Ditch Creek

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-On occasional outbound plane might buzz overhead, and hikers may encounter a bit of congestion getting there, but once you get afoot in Ditch Creek, well, you’ve never been so far away.

In trying to limit spring hikes to areas that are accessible and somewhat dry, Ditch Creek comes to mind as an often overlooked hike or bike ride primarily because there is no real final destination. What it lacks in glamour, Ditch Creek makes up for in raw, woodsy feel and smell. Most of the terrain on the road/trail trek is fairly wooded. A few open spaces allow for dramatic views of the Gros Ventre Slide and Mount Leidy.

The creek runs out just east of Shadow Mountain. After gathering what the North and Middle forks have to offer, Ditch Creek eventually spills into several irrigation ditches around Mormon Row - hence the name - before emptying into the Snake River at Blacktail Ponds Overlook, some 16 miles from the headwaters. Prospectors looking to sluice off water from the main creek originally dug these ditches in the early 1870s.

To access the area, navigate to the Teton Science School north of Kelly. Zero out your odometer. Continue past the school, which was once the historic Elbo Ranch. This is a well-maintained dirt road (Forest Road 30350). At a half-mile in, there is a chance to jump off to your right for access to a network of ATV or motocross trails that spider out past the Hardeman Reservoirs into the Gros Ventre. Another right spur at 1.3 miles leads to a summer camp used by the Teton Science School. This is all good elk country to the east and often inundated with hunters in the fall.

Continue past a marshy area at 1.75 miles. Consider locking in the four-wheel drive at 3.5 miles. From here on the road is butted up against a wall on your right. Runoff has eroded the road badly for the next mile until a small parking area where a trail leads up a butte to the west. Stop and walk up for a spectacular view of Shadow Mountain (west), Ditch Creek, Toppings Lake (northeast), and Mt. Leidy (east).

Less than a mile from this overlook the road is closed. Hiking or biking past the gate will leave the less adventurous behind. From the gate, a zigzagging walk of one mile will put hikers into a blow down area. This was the scene of a microburst two summers ago. Note: nearly all the trees in this area have fallen the same way, and some snapped at the base. Just beyond this area a rise presents itself slightly off-trail. Climb this and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Lower Slide Lake and the slide itself.

If you have a buddy, shuttle a car into the Gros Ventre and park at Horsetail Creek. This Ditch Creek trail will eventually bend back on itself and head you south down the Middle Fork before hooking up with the Horsetail Creek trailhead. From the gate where you started walking or biking, it is a total of 9.3 miles, and practically all downhill for you mountain bikers. The peak elevation is about 6.25 miles in at a hunt camp, which sits at 8,600 feet.

If summer ever arrives, pack bug spray. For now, pepper spray is probably a good idea. It’s possible to encounter black bear or even a grizzly on this hike, especially after the two-mile mark. Wolf sightings are also frequent in this area of the Gros Ventre.

Photo by JAKE NICHOLS
A doggone good day out and about.

PERMALINK:
Ditch Creek | Planet JH News Article: Sports & Recreation

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