Lower Ruckel Creek Falls–Buck Point Trail #439, 4 sights is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness near Fort Rains, WA. The route reaches Lower Ruckel Creek Falls. It climbs 4,012 ft, with sections as steep as 42% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 46/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi98 – 3,737 ft · steepest grade: 42%8.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Gorge Trail #400 45.64015, -121.92411
Nearest town Fort Rains, WA
Directions
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Lower Ruckel Creek Falls–Buck Point Trail #439, 4 sights
8.6 mi · ▲ 4,012 ft · 4 hr 52 min
Elevation 98–3,737 ft
Out & Back · Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness
Trailhead: Gorge Trail #400 · 45.64015, -121.92411
Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 69°F / low 54° · precip 56% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:42 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Gorge Trail #400, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Eagle Creek Campground Loop, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Gorge Trail #400, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miReach Lower Ruckel Creek Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Ruckel Creek Trail #405, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Lower Ruckel Creek Falls.
- 3.6 miTurn right onto Ruckel Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 3.5 miTurn left onto Eagle Creek Campground Loop, heading N.
- 400 ftBear left onto Gorge Trail #400, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
91% dirt7% paved2% unspecified
Weather
Light drizzleTemperature 69°F54°
Precip56%Wind5 mphUV5Humidity66%
Rained 0.3″ yesterday · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°50°
Sunrise 6:34 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:42 PM
Sat
68°55°
30%
Sun
73°55°
36%
Mon
74°53°
24%
Tue
81°55°
Wed
91°60°
Thu
83°64°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~87 min). Leave by 5:55 PM for the 7:42 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Gorge Trail #400 Trailhead
- Lower Ruckel Creek Falls via Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 290 ft
- Adult Fish Holding Ponds–Adult Ponds, 8 lakes 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,221 ft
- Upper Munra Falls & Gorge Trail #400 via Forest Road 8400-777 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,325 ft
- Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness Viewpoint–Adult Fish Holding Ponds, 9 lakes 8.5 mi · ▲ 2,285 ft
- Munra Point–Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness Viewpoint, 10 lakes 8.8 mi · ▲ 3,349 ft
- Dry Creek Falls–Lower Ruckel Creek Falls, 4 sights 9 mi · ▲ 1,499 ft
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