VAN HORLICK CREEK 28-VH21-1
Cascades Natural Resource District
Distance
4.66 km
Last Road Report
Nov 09, 2025
Closures
No Posted Closures
Location
VAN HORLICK CREEK 28-VH21-1
Permit Holder
Interwest Timber Ltd.
Waypoints
Conditions
Start to 0.6 km
Good Condition
26d ago
0.6 to 4.7 km
Somewhat Degraded
117d ago
Description
No description.
Road Bulletins
We drove and parked at the footbridge/washout. There were a few shallow waterbars easily manageable in Tacoma. The bypass looked manageable as well in a 4x4 vehicle. However, I would need to move a few boulders in the creak area to avoid hitting them with the bottom of my truck.
Similar to previous reports, but I underestimated the creek crossing from the pictures. I attempted it with my fully stock long-box Tacoma and found the water higher than pictured, with limited and narrow line options for my longer wheel base. I ended up banging the hitch a few times and put the biggest dent yet in my front skid plate.
The water crossing is a 4-Low type obstacle, but would be easier with a shorter wheelbase or a vehicle you don’t mind picking up a dent or two in. A high-clearance 4×4 with a bit more than stock capability would handle it without trouble, but a stock rig might struggle unless you’re comfortable banging it a few times.
The water crossing is a 4-Low type obstacle, but would be easier with a shorter wheelbase or a vehicle you don’t mind picking up a dent or two in. A high-clearance 4×4 with a bit more than stock capability would handle it without trouble, but a stock rig might struggle unless you’re comfortable banging it a few times.
If you can make it through the creek crossing the road is in very decent shape all the way to the end, with one short overgrown section and some moderate waterbars. The deepest waterbars are all before the creek. The crossing goes but requires high clearance and careful line placement - it's off camber on both sides with uneven rocks on the uphill exit, and a little bit of a stepdown mid-creek.
There were reports that the creek was impassible at the pulled bridge on the first switchback. But there is a walking bridge and a 4x4 bypass. It's a typical Duffey creek crossing. I imagine high water would be sketchy, but it was a little rocky and only a foot or so of water. Mostly stock Tacoma made it through no problem.
Some deeper water bars though. Starting to get grown in...
Some deeper water bars though. Starting to get grown in...