Length
Preston Creek Road is a relaxing snowshoe along Forest Service Road 5501, accessible directly off Entiat River Road. The path is easy to follow and features several amazing viewpoints. Less than a mile from the trailhead (0.75 miles to be precise), views of the Entait Valley open up, and as you continue up 1.5 miles, Baldy Mountain comes into view. The modest elevation gain is quite gradual, and while you can usually hear the traffic from the Entiat River Road, the noise is minimal.
The beginning of this route is a steep climb, which can be challenging when it is icy (or if you're fairly new to cross-country skiing or snowshoeing). The first two miles climb nearly 1000 feet to a signed intersection at 2760 feet of elevation.
If you take a left here you'll climb (though more moderately than before). A mile in, you'll enjoy views over the Entiat Valley. Continue on as long as you like; this road rolls on for miles.
If you decide to go straight ahead at the intersection, you will follow the road for a mile as it traverses above Preston Creek, crosses the same creek and arrives at another intersection. At this intersection, you can head either right or left.
Taking the right trail will deliver you to a saddle after 2.5 miles, and further exploration down the road. But, if you choose to go left, you'll arrive at a saddle in 2.5 miles with good views. While these views are nice, if you've got the energy, continue a further 1.4 miles to the end of the road. On a clear day, you'll be rewarded by even more of those spectacular views for almost the entire last section of road.
Note: The data for this entry reflect the route that delivers you to the high ridgeline with the 1.4-mile walk to the end of the road. From the trailhead, hike to the first intersection and continue straight through it. At the second intersection, take the right trail.
Trailhead
