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Copyright © Dan A. Nelson/The Mountaineers Books

CCC Road: Lower Trailhead

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Featured In: Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Region, by Dan A. Nelson and Alan L. Bauer.
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After loggers and miners punched hastily built roads into the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River valley in the first couple decades of the twentieth century, the area was abandoned until the 1930s, when the Depression-busting programs of FDR came into play. The best known of these was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which put unemployed men to work in the woods building trails, national park lodges, and roads. In the 1960s this CCC road was used to give clear-cutting loggers fast access to the Middle Fork's forests. Now that the big timber is mostly gone, the road is reverting to trail, and the forests are regenerating into something hikers can enjoy.

The hike starts with a walk up the final mile of the Mount Si Road--closed to vehicle traffic after the turnaround. The road is steep, though easy to walk. At 1300 feet you leave this rough gravel road and, rounding a locked gate, jump onto the CCC Road (trail).

The CCC workers bulldozed their road onto the gravelly moraine left by the ancient glacier that carved the valley. By staying on this high rocky ridge, the route provides outstanding views for much of the journey. Look south to Rattlesnake Ridge and Ledge, and east to Mailbox Peak. The peaks of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley also peek into view.

At 3.5 miles from the parking area (2.5 miles from the CCC gate), you'll find a trail junction on the left. This old two-track trail leads to Green Mountain. Stay right and in another 0.5 mile or so, bang into Brawling Creek and its tumbling waterfalls. This is an ideal lunch spot and turnaround point.

Driving Directions:

From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 32 (436th Avenue SE). Turn left (north) over the freeway and drive 0.5 mile to North Bend Way. Turn left (west), and in 0.25 mile turn right (north) on Mount Si Road. Continue past the Mount Si parking area (at 2.5 miles) to a wide turnaround area about a mile beyond. Park here, well clear of the road.

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CCC Road: Lower Trailhead — Dec 06, 2009 — Hikingqueen

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Originally going to do Kendall Peak Lakes today with a meetup group but weather was NOT good, so we turned...

Originally going to do Kendall Peak Lakes today with a meetup group but weather was NOT good, so we turned around and came back down to North Bend area. Decided on checking out the CCC trail from Middle Fork road, parked at the blue gate and walked up logging road a mile or so and found the spur trail to CCC. It was a nice walk in the woods, mossy green, tons of water flowing, icicles, a few washouts to crawl up and over. Nothing too technical. We did notice red and white string all along the trail. Wondered what it was for, surveying the land perhaps? It kept getting hung up on our poles. We walked 2 hours and turned around. Hike #101

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