Jackson Creek

Jackson Creek drops off the eastern flank of Shedroof Divide, threading through old-growth forest that ranks among the finest stands left in the Selkirk Range. Giant conifers line the creek corridor for miles, and the understory stays lush and shaded even at the height of summer. The trail connects Washington's Salmo-Priest Wilderness to Idaho's Hughes Meadows, spanning roughly 10 miles one-way with steady but manageable grade changes.

This is prime backpacking country. Loop options on both sides of the state line run 26 to 27 miles through some of the quietest backcountry in the Inland Northwest. The Idaho-side loop links Jackson Creek with Hughes Fork and the Shedroof Divide, while the Washington approach comes in via Thunder Creek. Either direction delivers ridgeline meadows, creek crossings, and the kind of solitude that has mostly vanished from trails closer to population centers.

Trail condition varies. WTA crews have worked this route every year since 2020, but the upper sections near Shedroof Divide still suffer from drainage problems and vegetation creeping onto the tread. Portions of the Idaho side carry scars from the 2017 Hughes Fork fire. Grizzly bears inhabit this drainage, so proper food storage is mandatory, not optional. Come prepared for route-finding in spots where the trail gets faint.