Trail Overview
Big Timber Creek Trail is a varied and scenic route in the Salmon National Forest that mixes fast-flowing singletrack with rockier forest terrain and a loose scree section at the summit of the trail. The rockier forest sections are a moderate challenge, as you have to pick your way over lots of embedded rocks and sections where the trail is filled in with loose rock. Some of the meadows are rocky as well. Expect shelfy side-hilling across sagebrush-covered hillsides with moderate exposure, small stream crossings, and incredible views as you ride towards Yellow Peak. This trail has potential for downed logs, but it's a popular trail, so it looks like it gets cut for the season. As you ride clockwise, there are some steep climbs and moderate switchbacks as the trail gains elevation up to the high point of the trail at 9,700 feet elevation at a saddle below Yellow Peak. You have to ride over a big scree section on the saddle that drops down a few steep, loose, and tight switchbacks towards the intersection with Rocky Creek. The loose scree and steep grades can get pretty intimidating for inexperienced riders - this is the hardest part of the trail. It continues with a few pretty shelfy sections as it cuts across several more scree fields on the north end before entering the forest again at the intersection with Rocky Creek.
Difficulty
The majority of the trail was about a 5 difficulty with frequent rocky sections, switchbacks, and creek crossings. The scree section on the saddle ramps up the difficulty to a 6, with tight and steep loose switchbacks, followed by shelfy side hilling through more scree fields.
