Deer Creek
Deer Creek Trail is a 7.1-mile trail in Sierra National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1 to 2 to 3, minimally developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It enters John Muir Wilderness and Kaiser Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Sierra 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 | 37.5642° N, 119.0352° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.5635° N, 118.9910° W · 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 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 7.1 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed; 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | snow trail, land trail |
| Surface | native material, snow |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches, 24-36 inches, over 120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 26E6022, 26E64, 2706 |
| Forest | Sierra National Forest (unit 0515) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Snowmobile | Allowed year-round |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- John Muir WildernessFS · about 52% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Kaiser WildernessFS · about 10% 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
Potter Pass Trailhead No season published | 0.3 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.
Trails nearby
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
- PrescribedCrooks Rx
42 mi from the trail midpoint · 15 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Deer Creek Trail?
The Forest Service records 7.1 miles under this name in Sierra National Forest, the sum of 5 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Deer Creek Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Deer Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 37.5642° N, 119.0352° W and ends at 37.5635° N, 118.9910° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Potter Pass Trailhead, 0.3 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Deer Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters John Muir Wilderness and Kaiser Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: John Muir Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Deer Creek Trail?
Rancheria (0.8 mi), College (1 mi) and Deer Creek (1.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Deer Creek Trail?
Trail class 1 to 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed to 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 Deer Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Deer Creek Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Deer Creek Trail?
Sierra National Forest, Forest Service unit 0515. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Deer Creek Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Crooks Rx at 42 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named Deer Creek in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0515. 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.