Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT
Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT is a 6.5 miles trail in Klamath National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Marble Mountain Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Klamath National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 41.6436, -123.3084 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 41.6296, -123.2174 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 6.5 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Recreation Trail or other national designation |
| Trail numbers | 5204 |
| Forest | Klamath National Forest (unit 0505) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | basic characteristics |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Wilderness
- Marble Mountain Wilderness WildernessFS · about 53% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
No season published Do not tie horses to trees, living or dead. Do not tie horses to corral rails or posts. Keep horses away from the creek. Avoid damage to creek bank. Carry water to horses in corrals. Water for humans and garbage service are not provided. Bring enough water for drinking, cooking a | 0 mi |
No season published | 0 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWhite Rock Rx
37 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
6.5 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Klamath National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
Klamath National Forest has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Where does the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT start?
The line begins at 41.6436, -123.3084 and ends at 41.6296, -123.2174. The nearest recorded trailhead is Norcross Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Marble Mountain Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
Norcross Campground (0.1 mi), Sulphur Springs Campground (1.2 mi) and Lovers Camp (4.6 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
Klamath National Forest, Forest Service unit 0505. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Bear Creek Trail/ Kelsey NRT?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest White Rock Rx at 37 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named BEAR CREEK TRAIL/ KELSEY NRT in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0505. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.