Willow Creek Trail

It doesn't take long to realize that the trails around the Bitterroot were built before the concept and goal of sustainability. Most of the trails are challenging, steep, always rocky, and frequently eroded. Despite this the trails reward those who dare to use them. The trail starts off fairly benign with a few water bars and a nice spell through an open meadow, the bottom of which tends to be muddy. Back into the trees the trail slowly gets steeper the rocks bigger and signs or erosion more evident. The trail briefly breaks out of the forest to reveal the Palisade cliffs and the scree that you need to switchback through. Cross the stream and enjoy the next few switchbacks. The trail then tips steeper but the rocks remain, although they're frequently hidden by the undergrowth. Finally the trail opens up all the way back to the bottom trailhead.