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This hike is moderately difficult, with some scrambling and river fording. Prepared beginners can traverse the trail over a few days, as there are plenty of places to camp. Late June through September are the best times to traverse.
From the Crow Creek Trailhead, a series of uphill switchbacks through the brush take you to an old miner’s road in an alpine area. Departing from the miner’s road, the trail traverses the side of Barnes and Jewel mountains, passes Crystal Lake, and peaks at Crow Pass at 3,550 ft. elevation.
From Crow Pass, the trail dips into the Raven Creek Valley, skirting several rock covered slopes and crossing Raven Creek via a bridge over Raven Gorge. Descending along the hills through tall grasses and fireweed, the trail crosses Turbid Creek by footbridge and swings east into the Eagle River Valley upstream toward the ford site.
After the ford site, the trail parallels Eagle River and crosses Thunder, Twin Falls, and Icicle creeks. The trail provides scenic views of Heritage Falls, then turns west, where the valley widens before reaching Echo Bend and Rapids Camp. From there, the trail departs from the river into stands of spruce, birch, hemlock, and quaking aspen and heads toward the Eagle River Nature Center.
