Thunder Creek
Thunder Creek Trail is a 5.1 miles trail in Colville National Forest, Washington. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Salmo-Priest Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Colville 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 | 48.9014, -117.0818 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 48.8561, -117.0860 · 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 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, 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 | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 526 |
| Forest | Colville National Forest (unit 0621) |
| States | Washington |
| 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 year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | 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
- Salmo-Priest Wilderness WildernessFS · about 40% 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 Wilderness use restrictions apply. Certified weed-free hay or certified weed-free hay pellets are required on National Forest lands (processed grains are okay). Motorized or mechanical equipment, including chainsaw, bike, motorcycle, hang glider or cart use prohibited in al | 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
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
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
- WildfireParker Lake
21 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,531 acres · 0% contained
- WildfireUpper Smith
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 4,848 acres · 41% contained
- WildfireSilver
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,593 acres · 30% contained
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 Thunder Creek Trail?
5.1 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Colville National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Thunder Creek Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Thunder Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 48.9014, -117.0818 and ends at 48.8561, -117.0860. The nearest recorded trailhead is Thunder Creek Trailhead #526, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Thunder Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Salmo-Priest Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Thunder Creek Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
How developed is the Thunder Creek Trail?
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 Thunder Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Thunder 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 Thunder Creek Trail?
Colville National Forest, Forest Service unit 0621. The trail is in Washington.
Is there a fire near the Thunder Creek Trail?
3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Parker Lake at 21 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named THUNDER CREEK in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0621. 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.