Mileage: 2 miles one way
Elevation: 4400 to 5040 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Use Level: Moderate
Season: May through October
Topographic Map: Haypress Valley 7.5'

Access: By Auto: At the northeast end of Sierra City turn off Highway 49 onto Wild Plum Road at the sign for the Wild Plum Campground. (The sign is located just opposite the Yuba River Inn.) Follow Wild Plum Road for 1 mile to the trailhead parking facility. Walk the trail from the trailhead 1/8 mile where it crosses the road. This is the intersection of Wild Plum Loop Trail. Take the road across the bridge and through the campground. About 1/2 mile past the campground the trail takes off from the road to the left. Follow it to the intersection at a bridge over Haypress Creek. The Milton Creek Trail is the trail to the right just before the bridge.

If Camped at Wild Plum: Start at the upper end of Wild Plum Campground and follow the Wild Plum Loop Trail. About 1/2 mile past the campground the trail takes off from the road to the left. Follow it to the intersection at a bridge over Haypress Creek. The Milton Creek Trail is the trail to the right just before the bridge.

Trail Description: This is one of the easiest trails in the Wild Plum Campground Area, providing a peaceful walk up beautiful Milton Creek. From the campground the road goes through a heavily forested area. The Milton Creek Trail is actually part of the Pacific Crest Trail. To access the trail, take a right turn onto the PCT and head south. Shortly the trail crosses a road and follows Milton Creek for approximately 1 mile to a bridge across Milton Creek, which is an ideal place for picnicking. This last mile of trail is relatively flat and scenic. The Milton Creek hike stops here, although the PCT continues south to Jackson Meadow and eventually arrives at the Mexican border.

When returning to the campground, we suggest following the Pacific Crest Trail across the Haypress Creek Bridge. It passes through a lightly forested area which provides you several glimpses of the towering Sierra Buttes. 1/2 mile past the bridge you will reach a fork. Take the left fork, clearly marked for Wild Plum Campground. The trail guides you down to a flat area near the old Wild Plum Guard Station (now closed). In a few more minutes you will cross Haypress Creek and arrive in the campground.