28 Lineham Falls

Type of hike: Out-and-back

Total distance: 5.2 miles (8.4 km) round-trip

Time required: 2.5 to 4 hours

Elevation change: 1,290-foot gain, 130-foot loss

Finding the trailhead: The trail begins at a marked pullout on the north side of the Cameron Lake Road, just beyond the historic oil well site.

The Hike

This pleasant jaunt runs up Lineham Creek to a headwall that rises below a high lake basin. A trail once climbed the headwall with the assistance of cable handrails, but that route has long since been abandoned. The headwall rock is loose and crumbly, and is considered hazardous even by experienced climbers; travelers should not attempt to reach Lineham Lakes via this route.

From the trailhead, our trail takes travelers across wooded flats populated by lodgepole pine and aspen. About 0.25 mile from the road, a steady ascent through the forest takes hikers onto the shoulders of Ruby Ridge as the trail runs westward, high above Lineham Creek. The forest gives way to grassy slopes, and the trail continues to climb as Mount Lineham rises like a lone sentinel across the valley. A backward glance reveals the massive peaks of Buchanan Ridge, which block out the skyline to the east. A mile farther on, the trail enters a forest of tall fir trees and begins to level out. Views are limited to brief glimpses through openings in the forest canopy as the trail tracks west across the soft duff of the forest floor.

Upon entering a broad avalanche path that descends from the rocky face of Mount Blakiston, the trail switchbacks downward about 100 feet to reach the level of the creek. The path meanders beside the stream, which tumbles down a series of cheerful cascades within a narrow canyon. When the trail runs out onto alpine meadows to reach its official terminus, a spur trail runs down to the creek for a clear view of 410-foot Lineham Falls, while a higher path runs uphill for a loftier perspective.

Key Points

0.0 Start at trailhead

2.6 Turn around at Lineham Falls.

5.2 Arrive back at trailhead.