Lower Ruckel Creek Falls–Buck Point Trail #439, 5 sights is a 9.3-mile out-and-back in Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness near Fort Rains, WA. The route reaches Lower Ruckel Creek Falls. It climbs 3,972 ft, with sections as steep as 44% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 44/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi98 – 3,737 ft · steepest grade: 44%9.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail 45.64134, -121.92779
Nearest town Fort Rains, WA
Directions
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Lower Ruckel Creek Falls–Buck Point Trail #439, 5 sights
9.3 mi · ▲ 3,972 ft · 5 hr 5 min
Elevation 98–3,737 ft
Out & Back · Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness
Trailhead: Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail · 45.64134, -121.92779
Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 69°F / low 54° · precip 56% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:42 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miPass Lower Ruckel Creek Falls.
- 0.6 miReach Lower Ruckel Creek Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Ruckel Creek Trail #405, heading SE.
- 3.6 miTurn right onto Ruckel Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 3.5 miTurn left onto Eagle Creek Campground Loop, heading W.
- 400 ftSharp right onto Gorge Trail #400, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
85% dirt14% paved1% unspecified
Weather
Light drizzleTemperature 69°F54°
Precip56%Wind4 mphUV5Humidity60%
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
70°54°
30%
Sun
74°55°
36%
Mon
74°53°
24%
Tue
81°56°
Wed
91°61°
Thu
83°65°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~96 min). Leave by 5:46 PM for the 7:42 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail Trailhead
- Lower Ruckel Creek Falls via Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 290 ft
- Upper Munra Falls & old portage road via Forest Road 8400-777 3.4 mi · ▲ 1,082 ft
- Adult Fish Holding Ponds–Adult Ponds, 8 lakes 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,221 ft
- Wauna Viewpoint–Gorge Trail #400, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,338 ft
- Upper Munra Falls & Gorge Trail #400 via Forest Road 8400-777 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,325 ft
- Munra Point–Adult Fish Holding Ponds, 9 lakes 7.3 mi · ▲ 2,850 ft
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