We didn't hit the trail head until about 2:30, which once again meant we missed most of the hiking traffic. Even for a Saturday with great weather, we only saw two other groups briefly. The trail was well-maintained with a fairly steep incline going up about 900 feet, and a slower decline which is easier on the knees.
Just from the name of the trail you can tell this hike is all about the water. We passed near and over the creeks several times before making the small side trip to the confluence where two large creeks meet and become one. It was beautiful spot, with giant boulders to sit on and enjoy a snack.
Trail volunteers have done an amazing job here, with beautiful bridges and rock borders protecting run off areas. These guys are our heroes.
The trail length is listed at 4.5 miles, and the side route to the confluence adds about another mile. There are some good views of Mt. Washington and Mt. Ellinor along the trail, but there are also views of clear-cut areas. We did see a few old-growth trees that loggers missed as the south Olympics have an especially brutal history of over-logging, but it just serves as another reminder to protect this area. We saw lots of great wildflowers, some of which we had never seen before and need to identify. The only wildlife other than birds that we saw was a glimpse of a furry gray ball running away from us that we could not identify. We did overhear some hikers talking about a bear sighting, which reminded us we need to get some bear spray! The most surprising thing was this happy little troll outpost guarding one of the bridges - Rooster saw it first and waited to see my reaction.
It was a great day: beautiful weather, great views, a well-maintained trail and not many other people.
No comments:
Post a Comment