Sardine Creek (East Fork)

Current Status: Closed. This creek was overrun by the Beachie/Santiam Fire in Sept 2020 and has been closed. Please check on local closures before planning a trip to this area. When the area eventually reopens, use extreme caution when descending the creek. Between landslides, fallen trees, and loose rocks, this area may be unstable and dangerous for years to come. The canyon may have changed dramatically. Do not rely on the beta below being accurate. Closure information. This is a smaller eastern tributary of Sardine Creek. With a smaller catchment area, it's likely to be "open for business" earlier in the season. If flow on the main fork is too high, consider exiting below R6.

Drive up Sardine Creek road and drop a vehicle at your exit. Pre-fire, the lower part of Sardine Creek Rd was a bit rough but could be driven carefully with a 2WD vehicle. High clearance or 4x4 may be recommended, however. There are a couple options: While hiking up to the top of the East Fork drop is possible, it's a lot easier with a shuttle. Again, there are two choices:

From the parking area, drop directly into the drainage. Below R6, cross the old road. It's probably a good idea to exit here if the main fork of Sardine is running too high. If you keep going: Reach the confluence with the main fork of Sardine Creek. You will be entering between R13 and R14 as described on that page.