Chicken Creek Trail is ranked moderate on most mapping apps but it has some pretty tough parts sprinkled in. Riding it as an out and back is challenging so we opted to ride it as a loop this time but piecing in a section of dirt road to get to the very top (8866′ elevation).
Starting from Jackson Lake, we climbed out on Chicken Creek Trail, crossed the creek after a few miles and wound through trails to Chicken Creek dirt road. After climbing that for 5 miles or so, we cut over on Morrison Trail. This section was pretty cowed out from the cattle grazing that takes place every summer up here in the high country. This section is all aspens and big fir trees with sweet forest smells.
At the intersection with Chicken Creek Trail we turned right and headed “down”. I put those quotation marks because there is still some climbing as you head back. This singletrack follows a lush canyon, crosses the creek and has plenty of large root and rock sections. We caught a few rain drops but mostly the tree canopy protected us from a passing shower.
Like I said, this isn’t all downhill. There is a mean spirited climb close to the bottom as you head up out of the canyon to the ridge above the lake. It’s cruel. But, to end at the lake is refreshing.
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