Originally a pack train trail between Crescent City, CA and the gold mines of the Illinois Valley in Oregon, this scenic trail presents panoramic views of high mountain peaks, the Pacific Ocean, and the North and Middle Forks of the Smith River. The first half-mile from the lower trailhead was burned over in the Panther Fire of 1996. Parts of the trail were burned over in the Panther Fire of 1996 and and the Biscuit Fire of 2002. The trail was last maintained in 2011.