French Creek Ridge
French Creek Ridge Trail is a 6.1 miles trail in Willamette National Forest, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Opal Creek Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Willamette 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 | 44.7838, -122.2297 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.7781, -122.1456 · 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 | 6.1 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 3349 |
| Forest | Willamette National Forest (unit 0618) |
| States | Oregon |
| 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.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
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
- Opal Creek Wilderness WildernessFS · about 27% 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 · listed closed Wilderness Regulations Weed Free Feed Required | 0 mi |
No season published · listed closed Wilderness Regulations Weed Free Feed Required | 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
- WildfireAustin
20 mi from the trail midpoint · 12,866 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireThe Narrows
25 mi from the trail midpoint · 305 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireBench
42 mi from the trail midpoint · 67,071 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireGrasshopper
46 mi from the trail midpoint · 93,996 acres · 98% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the French Creek Ridge Trail?
6.1 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Willamette National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the French Creek Ridge Trail?
hiking and horse and pack stock. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the French Creek Ridge Trail start?
The line begins at 44.7838, -122.2297 and ends at 44.7781, -122.1456. The nearest recorded trailhead is French Creek Trailhead - East, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the French Creek Ridge Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Opal Creek Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Opal Creek Wilderness Wilderness
Where can I camp near the French Creek Ridge Trail?
Elk Lake (2.4 mi), Elk Lake Campground (2.4 mi) and Humbug Campground (3.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the French Creek Ridge Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 French Creek Ridge Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the French Creek Ridge Trail?
Willamette National Forest, Forest Service unit 0618. The trail is in Oregon.
Is there a fire near the French Creek Ridge Trail?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Austin at 20 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named FRENCH CREEK RIDGE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0618. 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.