a quarter mile long, with a total elevation gain of 53 feet and a high point of about 2,821 feet. The climb is front-loaded, and the steepest stretch comes within the first 0.05 miles, with a grade of about 11 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. July and August typically reach highs around 77°F with only about two wet days a month, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Sexton Summit. That station sits about 1,000 feet higher than the trail, so temperatures on the trail run warmer than the station's figures. The hike takes about half an hour to complete. Buck Creek campground is about 1.6 miles away, and Panther Ridge is a hike about 1.9 miles off. Paddlers can head to West Fork Mule Creek, roughly 2.3 miles away, and Eden Valley campground is about 4.2 miles away.
Local outfitters
- John Carl Guide Service15 mi away
- Remote Outpost RV Park17 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit Mule Creek
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.
Jan
43° / 33°
16 wet
Feb
44° / 33°
15 wet
Mar
46° / 33°
16 wet
Apr
52° / 35°
14 wet
May
61° / 41°
10 wet
Jun
68° / 46°
6 wet
Jul
77° / 53°
2 wet
Aug
77° / 54°
2 wet
Sep
70° / 51°
4 wet
Oct
58° / 43°
9 wet
Nov
47° / 36°
15 wet
Dec
41° / 32°
16 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sexton Summit, OR, 30.8 mi away at 3,832 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Closures we've recorded since August 2026
Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service
Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Devils Backbone
~7 min drive
1.90-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,153 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Coquille River Falls
~9 min drive
0.88-mile out-and-back trail to Coquille River Falls in Oregon.
Photo: Don Henise — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Mt. Bolivar
~10 min drive
2-mile out-and-back trail to Mt. Bolivar in Oregon.
HIKE
West Fork Mule Creek
~6 min drive
6.57-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,098 ft elevation gain.
Pine Grove
~27 min drive
11.70-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,241 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Big Tree
~10 min drive
1.46-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 569 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Sucker Creek
~15 min drive
4.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,778 ft gain and 1,550 ft loss.
HIKE
Rogue River National Recreation Trail
~11 min drive
Scenic 27-mile point-to-point trail along Oregon's wild Rogue River canyon.
HIKE
Clay Hill
~9 min drive
8.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 467 ft gain.
Photo: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Elk Creek Falls
~10 min drive
0.20-mile out-and-back trail to Elk Creek Falls in Oregon with 182 ft of elevation gain.
Also worth it near here
Mule Creek
Next door
Photo: Headwes at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)South Fork Coquille River
~6 min drive
SEE
Grave Creek to Marial Back Country Byway
~7 min drive
SEE
Stair Creek Falls
~8 min drive