Index Creek

Index Creek is a short connector trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness that branches off the Chiwaukum Creek Trail after 10 miles of approach hiking. The trail itself covers 2.8 miles one-way with 1,390 feet of gain, climbing through brushy lower sections before steepening toward Index Meadow, where camping is available. The meadow sits at about 5,330 feet with wildflowers in summer and views of the surrounding Chiwaukum peaks.

The catch is the approach: reaching the Index Creek junction requires a 10-mile hike up the Chiwaukum Creek Trail first, making this a 25-plus-mile roundtrip endeavor or, more practically, part of a multi-day loop through the Chiwaukum Mountains. Trip reports describe using Index Creek as part of lollipop loops combining it with Icicle Ridge Trail, Painter Creek, and other backcountry connectors in the area. The first mile of Index Creek has brushy sections, and the trail sees so little traffic that conditions change slowly. WTA trail crews have done maintenance work on the lower section in the past, but it remains a lightly maintained route in wild country.