A view from the Chetco Divide Trail in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. The PIlot/Steve Kadel

It stretches for several miles atop a ridge at 4,000 feet elevation. The panorama extends from the Chetco River drainage to the north to the Smith River drainage to the south.

On clear days, you can see high peaks in Northern California’s Siskiyou Mountains.

The trail, No. 1020, begins at the same trailhead as the short Vulcan Peak hike, but after a quarter mile the Divide trail forks to the right.

It drops in elevation a couple of hundred feet, then rises again. After about a mile and a half you’ll reach an intersection with the Red Mountain Trail. Go left to continue on the Divide.

This entire area was part of the 2002 Biscuit Fire and the remains are readily visible. Instead of passing through stands of lush green trees, the trail is surrounded by dead trees with a ghostlike silver look that is actually attractive against a blue sky.

The trail is rocky but wide and easy to negotiate. A few trees have fallen over the path although they are small and easy to step over.

Be sure to bring plenty of water on hot days, especially if you’re hiking with a dog. There is no water until reaching Chetco Lake after 4.8 miles. There’s no shade, either, and the mid-day sun is still harsh these days.

The good news, in addition to the exposed views from the ridge, is that few people hike this attractive trail. Last Sunday, on a perfect afternoon, my husky Summit and I saw no one all afternoon.

There’s plenty of real estate to cover, too. Whether you want a brief jaunt or a longer one, Chetco Divide is a nice alternative to lower-elevation trails in the woods.

Those who really want to cover some ground can go 9.6 miles one way to the junction with the Kalmiopsis Rim Trail (No. 1124) at Doe Gap.

A nice option is to do a few miles of the Divide Trail and then scramble up the 1.1 mile Vulcan Peak trail afterward for a nice view of Vulcan Lake below.

To reach the trailhead from Brookings, take North Bank Chetco River Road to Forest Service road 1376 and turn onto road 1909. Take 1909 to a spur road (261) with a sign pointing right to the Vulcan Peak trailhead. Be patient because the approach requires driving about 13 miles of very bumpy gravel roads.