Trail Overview
Rock Creek Road (FS 9S090) is the essential spinal cord of the Bald Mountain OHV area, a 12.7-mile journey that changes its personality more often than a moody teenager. Connecting Highway 168 at the Tamarack Ridge Snowpark to Dinkey Creek Road, this route is the primary artery for accessing the region's best trails and campsites. The drive is a tale of two roads: the lower section near Dinkey Creek starts as pavement, but don't get too comfortable—it quickly deteriorates into a crumbling, "Swiss cheese" surface of broken asphalt and large potholes that demand slalom skills. As you climb higher toward Tamarack Ridge, the pavement eventually surrenders completely to a wide, graded dirt and gravel forest road. Along the way, you’ll pass massive granite slabs, dense timber, and access to prime camping real estate, including a Huge Group Camping Area equipped with a pit toilet. It’s the perfect staging ground for a weekend of adventure.
Difficulty
While a standard "Easy" trail usually implies smooth sailing, Rock Creek Road earns a Rating 2 due to the deteriorating condition of the paved sections. The broken pavement and large potholes can be jarring and hazardous to low-profile tires or standard sedans if taken at speed. It requires attentiveness to avoid rim-bending holes. Once the road transitions to dirt, it becomes a more predictable, graded surface, but the variable conditions make it slightly more demanding than a highway drive. Any high-clearance vehicle (2WD or 4WD) will handle it with ease, provided you take it slow through the rough patches.
