We have hiked a backpacked the Stein River Valley a few times over several decades, but access has been closed for a few years because of forest fires and Covid.    We checked to make sure the trail was open and it was closed after the end of the Devil’s Staircase before Teepee Camp.   We decided to do a day hike, driving to Lytton, taking the reaction ferry and the road through the Reserve up to the trailhead.    It was an early May day and there was no one around and we saw no one else on the 4 hour hike.

The best part of the hike is seeing the Stein River coursing down the narrow valley.    Much of the trail is just above the river and there are many scenic spots.

The first two kilometers goes upriver through ponderosa pine, with open forests, grasses, and Interior drybelt vegetation.   We turn a corner and enter a north-slope with douglas firs and as the valley narrows, we were in a cedar forest.    the single track trail winds though the forest to the bottom of the Devil’s Staircase, a climb up the slope through rock slides and across gullies.

The valley is very narrow in this section and we climb well above the river.

We hiked to the place where the trail was closed.     It probably hasn’t yet been cleared of danger trees.   The cable crossing is 7 km farther up the valley.    We had lunch by the river, then hiked back, a total of about 15 km.    A few images are shared here.    Click and image for a lightbox view and a caption.

the lower valley not far past the trailhead

just below the Devil's Staircase

Pictograph gallery

pictographs

the river has many scenic spots

Stein River, a great place to camp

our route

Notes

• There are more posts on hiking the Stein River on this website.   
• Another post on wildflowers spotted on the hike can be found on A Wildflower Journal
• A YouTube video on this hike – Hiking the Stein River Valley