Deadman Canyon Loop

Near Roaring River there is a section with rockwork walls along the trail.

The Ranger Station

Deadman Canyon Loop - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

From this ridge, the trail begins to plunge southeast to Roaring River, soon leveling off and paralleling the river. At one point the trail comes quite near the river and the trail has a short wall to the river side. I remember panicking a bit at this point when I saw a rather large log crossing high over the river, thinking the trail crossed there: it didn't, much to my relief. The Roaring River was earning its name and seemed angry.

The Ranger Station itself. A cozy cabin near a meadow not far from the bridge.

After another mile of climbing, you reach Scaffold Meadows and the Ranger Station (at 7430 feet), 7.7 miles from Comanchie Meadow, 13.6 miles from Ranger Lake, and 24.8 miles from Lodgepole, where your will find the well used campsites and bear boxes. If you started this day from Ranger Lake or Comanchie Meadow, or even from Sugarloaf for a short day, you should camp at Roaring River, and if you have the energy, fish or perhaps explore the area, crossing the river at the sturdy steel bridge and going up the trail a ways to seek views from Moraine Ridge. Roaring river would make a good base camp to explore Deadmans Canyon, Cloud Canyon, Brewer Creek, Avalanche Pass, and the many summits, passes, lakes and canyons of the area. Whenever you visit the Kings Canyon, see Roaring River Falls (a short walk from parking) and sit awhile remembering when you visited the headwaters of this river.