This is an area of epic rides with some unique scenery, difficult and interesting routefinding, varied terrain, and a wild sense of remoteness.
This is an area of epic rides with some unique scenery, difficult and interesting routefinding, varied terrain, and a wild sense of remoteness.
How to Find It
Smith Creek Trailhead
Note: the GPS coordinates for the TH shown on the map are for the Smith Creek TH; see below for the Ape Canyon TH. I-5 to Route 12 East to Randle to SR-131 South. Then basically, follow the signs to Mt. Saint Helens and the Windy Ridge Viewpoint (FS road #25 to FS road #99). 2 miles before the Windy Ridge Viewpoint see the trailhead and parking on the left. (Note: the Smith Creek viewpoint with bathroom and the trailhead are two separate pull-outs.)
Forest Service Road 8322 (southern Smith Creek Trailhead) status.
Forest Service Road 99 (northern Smith Creek Trailhead) status.
Ape Canyon Trailhead
I-5 Exit 21 at Woodland. Then Hwy 503 / Lewis River Rd East towards Cougar (continue 23 miles). Straight onto Lewis River Rd (don't turn south onto 503; continue 8.6 miles). Lewis River Rd becomes NFD Rd 90 (continue 3.2 miles). Left on NFD Rd 83 and follow it to the end (11.2 miles). Google Maps.
The Ape Creek trailhead and Lava Canyon trailhead are separate paved spurs at the end of FR-83. You want to bear onto the spur that goes left to find the (signed) trail entrance. This takes 1.5 to 2 hours driving time from I-5.
Typical Conditions
Ape Canyon trail #234 is generally buff and forested. Plains of Abe trail goes through pumice but is mostly flat and mostly easy to ride. There's one stretch of stairs to get down steep pumice slopes. Once you break out onto the plains, it will be all rock/pumice/scree fields, some areas with exposure. There will be no shade. Significant (obstructing) snow may hold into late June. The latter portion of the route to the Windy Ridge lookout consists of decommissioned doubletrack with some areas of standing water.This trail is popular with hikers: if going on a weekend, keep an eye out and speed under control.
Smith Creek trail #225 is often narrow, has some exposure, and lots of loose pumice. Beware of tumbles, perhaps wear long sleeves + tights here. No shade unless/until you climb up to the Ape Canyon TH.
Turn by Turn
You can do this ride in essentially three ways - Ape Canyon only (OAB), Smith Creek only (OAB), or Ape Canyon + Smith Creek. For each of those, can you go in either direction, but it's recommended as follows:
- Ape Canyon only: start at the Ape Canyon TH and head towards Windy Ridge and back
- For Smith Creek only: start at the Smith Creek TH
- Combination of Ape Canyon and Smith Creek: do it clockwise
For Ape Canyon
Ape canyon trail #234 climbs in lush forest affording peek-a-boo views of St. Helens and the Muddy River drainage. At approximately 4.5 miles, you'll break out of the trees for spectacular views to Mt. Adams and across to the Plains of Abraham. Shortly after breaking out of the trees, trail #234 intersects trail #216 and you want to stay right onto #216. From here on out the trail surface becomes more difficult to ride with loose sand, pumice and scree and you'll be off your bike in places. The views from the Plains of Abraham are spectacular. At around mile 6, you will reach the intersection with trail #216D. Stay right onto #216D and continue riding through a series of drainages and to the knife edged ridge. Enjoy the run down this ridge and you will come to the stairs. Many walk, some ride, and others surf the pumice next to the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs you'll climb a short ridge to a dirt/gravel road (trail #207) where you turn right for 2 miles of very gradual uphill to the Windy Ridge Viewpoint. Retrace your steps back to the car 22 miles round trip.
For Smith Creek
Start at the upper Smith Creek trailhead on FS Rd 99. The crux for this ride is getting down to the river. The steep pumiced trail is thin in places and non-existent in others. Seems like you never quite make it all the way to the valley but after about 4 miles you will hit a fork of Smith Creek. This next part is riding between forks of the river and is fun and more like a regular trail. However, there is a very dangerous washed out section between the two forks that travels approximately 50 feet over a very unstable ridge with very steep dropoffs on either side. There are no ropes here - just you, your bike, and gravity pulling. This is the worst part of the trail, and it is dangerous enough that you might want to consider not riding this trail. After 5 miles you will cross the main fork of Smith Creek and the trail becomes more technical and harder to follow. Just keep your eyes open looking for flags and cairns. As you cross Ape Creek Canyon keep looking for the trail on the other side before slogging across. Route finding is very challenging here. At about 7 miles the trail becomes a regular easy to follow trail. At 8 miles you will hit an old road and the trail becomes even becomes fast.
Here's where this description differs from the Zilly book. There is a "secret" trail/road out of the canyon. It will shave 3 miles off the road grind and some of the elevation too. When you empty out onto the WIDE overgrown road (past the stretch of old road in the alders that you follow for a few miles after Ape Canyon Creek) in the "grassy section" look for an old road to the right -- you will see a large cairn with a stick -- this marks the start of the trail -- it is VERY indistinct at first although there is a temporary orange sign to mark it presently (like riding into a big field) but as soon as you enter the trees (few hundred yards) it becomes A LOT more pronounced - you follow this old roadbed (in great riding shape, BTW) for 3.2 miles and 1,300 feet. When it ends at the road - make a right and you are 50 feet from the Ape Creek Canyon parking lot. This old roadbed may appear on some maps. (It's on the USGS topo (in Topo!), but not on the Green Trails map.)
The other alternative (Zilly) is to continue on the wide road until you hit the confluence of Lava Canyon creek and Smith creek. Do NOT ford the river to get to FS road #8322, instead use the bridge! Fording the river can be dangerous, it displeases the forest service, and you will lose bragging rights to say you completed the ride if you skip the section with the bridge. You will descend on this before you eventually climb out of the Smith Creek valley. When you hit FS road #83 turn right to the Ape Canyon trailhead; take the paved split to the left to find the Ape Canyon trail. If you get to the Lava Canyon TH, backtrack to the paved turnoff.
