St. Paul Peak

As a guide book said about the area, the drive to the trailhead here is much more difficult than the hike itself After bouncing along on dirt and dusty roads for about 8 miles up the large Rock Creek drainage, you then begin a grueling seven-mile uphill push which gains 2,500 vertical feet -- that would be a tough hike, but this is done in a vehicle (and preferably a sturdy one with tough tires). After an hour in four wheel drive I made it to the trailhead to not surprisingly find just one other battered vehicle. On the trail, within minutes I had entered the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness and was walking along treeline toward St.