Key Stats for the Bull of the Woods Trail - 550
About
This is a popular high ridge trail giving access to the lookout and several other wilderness trails. It is one of the easiest ways to get into the heart of the wilderness area without having to gain a lot of elevation. This trail only gains about 1200 feet of elevation in a little over 3 miles.
Note: The lookout referenced in the Forest Service Sheets and shown below was destroyed in the Bull Complex Fires in 2021.
Bull of the Woods was named for a nearby mining claim or prospect. Another account tells of an article in the Mazama magazine from April 1979 relates that William R Bagby of the hot springs family once shot a large bull elk and told his friends “I got the Bull of the woods”. Bull of the Woods is an old logger’s term relating to big or important men in the logging industry.1
1Oregon Geographic Names, McArthur, Lewis.
Directions
Travel Hwy 224 thru Estacada to Ripplebrook. Continue thru Ripplebrook and immediately after crossing the river, continue straight on Forest Service road 46. Travel approximately 3.5 miles on road 46. Turn right at the junction with Forest Road 63. Stay on road 63 for approximately 5.6 miles and turn right on Forest Road 6340. Travel approximately 7.8 miles on Road 6340 and you will come to a fork in the road (6340 and 6341). Take the left fork (6340) and travel approximately 1.5 miles until you come to the trailhead at the end of the road. The trailhead is on your right when you enter the parking area. The parking area is pretty large. There should be a sign.
Hiked this trail on 9/24/2022 – It was obvious it hasn’t had much traffic in the last two years due to the fires. The trailhead is completely obscured by brush and parts of the trail are somewhat brushy. The burn damage starts about a mile in – the tread is in good shape except for a few short burned out sections but there were quite a few downed logs on it.