Bell Creek Trail #459

Bell Creek Trail #459 is a 3-mile, one-way connector between Oneonta Trail #424 and Horsetail Creek Trail #425 in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. The mapped line is Bell Creek itself, not one of the longer loops that combines nearby trails. Treat it as a remote link in a bigger itinerary: the Forest Service’s Larch Mountain Road directions add about 3 miles on Oneonta #424 before you reach Bell Creek. Allow around two hours for #459, then add the approach and whatever you choose beyond it.

The draw is the forest more than a summit view. The Forest Service describes little-used stands of old-growth Douglas-fir, western redcedar and hemlock. The route crosses Bell Creek at a weathered timber footbridge, then climbs and rolls through forest before joining Horsetail Creek Trail. Its sampled elevations range by about 300 feet from low point to high, with the trail mostly under tree cover. At the bridge, keep the water beneath the timbers in your photo so the frame shows both the crossing and the creek.

There’s no road at either Bell Creek junction. The Forest Service directs hikers from an access on Larch Mountain Road along Oneonta #424 for about 3 trail miles to Bell Creek; West Oneonta Trailhead is another access to #424, with a small roadside pullout of about eight spaces. A valid recreation pass is required at the nearby Larch Mountain Trailhead. Upper access on Larch Mountain Road is gated from November through May. The other end joins Horsetail Creek Trail #425, but its lower Oneonta Creek crossing is impassable in winter and spring. Plan your return or onward route first; neither junction is a quick roadside turnaround.