Kelsey Creek to Maple Falls

Seven of us headed south to hike up Kelsey Creek to the spot where Maple Falls used to be. It was a perfect day for those that wanted to be outdoors. This hike had experienced a large landslide in 2017 that destroyed the falls. The resulting slide is 600 feet wide and 3,000 feet long, so a big thing happened during the spring due to a lot of water falling in the area, combined with a forest fire that happened the year or two before.

The trail was in good shape and the creek was flowing, although at a reduced rate compared with our experience later in the spring. We had to cross 4 tributaries flowing into Kelsey Creek, but they were small enough not to cause any concern. The trail followed Kelsey Creek for awhile, then would head up the tributary canyons. We noticed that the sound would shift from a roaring creek to the quiet babbling brook sound of the much smaller tributary, then back to the roaring main creek.

It needs to be noted that Kelsey Creek is basically a nonstop waterfall for the entire 5 miles to our lunch spot. There is one water fall after another. Many are only 3 feet tall, but it just never stops falling along the trail, which never stops going up.

Lunch was taken on the edge of the landslide, where the weather was perfect. Some hikers ventured further up through the slide while others just relaxed and enjoyed the view of the falling creek.

Refreshments were taken outside on the sunny patio at the Jefferson Road House in Yreka.

Hike Leader: Keeley

Photos By: Barry, Dan, Keeley, Linda, Randy