Inman-Topance-Hornet Canyon Ride
Level of Difficulty: 3-Beginner- Some 4-wheeler track, no steep climbs.(trail that can also be navigated with a 4 wheeler.)
Elevations: 4500 ft to 6800 feet.
Starting Point Coordinates: N42° 50.32', W112° 10.75'
Length of Trail: 21 miles
Approximate time: 2 1/2 hours (leisurely)
Date of Ride: August 11, 07
Directions: From I-15, take the exit Exit 58 when coming from the North. (This is 9 miles south of Pocatello.) After exiting, turn left on to Grant Ave. Travel .4 miles, turn right onto Rapid Creek Rd.
If coming from the South take Exit 57, travel .5 miles to Main, turn right and in .3 miles it will become Rapid Creek Rd.
On Rapid Creek Road, proceed 2.5 miles, turn right onto E. Inman Rd, travel 2.8 miles to the unloading area. The unloading area is off to your right. You can travel up the road further, but recommended for 4x4 vehicles only. Click the map for point to point directions.
Elevation Profile:
This is a view from Rapid Creek Rd toward Inman Canyon. Inman is to the far left of the photo.
The trail begins up Inman Canyon, in the lower left hand corner of this picture.
Pic 1 -- Unloading Area
At the top of the pass, about 3 miles, you can go straight to Topance Area or right on to North Pebble Creek Rd. We went straight over the top into the Topance Area. About 2 more miles brings you to a fork in the trail where it becomes a 4-wheeler trail. Taking the right takes you towards Bear Camp Gulch. It will take you near a warming hut off to the right.
Pic 2 -- This is nearing the fork to Hornet Canyon. The trail up Hornet Canyon is also National Forest Rd. 209.
Pic 6 -- Here is where there is a fork in the road. Heading toward the Warming Shelter is the direction we went.
Pic 7 -- This is the warming shelter. It is actually off the trail about a 1/4 mile.
Pic 3 -- This is a picture of Marcella and me having lunch at the entrance to Hornet Canyon.
Pic 4 --Much of the trail on Hornet Canyon is forested such as this. This was just after going through a barbed wire gate.
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Pic 5 -- There are areas of open meadows. Here we are actually leaving an open area and going back into a more forested area. Soon after this I saw a deer jump off the trail as we were riding.
Here is a bit of video of Marcella riding.
Because of our time limitations we went just about 9 miles up Hornet Canyon and returned back to Bear Camp. We turn left and continued back to the main road. Within a 1/2 a mile you will get on North Pebble Creek Rd. Turn right to return to the top of the pass, and then turn left to return to the loading area.
This page was last modified on Sunday, June 08, 2008 04:04:27 PM