Racehorse Creek

GETTING THERE

From the junction of SR-9 and SR-542 near Deming, travel east on SR-542 for 2.3 miles  and turn right onto Mosquito Lake Road. In 0.9 miles, turn left onto North Fork Road and continue for 4.8 miles to the unmarked dirt parking lot on the right. Leave exit vehicle(s) here. To reach the start, continue up North Fork Road for 0.6 miles to a small pullout on the right that can accommodate two vehicles.

APPROACH

Follow a hiking trail 0.3 mile to the creek. Turn left and hike upstream for 0.1 mile to the first drop. Carefully hike and down climb to the creek using existing social trails.

DESCENT 

Racehorse Creek gets high flow in the winter and spring, and there are boulders and logs that shift from year to year. Carefully check all pools before sliding or jumping.

DCL = Down Canyon Left, DCC = Down Canyon Center, DCR = Down Canyon Right

• Rappel 1 – 20 feet from DCR bolt, or 15-foot slide.
• Rappel 2 – 60 feet from DCR bolts, or 30 feet rappel to the edge and 30-foot jump.
• Rappel 3 – Racehorse Falls, 100 feet from DCL or DCR bolts. The last two stages of this multi-stage rappel can be slid into pools.
• Jump - 10-foot jump off a giant chockstone into a deep pool, or down climb around the obstacle.  You can repeat jumps from 10 to 20 feet tall from the chockstone and the surrounding rock ledges.

EXIT

Exit the creek DCR and follow hiking trails back to the exit vehicles.

EQUIPMENT

Standard canyoning gear including webbing, a wrench, and replacement quick links. 

TRIP PROFILE

• Rappels: 3
• Longest Rappel: 100 feet
• Approach: 0.4 miles
• Exit: 0.5 miles 
• Time: 2-4 hours total

NOTES

• This canyon is rated v3a3III from July through September.
• Racehorse Creek gets high flow in the winter and spring, and there are boulders and logs that shift from year to year. Carefully check all pools before sliding or jumping.
• For the most updated information and recent trip reports from the community, visit The Racetrack on Ropewiki.

Information for Leaders

Scheduling

This route allows multiple bookings. Please check scheduled trips listed below in the "Activities" tab to see if there is another group already booked on the same day. Leaders are expected to contact the leader(s) of existing trips to ensure there are no concerns or conflicts, according to The Mountaineers Outdoor Ethics Policy. Please review our Group Size & Multiple Bookings page for guidance.

• Suitable Activities: Canyoning
• Seasons: July, August, September, October
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Basic Canyon
• Length: 1.1 mi

• Land Manager: Washington State Department of Natural Resources
• Parking Permit Required: Discover Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12