Bear Creek from West Fork

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 8:56 pm

NOTE: I had issues when uploading my photos. My phone took them in HEIC and apparently I didn't properly convert to JPG so I couldn't upload all of them. Also some of the coloring got jacked up during the upload.

Hey folks. It's been a long time since my last TR. I've had two kids since then and been getting out but a lot less, roughly one "legit" hike a month. The rest of the outings have been short rambles with my kids which are fun but not the same. Last week I was able to sneak out for the day with my boys and explore Bear Creek for my first time. I've been hiking in this range for 15 years and have never ventured into Bear Creek. Crazy huh.

We parked at the West Fork TH around 6am. The sky was clear and the temp was in the 40s.

The walk along the West Fork was nice. I'm not sure how this year compares with others but the water level was high and the current strong. We only came across a couple people on this paved section.

The Bear Creek Trail was a different story. We didn't see anyone except for one fisherman on the way back who was located about 1/4 mi from the West Fork. Apparently the hordes of people who hang on West Fork don't think of going up Bear Creek. Maybe because the turn off isn't obvious (you cross under the bridge).

As described in books and TRs, the section from West Fork to Lower Bear Creek TC is in good shape and easy to follow. There are only a couple crossings. The water was cool but not as cold as I expected considering the temp.

Lower Bear Creek TC is one of the best locations for a camp that I've seen in the ANF. Shade + fantastic views of the creek and surrounding peaks, including Pine Mountain, whose north slope looks quite lush. I really to want explore Pine Mountain now. We hung at camp for a bit while my buddy fished for trout and then pushed up stream.

The route definitely gets more rugged at this point and our pace slowed. Eventually we started encountering knee to waist deep crossings which were becoming increasingly enjoyable as the temp and sun increased.

We almost made it to West Fork Bear Creek but stopped right before it. Our pace had slowed considerably due to my buddy occasionally stopping to fish. We enjoyed a couple swims at the deepest pools on the way back.

All in all it was a great day. I counted at least 4 waist/chest deep pools suitable for swimming. We saw ducks, wild flowers, a fox and a rattlesnake. I look forward to completing the entire trail all the back to the 39 at some point. Shout out to Matthew some pre-hike intel.

Distance: 9.46 mi
Gain: 833 ft

Route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recor ... ke-79e075b

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 9:09 pm

Gorgeous stuff dude and nice rattlesnake! How was the fishing? Did you end up camping?

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 9:35 pm

Matthew wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 9:09 pm Gorgeous stuff dude and nice rattlesnake! How was the fishing? Did you end up camping?

No fish which was surprising because this area is legendary for trout. Didn't camp but would love to some time. I definitely want to do an overnighter from Smith Mountain TH to West Fork or vice versa. I've seen photos of a waterfall back there and I intend on finding it. As far as creeks go, this is probably the most wild and rugged I've encountered in LA county second to only Piru, which takes the cake for inaccessibility.