Snider Jackson Trail - Rugged Ridge - 12.2 Miles Round-Trip

The Snider Jackson Trail offers a desirable, alternative route to enter the lower Bogachiel River Valley. Also referred to as the Rugged Ridge Trail, the National Park officially changed the name back to the Snider Jackson Trail to honor the original history of the route.

Trail Map

From the trailhead, the trail rises though a dense understory of deer fern and wood sorrel kept dimly lit by a thick forest canopy of Douglas fir, Western hemlock and Giant cedar trees.

The path quickly meets up with the NPS Boundary (.35 : 1,313') marked by a backcountry self-registration board with general park information posted.

For the next mile, the trail undulates across Rugged Ridge, showcasing enormous Douglas fir and Western hemlock trees while cutting across scenic drainages painted with small cascades (1.0 miles : 1,369'). 

Rising to its crest (1.5 miles : 1,685'), the trail now begins a steep descent, dropping almost 1000' through an old growth forest (2.35 miles : 1,294') to its intersection with the south fork of the Calawah River (2.8 miles : 790').  Fir and cedar trees are particularly large along this stretch, highlighting some of the biggest arboreal denizens of the park.

As no bridge is provided over the Calawah, a river ford is required. If ability allows, ford the river carefully then walk upstream (left) 100 yards past heavy river debris to continue on the Snider Jackson Trail.

Past the Calawah river, a moderate ascent begins to Indian Pass (4.0 miles: 1,110') before leveling out and dropping again to the bottomlands of the Bogachiel River Valley (5.0 miles : 963'). Open pockets of sky are common along this stretch affording rare views through the thick forest canopy.

The trail begins to level out as it rolls to its terminus at the Bogachiel River Trail (6.1 miles : 470'). 

A narrow foot path leads directly south for .1 miles from the trail's terminus to the Bogachiel River.