Purcell Creek

Purcell Creek begins as a wide gravel road winding through an old burn scar, where blackened trunks stand like quiet monuments among the recovering forest. As the miles roll by, the surface narrows and changes in character, with mud and decomposing forest debris blending into the gravel to form soft, uneven stretches broken by patches of exposed rock.

The first campsite appears near the intersection with Lava Creek, with additional camping spots found both before and after the Bluff Spur. Beyond this point, the road becomes a narrow shelf road that hugs the hillside, offering steep drop-offs into the valley below. Occasional wide pullouts on the uphill side allow for passing, though full-size vehicles may collect light pinstriping from the brush that closes in along the upper sections.

The trail eventually ends at a washout where travel continues only on foot. The turnaround area at the terminus is large enough for four full-size trucks to maneuver with care. From the exposed shelf sections along the way, sweeping views of Coal Creek Canyon open up below. Whether bathed in sunlight or veiled in mist, the canyon’s scale and solitude offer a powerful reminder of the wilderness this road explores.