Directions:
From I5 in Redding take the 299 Eureka/Weaverville exit heading west. Drive about 10 miles towards the
Whiskeytown Recreation Area. Take a left on JFK Memorial road by the visitors center. Follow the road to the dam and turn right
over it. Drive about 3 miles until you reach the Brandy Creek parking lot. There will be a small dirt parking area on the left with
Brandy Creek road heading uphill next to it. This is the starting spot. If the area is full there's parking across the street.
The Trail:
Start by climbing Brandy Creek road. The pavement ends shortly and turns into a dirt fire road.
Climb for about a mile or two. You'll approach a gate on your left, which is Peltier Valley road. Take that left. This is
where the climbing rises fast. Head up the road until the first split. There will be a gate blocking the road, this is where you'll
take a right. Once you've made the turn there's a little downhill cruise and once again you hit another split. Take a right onto Peltier trail.
This part of the trail climbs gradually for a bit until you get to your next split. Once you come to Salt Gulch trail take it to the right. This is
where the climbing gets tough. The trail flows through some thick vegetation and eventually peaks at around 2700 feet. The decent is steep with a lot of technical
spots. Watch for the "Trench of Terror." You'll know it when you see it. Lots of bikers have wiped out here and a hiker once told me that during the
summer months it's full of rattlesnakes. Once you get through the downhill the trail meets back up with Brandy Creek road. The dirt road you started climbing on.
Some people incorporate the Icebox trail, which is Brandy Creek trail. You can catch the bottom two thirds of it if you go right and look for the signs on your left.
If you've got the energy you can swing a left and start it on your right. If you want to stick to the road then swing a right and ride the downhill for
another couple of miles back to your vehicle.
