This heavily used trail is located in the southwestern portion of Indian Heaven Wilderness, near Red Mountain. Beginning at Falls Creek Horse Camp, the trail travels southeastward through second-growth forests and crosses Falls Creek with a natural crossing. The trail enters the wilderness, then climbs through rocky terrain for 1 mile to a meadow where the grade flattens. This area is called Indian Race Track. At this point, Trail No. 171A leaves Trail No. 171 and heads east for 0.5 mile before connecting with the Pacific Crest Trail. Trail No. 171 climbs from Indian Race Track to Road 6048 near the summit of Red Mountain.

Indian Race Track was, historically, an annual gathering place for Native Americans during the berry season until the early 1900s. From eyewitness reports, we know that thousands of people from the Yakama, Klickitat, and Columbia River tribes would gather here each year. Not only was this a good huckleberry site but it was located along a historic cross-Cascades route that was used for trade.

The track was used for pony races and is about 10-feet-wide and more than 2,000 feet long. It can still be seen today in a large meadow near the base of Red Mountain, about one-half mile from the Pacific Crest Trail.

A fire lookout is located on the summit of Red Mountain. The original lookout was built in 1910. It was replaced over the years by two other lookouts. The Red Mountain Lookout is one of three active lookouts remaining on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest today.

Huckleberries (Berry Mountain), historic intertribal Indian Horse Race Track.

Difficult to cross Falls Creek in the early season due to winter melts.