Trip Report
Backcountry Trail Run - Ape Canyon
Be prepared for very challenging road conditions! Ape Canyon and Truman Trails both temporarily closed on week days in 2024. We experienced heavy fog so no views of the volcano but the Ape Canyon trail is very enjoyable.
Gabrielle Orsi
- Sun, Jul 28, 2024
- Backcountry Trail Run - Ape Canyon
- Ape Canyon
- Trail Running
- Successful
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- Road recommended for high clearance only
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The Ape Canyon Trail is in great shape. No water. Be ready for mountain bikers heading in both directions.
There is a massive washout on Forest Road 83 just before the June Lake trailhead as you are heading east/northeast towards the Ape Canyon trailhead. Only high clearance vehicles with AWD or 4-wheel drive capable of dealing with deep water and significant damage (deep ruts and holes) and sand/mud should attempt this drive!
- WTA has pics: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2024-07-03.090648875497
- We drove an offroad prepped extra high clearance Land Rover Discovery truck and were fine: https://vimeo.com/991387302
FR 99 Extension, Truman Trail 207, Plains of Abraham Trail (TR 216D), FR 99 to Loowit, Willow Spring Trail (TR216E), and Harry’s Ridge Trail (TR1E) will be closed Monday - Friday, but will be open Saturday - Sunday, and all federal holidays in 2024. This closure includes the Ape Canyon-Smith Creek mountain bike loop. See maps and full details. Read more about the Spirit Lake Outflow Safety Improvement Project.
Overcast skies and heavy fog made for a cool and even mysterious experience on the Ape Canyon Trail. Climbing steadily through the old growth forest was very pleasant. Passing by Ape Canyon about 4.5 miles in we could barely see the canyon’s steep stone walls as the sheets of fog drifted by.
We turned right at the junction with the Loowit Trail and continued for about 2.5 more miles, reaching the junction with the Truman Trail. We left the Loowit Trail for a brief jaunt on the Truman Trail before retracing our steps. One nasty washout just after the junction with the Loowit Trail and another one on the Loowit Trail itself.
No views on the way out but some glimpses of the valley and lava flows on the way back. A few wildflowers were blooming and berries were ripening, but we couldn’t see the famous lupines on the Plains of Abraham.
