Trip Reports
You — and other hikers from across the Northwest — have posted 44,428 Trip Reports to date. Search Trip Reports to find out where others are hiking and learn about current trail conditions.
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trip reports
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Water on trail
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This was my first hike and it went really well. There were 3 adults with one carrying a 1 yr old. ...
This was my first hike and it went really well. There were 3 adults with one carrying a 1 yr old. We made it to the twin falls which was I'm guessing a little over a mile. It was gorgeous! There's a steep trail off the main trail down to the river which we managed to get to. I know no different but the main trail seemed clear and in good shape. There were a few muddy spots but nothing you can't walk around. One "steep" incline otherwise it was great for a beginner and can easily be accomplished by children, out of shapers or older people. There were many people on the trail which made it feel safe.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
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Ice Caves are nowhere near opening up. Even so, well worth the short walk in. The trail is in excell...
Ice Caves are nowhere near opening up. Even so, well worth the short walk in. The trail is in excellent condition. We easily pushed a baby stroller all the way in. My 3 and 6 year olds easily walked in and out. Quite a few people started showing up between 12pm-1pm. As we were about to leave, and ranger dropped in and asked everyone get off the edge of the glacier...
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Eastern Washington -- Palouse
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Water on trail, Snow on trail
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I have taken this hike a number of times with my then-teenagers and husband, and today, took my 5-ye...
I have taken this hike a number of times with my then-teenagers and husband, and today, took my 5-year-old nephew. He is a persistent little guy who REALLY wanted to see the fire lookout, otherwise we would have turned back to the parking area at Teepee Trailhead shortly after we started! There are NUMEROUS trees blown down over the trail, with particularly difficult passage after the spring. Climbing over them was not always possible, so going around was necessary, and made me fear losing the trail at times. We did run into several remaining patches of snow, and had a great snowball fight ("in JULY!!!") which was fun. Lots of wildflowers, and a cougar print in a snow patch were the highlights. There was some disappointment when we reached the fire lookout because it was not manned (not sure why? Wet spring, low risk of fires, budget cuts, perhaps?), but quickly recovered because of the beautiful views, and snacks on the little bench outside the lookout. Gillions of huckleberries brewing, but won't be ready for another month or so, I bet.
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
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This is a great short hike that's close to the city. However, because of it's easy access, it gets r...
This is a great short hike that's close to the city. However, because of it's easy access, it gets really crowded with all kinds of people on the weekends. I've seen people drag their strollers up there and saw someone going up in cowboy boots! I recommend getting there really early or going near sunset, if going on the weekend. The ledge offers beautiful scenery of the valley but can be treacherous. A couple of years ago an unfortunate young man fell to his death while getting his photo taken on the ledge. You can get carried away with the beauty and forget where your footing is. To get some solitude, I recommend continuing further up the trail where you will walk through beautiful forest and find friendly gray jays at the next lookout.
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North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway
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Attempted to hike to Lake Ann, but even the trailhead/parking area was completely snowed in, so we h...
Attempted to hike to Lake Ann, but even the trailhead/parking area was completely snowed in, so we headed to Thunder Knob instead. Trail was snow-free. A nice little walk to stretch the legs, but the views from the end of the trail were somewhat underwhelming. The trail is in good condition and makes for an easy jaunt.
Roundtrip distance: 3.6 miles Roundtrip time: 2 hours |
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North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
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Cascade Pass Trail road was still closed at mile 20 (though open now to the Cascade Pass trailhead)....
Cascade Pass Trail road was still closed at mile 20 (though open now to the Cascade Pass trailhead).
Nice walk up road from road closure (at cabin) to Cascade Pass trail head parking lot. Walked up the road with 7 children ranging in age from 3 to 9 years old. Road was in good shape until last two turns before parking lot which had large mound of snow blocking the road but was easy to walk up and over to finish the walk to the parking lot. Trail heads at parking lot were covered in snow. Weather was beautiful, waterfalls flowing hard, young buck was walking up the road on our way down and continued to approach our silent group of 11 to about 50 yards before turning into forest. |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming
Bridge out, Bugs
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Left Saturday morning. The road and trail were in great condition. We got to the trail head early, a...
Left Saturday morning. The road and trail were in great condition. We got to the trail head early, and only a couple cars were in the parking lot. This was our first time to Lake Dorothy, and were skeptical about how busy it would be. On our way up we only passed one group on their way out.
It was a very easy hike up to the lake, about 2 miles. We wanted to hike to the far end of the lake to get a little solitude. The bridge is out to Bear lake. The river was probably a foot deep to ford. We put on our water shoes and crossed so we could explore. There were some decent camp sites on the other side. A couple were still covered with snow. There is an island that I wanted to check out, so I walked through the waste deep water in hopes for a flat spot to pitch the tent. Unfortunately the island was thick with brush and the water was shallow around the whole island (not good for fishing). We backtracked and found a campsite in the middle of the lake. Luckily we did because most the good ones on the lake were already taken. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and fishing. The fish were not really rising, but I did catch and release one 10 inch brook. All around the trip was nice. Don't expect a lot of peace and quiet. Our camp site was off the trail, but we did hear many day hikers pass by. There was also another group camped about 100 yards down the lake that had some very excited kids. I was jealous because they hiked in with a paddle board and looked like a lot of fun. The lake was cold, but refreshing for a swim. Trail is very well engineered and in great condition. Even though it can get a little busy, the payoff is greater in my opinion. We didn’t encounter many mosquitoes, but there were many gnats, and a few biting flies that wouldn’t leave my dog alone. Bring the bug spray. |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes, Bugs
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Today was July 9, 2011 and I decided to hike Heybrook Lookout Trail after finishing Lake Serene and ...
Today was July 9, 2011 and I decided to hike Heybrook Lookout Trail after finishing Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls Trail. This trail is 1.3 miles to the top with a gain of 600 feet. This was Hike 25 of 50 at age 50 I planned this year. This lookout is in good shape with minimal vandalism which is suprising since its so close to Highway 2. This hike is 2 miles past the road to the town of Index, Washington. This is not a long hike and I would not recommend driving very far to just see this lookout and its views. Add something else to your trip for the day and stop and do this hike the same day. The lookout is closed at the very top and this is to prevent vandalism no doubt but you still have great views from the next level down. There is no water to speak of on this trail so make sure you carry what you need. A steady up hill hike with minimal switchbacks but lots of shade. Checkout my videos of this hike and others I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or click on these direct links. They are safe to click on. I apologize for stating this hike was done on July 8 when it was actually July 9, 2011. I work full time so I can only hike on weekends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mjJy9sdA6U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2BeQUjS7zE Enjoy your hiking! Mike |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Overgrown, Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail, Bugs
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I got to the trailhead parking lot at 08:00 AM. There were already 20 cars there. This place fills u...
I got to the trailhead parking lot at 08:00 AM. There were already 20 cars there. This place fills up quickly on the weekends so get there early. This was hike 24 of 50 at age 50 I planned for this year. I headed to Bridal Veil Falls first in hopes of having a view of the falls all to myself and I did for about 10 minutes. This is a spectacular falls that you can see from Highway 2 when driving. Lots of water spray so its hard to get a good picture and video without water droplets on your lense. I did the best I could. I then headed back down to the main trail and toward Lake Serene. There are a lot of wooden stairs on this trail and you will get tired of them before you get to the top although I do appreciate all the hardwork that goes into maintaining these trails from the WTA and other organizations that are involved. I planned to start volunteering myself next year but right now it would be hard to get through these 50 hikes this year when I only have the weekends to do them. The trail has numbers spots with water on it and lots of rocks. About 80 percent of this trail is rocky with the wooden stairs. I got to Lake Serene at 10:30 with a stop at Bridal Veils Falls first of course. This is a beautiful lake that is still 3/4 frozen over. No snow to speak of on the trail though. There was about 10 people at the lake already but during the hour I was there it swelled to over 50 people. You do not have much alone time here unless you get up here really early on a weekend. There are lots of people with their dogs off leash which is breaking the law but I don't see this ever changing since theres no one to enforce it. The lake elevation is at 2600 feet with a gain of 1100 feet from the parking lot. The trail is 4 miles to the top. Check out my videos of this hike and others I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or click on these direct links. I apologize for stating the wrong day of the hike on the videos. It was actually July 9 and not July 8th. They are safe to click on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WGFNI1lGWo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-44yV7E1cs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY344yAMwzI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRTIgl5DF2I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PTtRdwa2N4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SKrcLh6b2o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gt3uRvobVA Enjoy your hiking! Mike |
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Eastern Washington -- Wenatchee
Wildflowers blooming
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Took 5 new hikers to this trail. Its short and flat and has views of 4 lakes, so it makes a great h...
Took 5 new hikers to this trail. Its short and flat and has views of 4 lakes, so it makes a great hike to do if you are new to hiking and want hot sun, with no snow and somthing easy.We been on this trail lots of times, usually in early spring. Unless taking newbees for a hike.We all got burnt but had a great time.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Bugs, No water source
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My family and I really enjoyed this hike. I recommend layers when clothing children and the trail is...
My family and I really enjoyed this hike. I recommend layers when clothing children and the trail is well maintained and the hike was easy. Once at the end of the trail the ice formations were breathtaking.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Snow on trail
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Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny day with temperatures in the upper 60's, low 70's. The parking l...
Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny day with temperatures in the upper 60's, low 70's. The parking lot at the Picnic Area was only about 1/2 full when we arrived at about 2:30 pm. As we (myself, daughter & son-in-law and their 3 children ages 3, 5, and 6) were getting ready to head out on the trail, a dog went racing off down the trail. About a minute later someone went running after it.
The foliage along the trail had recently been trimmed and the weather has been mostly dry for the last week or so, so the trail was in very good shape. We were treated to a huge snow field as we approached the area where the caves have usually started forming by now. There was even snow on the trail! My grandkids had a great time playing in the snow in July!! We are looking forward to coming back in about 4 weeks to see the differences. On a sad note, two hours later as we were leaving, those people were still looking for their dog. We certainly hope that they find their dog! Let this be a lesson to those who decide to bring your four-legged family member, use a leash! This is a great trail to bring them to, but we wonder if that unfortunate family will ever see their dog again - she could be anywhere in the Cascades by now! :( |
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Olympics -- East
Wildflowers blooming
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One of our annual early-season favorites. Trail was in great shape. Rhododendrons spectacular.
...
One of our annual early-season favorites. Trail was in great shape. Rhododendrons spectacular.
This was our first time to go the 0.5 mile to the subpeak. I really recommend it! The little trail winds through rhodies & berries and then opens up to great views you can't see from the main summit. The sharp edged, long outcropping, almost vertical on one side with a knie edge top, is great fun to climb on. |
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North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Bugs
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Hiked up to the Fourth of July Pass with my daughter. I am not sure everyone knows this (I didn't u...
Hiked up to the Fourth of July Pass with my daughter. I am not sure everyone knows this (I didn't until last week), but you need a permit to camp in the North Cascades National Park. They are not kidding about it --- a ranger checked ours on the way up, and she did everything but look for watermarks! You can only get the permit on the day of the hike (or the night before), and only in person at the *closest* ranger station to the trailhead, so no cheating. We scored the last of the 3 permits for the 4th of July Camp, and sure enough there were two other parties there.
Also, dogs are not allowed on the trail. And we only saw one, not bad. There is very little trailhead parking, you need to park way off and walk through Colonial Creek Campground. The actual Thunder Creek trail is flat and easy up to the bridge (which is not where the map says it is), but still pleasant. After walking through Thunder Camp (badly overused, doesn't feel like a wilderness camp at all), we turned up 4th of July Trail. This baby climbs! 2100 feet in 2.5 miles, but most of it done in two rather steep portions in the beginning and the end. Not bad, but far more excersize that the average 5 mile, 2300 feet trail would provide. However, the trail is in superb condition, easy walking with a bunch of easily hopped-over small creeks. The views towards the glaciers get progressively better as you climb. The Camp is pretty great. There is one campsite on the right, very scenic and isolated. There are two on the left, past the day-use area. One is isolated on the cliff side, the other more forested and closer to the trail. Water needs to be carried about 200 yards from a nearby creek. The views are great, and with only two neighbors, it is not crowded at all. The trail continues to the pass proper (nothing to write home about), but the overlook of the Pothole lakes is nice. We didn't find a trail to the lakes, but we didn't search too hard. |
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North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway
Wildflowers blooming
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The Thunder Creek Trail is reportedly snow free from the trailhead at Colonial Creek campground to S...
The Thunder Creek Trail is reportedly snow free from the trailhead at Colonial Creek campground to Skagit Queen. We hiked to McAllister Camp and back. The trail is in great shape throughout this stretch. Between McAllister stock camp and McAllister camp there is a creek that is best crossed on the broken but still useable log just downstream from the trail. Bunchberry dogwood and tiger lilies are in bloom. The mosquitos are not too hungry yet.
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
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I chaperoned my son's summer camp on the Asahel Curtis Nature Trail today - 15 kids 5 to 7 years old...
I chaperoned my son's summer camp on the Asahel Curtis Nature Trail today - 15 kids 5 to 7 years old, two teachers and me. As we pulled into the trailhead a different group of yellow-shirted kids was piling into a school bus. I guess we weren't the only ones with the idea.
Nevertheless, our group didn't pass another hiker during the hour it took to make the loop. And despite their exuberance, we still managed to see a small and cute bird (wren?), two caterpillars and a slug. Plus enormous red cedars and Douglas firs, moss, fungi, three kinds of fern, a few wildflowers and more. I talked to the kids about nurse logs - of which there were many. We picked up bark that bugs had tunneled along. And they announced all water they saw. Although they were a bit noisy, the kids were very respectful of the natural environment, and I was glad to help introduce a few to hiking. This is an easy trail - a toddler could walk the whole thing - and one that has so much to look at along the way. It is an interpretive trail as well, but don't count on there being any trail guides. I couldn't locate it online either. Seeing number posts without any explanation drove the kids batty, but I improvised. |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes, Water on trail, Bugs
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We hiked at Ashland Lakes....in the rain...and it was beautiful. We only made it to Beaver Plant Lak...
We hiked at Ashland Lakes....in the rain...and it was beautiful. We only made it to Beaver Plant Lake, the first of the 3 lakes on this trail. Just before we got to the lake the rain started pouring and we decided to check out the lake and then turn around and head back to the car.
We were the only car in the parking lot when we arrived, not surprising since it was sprinkling when we got there. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead. The trail starts where the road ends and the parking area begins....if you are facing down the road, the trail starts on your left side....it's a little bit hidden if you aren't paying attention. The trail is in pretty good shape, with a few muddy areas. Most of the muddy or wet areas have boardwalks or planks to walk across, so your feet stay fairly dry. Watch out for the occasional loose board though. If you go all the way to Lower Ashland Lake...the 3rd lake along the trail there is a negative elevation gain from the trailhead....don't let this fool you though....there is some climbing along the way to Beaver Plant Lake. If you go to the end of the trail it is about 5.5 miles round trip. There are campsites around the lakes complete with firepits and a toilet of sorts in the vicinity. |
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Mt. Rainier -- SE - Longmire / Paradise
Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Planned on just a short stop at Christine Falls, but we ended up on the Comet Falls trail, so we dec...
Planned on just a short stop at Christine Falls, but we ended up on the Comet Falls trail, so we decided to see how far we could go. Answer: about a mile before you need an ice ax (we didn't have one).
There are plenty of clear section on the trail above Christine Falls, and plenty of snow. After a while, the snow starts taking over patches of the trail, but as long as you're on switchbacks, it's not a big deal to follow the tracks of other people and pick up the trail when the snow ends. But soon enough, the switchbacks run out, and the trail follows a ledge. After traversing a couple of snowy spots, we came across a place with a big pile of snow on a ledge where continuing would be foolhardy, so we turned around. Judging from the tracks, everyone else did, as well. We did get overtaken on the way down by a couple of guys who apparently went over that patch, but they had ice axes and were much better equipped. Wait a few more weeks for this one; the snow is melting fast. |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- North Sound
Ripe berries
Overgrown
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Got up and headed out on a hike at 0600 in the morning to see Washington Park on Fidalgo Island near...
Got up and headed out on a hike at 0600 in the morning to see Washington Park on Fidalgo Island near Antacortes, Washington. There are some fantastic trails in the park. Among them are Green Point, Fidalgo Head Loop, Channel View, Burrows Bay, Juniper Point, Havkost and Rosario Strait. This was part of hike 23 of 50 I planned at age 50. A beautiful July 4, 2011 weekend to hike and I was not disappointed at all. The views of wildlife I saw were unmatched in most of Washington State in such a short peiod of time. Deer, Sea Lion, Sea Otter, Eagles, Squirrels, Blue Herron and Loons among some of them. There is plenty of hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, boating, sailing, photography and wildlife. This hike can be done year around. This is one of the best ocean views I have seen from trails in the Pudget Sound Area other than Deception Pass State Park which is only 20 minute drive from this park. If you come up here visit both parks and you will not be disappointed. Check out videos of this hike and others I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or just click on my direct links to this hike. They are safe to click on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR7NR79WTCo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duhEkvhTVtI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ1ra-BWlG4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I4VWFbAK4g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL3twLr1AjA Enjoy your hiking!! Mike |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
Ripe berries
Water on trail
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We got to the trail head at 10 am with 3 kids, 3.5, 4 and 4.5 years old. The parking lot was beginn...
We got to the trail head at 10 am with 3 kids, 3.5, 4 and 4.5 years old. The parking lot was beginning to fill up. (When we left at 12:30, the lot was full and parking was lined up by the side of the road almost 1/4-1/2 mile from the trail head.)
Make sure to have $10 since there is no way to get change when you arrive. The trail was lovely, large boulders for the kids to climb, beautiful old growth forest, no bugs today, lots of families on the trail, some brought strollers but them abandoned them since there are many, many steps. The walk was 90 percent dry with not much loose gravel so perfect for kids! There are many places to stop and have a snack with kids too. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
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Lots of fun! Hiked with four kids - ages 9, 8, 8 and 5. No complaints at all. A bit steep and roc...
Lots of fun! Hiked with four kids - ages 9, 8, 8 and 5. No complaints at all. A bit steep and rocky for them at times on the way up, but it was still do-able. Beautiful views at the top.
There were a LOT of people on the trail today. We had to step to the side at least a dozen times on the way up and down to let people pass us. |
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Olympics -- East
Wildflowers blooming
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Great hike. Two other cars at TH in morning, headed up with our 8 year nephew. Nice views but need t...
Great hike. Two other cars at TH in morning, headed up with our 8 year nephew. Nice views but need to hike out to rock ledge about a half mile futher from the top of Mt. Zion. Wonderful weather. On way down passed several groups going up. Trail in great condition.
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible
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We knew Sauk would be a little snowy, but we were still surprised at just HOW snowy it is--even the ...
We knew Sauk would be a little snowy, but we were still surprised at just HOW snowy it is--even the road getting to the parking lot! We were hiking with a toddler and a dog, and only wearing low-tops shoes, so our plan was to just go to the parking lot and even then we wished we had boots and more trekking poles within our group.
First the road: Road in good shape, not very many potholes or washboards. Drivable to within 3/4 mile of trailhead (about 3 switchbacks down) then about 1/4 mile of patchy snow that might melt within a week or two. Last ~ 1/2 mile (last 2 switchbacks) are super snowy--solid snow 4-20 feet deep (big avy piles...will be there for a looooong time). Parking lot has about 6 feet of snow, but picnic table is melted out and makes a nice viewpoint. Trekking poles and good boots are good for getting to the parking lot!! Snow is very firm in morning, softening as day goes on. We stopped at parking lot, since we were hiking with a toddler. Switchbacks look to be about 70-80% melted out in the lower section, upper switchbacks more like 70-80% snowcovered. You start crossing steep snow right after leaving parking lot. Ice axes and trekking poles and good boots are all very wise, altho there does look to be a boot bath developing, at least lower down, and we did see one couple going with just trekking poles (but they had not yet reached the very snowy upper switchbacks, where I think it would be a bad idea to go without ice axe). No flowers are out yet, needless to say, tho a few yellow violets and spring beauty was growing near the road. Bit crazy for Sauk!! |
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South Cascades
Overgrown, Mudholes
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Covel Creek Falls is a beautiful, fun trail near the Tower Rock Campground. The small elevation gain...
Covel Creek Falls is a beautiful, fun trail near the Tower Rock Campground. The small elevation gain and mostly clear trails made it enjoyable for the entire family! We hiked up to the falls, then continued on up around the Angel Falls loop. The loop trail was a little overgrown and muddy in a few places, and also had a tricky water crossing (easily crossed by stabilizing ourselves with hiking poles) but the trail was doable. We enjoyed hiking along the creek for most of the way, admiring several waterfalls, and playing along the rock face. The sunshine made the day even more glorious!
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Olympics -- East
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Blowdowns, Overgrown, Mud/Rockslide, Washouts, Snow on trail
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Lena Lake clear and busy to Lower Lake on this overcast but warm and dry day. There were lots of peo...
Lena Lake clear and busy to Lower Lake on this overcast but warm and dry day. There were lots of people of all ages and abilities, kids & dogs galore.
Other trip reports describe this trail in detail, so I'll focus on Valley of the Silent Men. Once you reach Lower Lena, follow the signs to The Brothers, crossing the bridge across Lena Creek at the end of the lake. Keep left at the fork to The Brothers (actually there are two trails to the left; take the one closest to the sign). The trail climbs a little and follows Lena Creek to some incredibly pretty falls. The trail again goes up after this point and becomes sketchier. There is an eroded part where the tread is down to one foot-width, but there are roots to grab. Trail continues following the creek and trees get bigger and bigger, but don't get allured to the point you forget to watch the trail, which disappears beneath a section of blowdowns about 20' across, then picks up again. Then it gets fun because there's a big slide area, with snow maybe 2' deep under the packed debris. Trail? Who knows where it is. There are some orange ribbons indicating a possible re-route. Your best bet here is to keep as close to the creekshore as you can. You'll get back to the trail eventually. Because my husband and son had waited back at the first pretty waterfall (about a mile up from the lake), I only went another mile into the obstacles and then headed back. We saw no one after leaving the lake. On a Sunday. Of a holiday weekend. When it was warm and dry. WTA - please help!!! This trail needs your TLC; schedule a crew and I will surely sign up if I can (after all, there are downed trees). :) Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/ |
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Mt. Rainier -- SW - Cayuse Pass / Steven's Canyon
Blowdowns
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Hiked from the Stevens Canyon Road up to the Ohanapecosh bridge. Very pleasant, not much elevation ...
Hiked from the Stevens Canyon Road up to the Ohanapecosh bridge. Very pleasant, not much elevation gain, and the trail was easy going except for one blowdown just before the bridge. (They are apparently expanding the bridge soon, btw. Two huge steel beams and a lot of wood are staged on the north side of the current single log bridge). Some good, small falls, and one large one at the Ohanapecosh bridge. We saw no one until we turned around, then saw a few parties on the way down (most of whom were just Grove of the Patriarchs visitors who decided they wanted to go further).
My kids enjoyed playing near the last big creek before the Ohanapecosh River, since the trail there is almost level with the creek and the creek is not very fast. We could have continued past the bridge, but the National Park website said there was snow and blowdowns between the bridge and Deer Park camp. The snow might have mostly melted (we didn't see more than a spot or two), but the blowdowns are probably still there, and we had gone far enough, anyway. |
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Olympics -- East
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Beautiful weather out today. Trail in good condition, and there were alot of people on this trail. I...
Beautiful weather out today. Trail in good condition, and there were alot of people on this trail. It is an easy hike, we took our nephews with us and they were able to complete.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
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Hiked this trail in the afternoon (started at 2pm) in glorious sunshine, with hundreds of my "closes...
Hiked this trail in the afternoon (started at 2pm) in glorious sunshine, with hundreds of my "closest friends." Trail conditions were perfect - no mud, steps in good shape - except for the crowds. Hiked up along the Old Railroad Grade and then the Woody Trail. Came down on the Woody Trail. Falls were beautiful and impressive, once I could get to the railing at the view point (had to wait for crowds to clear out). While I growled at those texting or talking on cell phones, it makes me happy that so many people were out enjoying the wilderness. That being said, I'll never do this trail on the weekend again. I don't enjoy a hike plagued with hearing other conversations, and adjusting speed to those in front. It was that crowded. Great that such a gorgeous hike is such a short drive away.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Ripe berries
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It took awhile to reach the trailhead, due to the massive holiday weekend eastbound traffic. I thoug...
It took awhile to reach the trailhead, due to the massive holiday weekend eastbound traffic. I thought the trailhead would be over-filled with vehicles but was pleasantly surprised to see it less than half-full.
The word must be out that this is a kid-friendly hike, because most of the groups we saw included children. We were no exception, with a 2 1/2 and a 5 1/2 year old in tow. The short length of the hike, coupled with the cool lookout tower, was a big draw for us. Both kids made it up to the top and back down on their own two feet, which was great. But I wouldn't call the trail that ideal for small children. It is fairly steep, with lots of roots and rocks to climb up and over. My 2 1/2 year old daughter held my hand the entire way, and I pretty much had to lift her up rocks in many places. My older son did fine, though he slipped and fell on his bottom a bunch on the way down. Aside from that, it was a beautiful day! Blue skies, sun and gorgeous views all around from the lookout tower: Mount Baring, Mount Index and a bird's eye view of Bridal Veil Falls. |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- Whidbey Island
Wildflowers blooming
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I am sure this is the best time of the year to go to Ebey's Landing! The kids can play on the beach ...
I am sure this is the best time of the year to go to Ebey's Landing! The kids can play on the beach near the parking area and they can also hike on the trail. The trail can be a bit hard for little kids but once you gaze down, it's well worth the hike. It's the perfect time of year; the wildflowers are blooming, there are many kinds of plants, and the view can be amazing from high above. It is also pretty windy up there when we hiked, so please dress for the weather.
There were no signs to find Ebey's Landing, so make sure you get firm instructions from a person or a map, so you don't get lost. Once you get to the parking lot, they only have limited parking space, so make sure you come early and get a spot. While on the hike, on one side there are wildflowers blooming and you can hear the waves from the beach, and the other side, a meadow that seemed to be rippling from the winds. I hope you have a great time in Ebey's Landing! |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Bridge out, Mud/Rockslide, Washouts
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This was a great hike on a beautiful day. The preservation group has done a wonderful job of repairi...
This was a great hike on a beautiful day. The preservation group has done a wonderful job of repairing the trail and/or providing a way around the "issues" (which were few). The hike itself was pretty easy. The trail is on an old road which was placed on top of an old railroad bed. You can still see the old tracks in a couple of the places where there has been a washout. The rivers and creeks were running high from the spring runoff and there are a couple of small patches of snow. Even though we met several people on the trail (hikers, families with kids, dogs and bikers) you never got that crowded feeling. Carry enough water for a warm day. Plenty of parking at the trailhead, just remember to get the Northwest Forest Pass.
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Puget Sound and Islands -- North Sound
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Overgrown, Mudholes, Water on trail
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This morning, we put on our boots, ready for an adventure, for a wonderful visit to Deception Pass S...
This morning, we put on our boots, ready for an adventure, for a wonderful visit to Deception Pass State Park. I've heard of this park many times over and over again - it has a good reputation, and my family and I were amazed at the wonderful views HWY 20 gave us as we drove into the park. It was a sunny day, and many people were fishing on Pass Lake, and groups of people had parked near the bridge, taking pictures already.
Once we got there, I was full of energy, ready to get started! At first, it was a little puzzling because there was no map and when we asked other people, they didn't know either! At last, we parked near a lake, Cranberry Lake. It was a bit cooler outside then we expected, so be sure to prepare for the weather! It's cooler than you think! It was really hard finding the trail, and the trail was short, overgrown, but offered some great views along the way! We crossed another trail but it was muddy, and didn't look to good of a trail to hike! I would say that our first time at Deception State Park was an okay, okay, although rather disappointing, the views made up for it. |
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Mt. Rainier -- NE - Sunrise / White River
Wildflowers blooming
Snow on trail
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Hiked from the White River campground up the Emmons Moraine Trail. There was a bit of snow, but it ...
Hiked from the White River campground up the Emmons Moraine Trail. There was a bit of snow, but it was easy to walk around/over.
On the drive up the White River road, there was a small black bear along the road (only one, but it looked young enough that it might have just recently left its mother). Just after we crossed the bridge over the Inter Fork, two of our party spotted a similar sized bear disappearing into the brush on the north side of the river (just below the main Glacier Basin trail before the Emmons Moraine Trail forks off). When we returned to the junction with the Glacier Basin Trail, we decided to hike up that trail for a bit. Reports were that there was plenty of snow on this trail, so we weren't planning on going far. After about 50 yards, we came across a group of hikers who said they came across a bear right on the trail, and had retreated a few minutes ago. As we were debating when/whether to go on, another group of hikers came down the trail in the opposite direction and said they hadn't seen a bear, so we continued on. Fresh bear scat was visible soon after, and at the first switchback, we all stopped as the bear was on side of the hill just above. Again, a small bear, on its own, just digging around in the dirt. We were downwind of it, so it didn't notice us, but soon enough another group of hikers came by upwind of it, and the bear noticed them. It looked like it just wanted to be left alone, and we decided we were unlikely to see anything more interesting if we went on, so we turned around and walked back to the campground. On the way back down, we heard reports of another bear about '20 minutes' downtrail (toward the trailhead), so there were probably 2 black bears in the area. Possibly siblings that had just been let go by their mother, but that's just a guess. We reported our three sightings at the ranger station, where they said they'd had numerous reports of bears on the road, but apparently this was the first day they had reports of a bear near the trail. |
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Mt. Rainier -- SE - Longmire / Paradise
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Trail clear and in great condition. Falls were wonderful. We were going to go further up but ran i...
Trail clear and in great condition. Falls were wonderful. We were going to go further up but ran into heavy snow maybe 1/4 mile past the falls. No clear trail, some potential for injury, so we headed back. But no problem at all from Longmire to Carter Falls. Beautiful.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
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Got a late start to the day and traffic through Monroe was slow moving but eventually made it to the...
Got a late start to the day and traffic through Monroe was slow moving but eventually made it to the trail head shortly after noon. Lots of people headed up the trail and some already coming down by the time we started up. Trail was in good shape all the way up with some areas of water which kept my dog cooled down. The wooden stairs up to Bridal Veil Falls tired out my kids a little but the waterfall was well worth it. Came down from the falls and headed up to the lake. I always try to take my dog hiking with me but it might have been easier to have left him home for this hike given the number of people on the trail. Eventually made it to the lake for a late lunch. The lake was still covered in snow and ice with about 10 feet of water along the shore. Kids and the dog played in the snow for a while and then headed back down around 5pm. Would do the hike again but make sure I was on the trail early in the morning and maybe midweek to avoid the crowd.
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Puget Sound and Islands -- San Juan Islands
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Beautiful day, lovely little walk. There are a number of pleasant places to explore on San Juan isl...
Beautiful day, lovely little walk. There are a number of pleasant places to explore on San Juan island, but this is a great place to start. After this we, continued down Cattle Point Road to the interpretive center for the light house.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
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Just a short hike with the wife and kids. Only one other pair of hikers on the trail with us. Beauti...
Just a short hike with the wife and kids. Only one other pair of hikers on the trail with us. Beautiful forest, but no wildlife spotted (always hard to tell if my girls' chatter have scared them off...) and the flowers were sparse. LOTS of downed trees, but the path has been well maintained and cleared, and kids love fallen trees. Still slightly muddy in spots, but easily handled with light tennis shoes.
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
Ripe berries
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A beautiful summer day for hiking (finally)! Our group consisted of four adults and five kids, ages ...
A beautiful summer day for hiking (finally)! Our group consisted of four adults and five kids, ages 3-9. Salmonberries are plentiful, perfectly ripe, and kept the kids happy. The trail is in good condition and the signage is excellent. You won't get lost on this trail.
The hiking guide states that this trail is 3 miles, but my GPS (and my legs) think that the trail is about 4.2 miles roundtrip from the Ironhorse trailhead parking lot to the summit. A pleasant suprise for me, because I was thinking that 3 miles is way too short of a hike to do on a day like this! |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Water on trail, Snow on trail
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I decided to hike to Heather Lake at the base of Mt Pilchuck. I got at the trail head about 9:30 an...
I decided to hike to Heather Lake at the base of Mt Pilchuck. I got at the trail head about 9:30 and reached the lake by about 11:30. Water was on the trail in numerous places but posed little problems for hiking. Snow completely covered the trail for the last 100 yards or so short of the lake. However, the board walk at the lake was exposed for a good viewing and resting spot. I enjoyed watching the cascading water falls from snow fields on the north face of Pilchuck and sparkling Heather Lake before me as I rested and ate a snack.
The trail works its way though a contrast of forests. It begins in a thick second growth forest with trees from 10 to 20 inch in diameter. Some of these trees have sprouted from the stumps of the original old growth forest, up to 10 feet or more in diameter. The upper canopy is thick and there is little or no under story plant life in many areas. At about 1.5 miles the trail moves into old growth forest and the change is dramatic. Now there 10 feet diameter trees and an open upper canopy that allows a great diversity of life on the forest floor. No wonder the Spotted Owl only lives in the old growth forests! |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Blowdowns, Overgrown, Mud/Rockslide, Washouts, Water on trail
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This year it seems like there is almost always a chance of rain....today was no exception. We got sp...
This year it seems like there is almost always a chance of rain....today was no exception. We got sprinkled on while we hiked up to Explorer Falls. There is minimal space to park right outside the gate where you begin the trail, but I think you could park along the road if this area was full. There was no one parked here when we arrived at 11:30am. The sad thing is the amount of trash in the parking area, around the falls and the trail areas. Lots of bottles, cans and other assorted debris (including fire pits) from those that don't seem to care about keeping the area nice (I'm assuming that this is an area that people party on the weekends).
After parking, you walk around the gated area and follow the gravel road for about a mile. You will pass a couple of other gravel roads that cutoff, but just stick to the main road and keep going. You will hear the falls on your right hand side and will see a narrow path leading across a creek that will take you up to a view (and a path to the base) of the falls. This is a nice place to eat lunch. If you would like to explore further, you can head up a series of steep switchbacks that start along the creek you crossed after leaving the main gravel road. There is supposed to be a boy scout shelter up there somewhere, but we weren't able to locate it. We did find the trail that led to the top of the falls and a nice lookout. Do be careful here, as there is a large drop off. Lots of mud and water on the trails from the falls on up. Check out my full trip report at: http://ahomeschoolmomshikin[…]r-falls-june-30th-2011.html |
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Puget Sound and Islands
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Took the Main Trail all the way to the Temple Pond Viewpoint, then made a loop using the Pipeline Tr...
Took the Main Trail all the way to the Temple Pond Viewpoint, then made a loop using the Pipeline Trail and the Main Trail. Three adults, two six-year-olds, a toddler in an off-road stroller and an infant in a backpack. Very nice hike. The trail to the Temple Pond Viewpoint is pretty overgrown but we made it. Some mud in parts of the hike but not bad. The whole trip took about two hours plus a 15-minute snack break.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Blowdowns, Overgrown, Mudholes, Washouts
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Had fun with my five-year-old son and dog. Once we got down to the flat part of the trail (on the r...
Had fun with my five-year-old son and dog. Once we got down to the flat part of the trail (on the river) it became more of an adventure with overgrown foliage and lots of mud. We had a blast and went all the way to the first tunnel. NOT RECOMMENDED for someone looking for a clean-cut mosey but great if you want a little more of an adventure. (We like a challenge.) If you do go, be careful - the Stilly is moving fast! I will re-think going again anytime soon just because of the inherent danger, though it was a fun day.
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Great hike. Some snow higher up, but not a serious obstacle--lots of kids and dogs out on the trail....
Great hike. Some snow higher up, but not a serious obstacle--lots of kids and dogs out on the trail.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
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Fantastic hike yesterday! A few muddy spots, but otherwise the trail was perfect. No bugs. Excellent...
Fantastic hike yesterday! A few muddy spots, but otherwise the trail was perfect. No bugs. Excellent views at the top. No facilities at trailhead or on trail. Stop before you hit the trail.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Water on trail, Snow on trail, Bugs
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The first hour the hike was okay, it was not that rocky and it was very sunny. At the last quarter-m...
The first hour the hike was okay, it was not that rocky and it was very sunny. At the last quarter-mile it was really snowy, slushy and slippery. Hikers should be cautious when going up and down these snow mounds. Make sure hikers wear good hiking shoes. In late June, they are melting but probably in August the snows will all melt away. We saw lots of dogs and small children during the hike. When we arrived at the lake, half of the lake was frozen and most of the boardwalks and benches for eating lunch were covered with a foot of snow, so people had to eat on logs or parts of benches that melted from the snow. When we got down it was really rocky.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - East
Wildflowers blooming
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We just took a walk on the Tumwater Pipeline Trail. It was a very nice walk and great for kids. Th...
We just took a walk on the Tumwater Pipeline Trail. It was a very nice walk and great for kids. The trail was well groomed. You get to cross a couple creeks and the wildflowers and butterflies were abundant. A great place to stop for lunch about 1.2 miles in.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
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Big Four Ice Caves:
Mountain Loop Highway east of Verlot has several areas where road work is bei...
Big Four Ice Caves:
Mountain Loop Highway east of Verlot has several areas where road work is being conducted and there are areas of gravel, and loose dirt. Also several abrupt dibs and bumps. Easily passable by most vehicles, but drivers beware and go slow as some of these areas are not advertised. Motorcyclists should use extreme caution! Parking lots: Both picnic area and trail head lots are open. During this day, both lots had a Ranger presence. A work party conducting clearing work at the trail head lot and one patrolling the lot at the picnic area. Trail conditions: The trail is clear and beautiful until the upper vista area. This is still covered by snow. Hikers using jogging strollers, or the like can make it to the upper area with little difficulty. Use caution if hiking out on the snow field, as it can be unstable as the weather warms up. All in all a beautiful day for hiking. The scenery here is beautiful with lots of blooming flowers and beautiful views of the waterfalls. |
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Blowdowns
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Really disappointed! Two fallen trees blocked the road (about 3 miles from the trailhead). ...
Really disappointed! Two fallen trees blocked the road (about 3 miles from the trailhead).
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail
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The road to the trailhead was clear, with quite a few ruts & potholes. One of the stream crossings ...
The road to the trailhead was clear, with quite a few ruts & potholes. One of the stream crossings had high water that cars would be unlikely to pass.
We hiked to Hyas around noon. The lower part of the trail is quite muddy with ruts, and water running down the trail, and after only 1/4 mile the first patch of snow crosses the trail. After the first snowdrift, there are quite a few mudholes, puddles, and drifts, and a few blowdowns. All of the streams have high water, and there are few fords around the trail. The last 1/4 mile has quite a few snowdrifts still, and it appeared that there had been a flood, as there was sand & debris on top of the snow. The lake is snow & ice free. |
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Central Cascades -- Entiat Mountains
Wildflowers blooming
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The hike description here is obsolete. The Forest Service has rebuilt the trail between Pine Flat a...
The hike description here is obsolete. The Forest Service has rebuilt the trail between Pine Flat and Camp Nine, and are now maintaining the trail.
A ranger at the Entiat Ranger Station said we might find some blowdowns due to recent high winds, but there were none. My kids and I hiked (on a Friday) about 2.7 miles up the trail and back, and had no problems (and saw no one else on the trail). The Mad River was appropriately raging. There were plenty of wildflowers, which also meant plenty of butterflies. There were also birds, but they were hard to hear due to the volume of the river water crashing on the rocks. Weather was somewhat warm, but the cool air from the river helped balance things out. Although this is a hike through a forested valley, expect plenty of sun, as the forest isn't very thick, there are (of course) no trees on the river, and the trail goes in all directions following the riverbends, so you'll eventually be in the sun. Very easy hike for the kids on a very gentle grade. In fact, it was actually somewhat dull heading out, as it was basically the same sights we saw before. With a steeper grade at least you get to experience it trudging uphill and then going faster downhill. There's a nice riverside lunch spot (with a fire ring, a stump, easy water access, and plenty of shade) at around 1.5 miles in (near where Hornet Creek joins the river). |
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Wildflowers blooming
Mud/Rockslide, Water on trail
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We got rained on for a few brief periods while we hiked today....but how else would we know we were ...
We got rained on for a few brief periods while we hiked today....but how else would we know we were in Washington... : ) Boulder River is a really pretty, not too difficult hike. The whole hike is 8 miles round trip, but we just hiked to the waterfalls and back which is about 2.5 miles round trip and makes for a nice, easy hike.
Surprisingly, the parking lot was almost full when I got there this morning at 11:30am on a Thursday! We saw several other groups of people on the trail which is quite unusual for a chance of rain weekday. There is a little elevation gain on your way to the falls but not enough to be too challenging...just enough to get your heart pumping a bit. There were quite a few muddy patches....so make sure to wear boots/shoes with good traction and ones that you don't mind getting dirty. Check out my full trip report at: http://ahomeschoolmomshikin[…]r-river-june-23rd-2011.html |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - East
Wildflowers blooming
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Short, hot, but fun. Did it with my 8-year old, who took a long rest at the top but was otherwise o...
Short, hot, but fun. Did it with my 8-year old, who took a long rest at the top but was otherwise okay with it.
Going up on the west side, saw a Trail Closed sign, but couldn't figure out whether it meant the main trail or some 'shortcut' someone had created. We went on, and never saw the corresponding sign for the other direction or any reason why the trail would be closed, so I guess it was the latter. We went on a weekday and only saw a few other people and no climbers. But lots and lots of birds, as well as a westbound Empire Builder. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Hiked up to the Slick rock. (When did the bridge get washed out?)No blowdowns. Snow on the trail beg...
Hiked up to the Slick rock. (When did the bridge get washed out?)No blowdowns. Snow on the trail begining about halfway to the Slickrock. Then it was half snow/half trail. People were hiking it in flip flops, so not really an issue.
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Mud/Rockslide, Mudholes, Water on trail, Bugs
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SOLSTICE was the reason for the season...I mean hike. What a great day it was. Felt the warm wafts o...
SOLSTICE was the reason for the season...I mean hike. What a great day it was. Felt the warm wafts of the near 80 degree day with the cool breeze off the falls. The trail was easy, to follow to hike. Substantial cedar damage about 1/2 way into the trail....thank you to whomever marked the age of the tree. We counted about 600 years old. The smell of cedar was intense and the skunk cabbage beginning to blossom (oh joy). The falls themselves were a fabulous mix of large flow with trickles and I swear it looked like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon---if you venture down to the water you'd see the most unique color of gray/green, milky white flow and that coupled with the smooth rocks nearby made a perfect rest stop. GO. GO NOW. Just remember that you should take a nice hiking buddy or have lots on your mind. The trail can be a bit uneventful but it's lovely and green...nothing to complain about. Just that the payoff happens rather immediately. Would be nice to camp at the end of the road right by the water this time of year. Its so loud it would drown out your sleeping buddies' snores!
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns
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Took the Franklin Falls trail up, took the Wagon Road down. Franklin Falls has one blowdown that's ...
Took the Franklin Falls trail up, took the Wagon Road down. Franklin Falls has one blowdown that's easily bypassed, and a few patches of snow and mud that can be stepped around. The Falls are ridiculously large at this point and worth seeing.
The Wagon Road, on the other hand, has an increasing number of blowdowns as you get closer to the trailhead down near Denny Creek Campground. There are 3 road crossings, and at the third one, it's basically impossible to find where the trail picks up again due to blowdowns. Still, it's an easy trail, very quiet, and if you can't pick up the trail at that last spot, it's only a few dozen yards down to the trail's end anyway. Or perhaps you should reverse our route, and take the Wagon Road up and the Franklin Falls trail down. |
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Eastern Washington -- Okanogan Highlands
Wildflowers blooming
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The Washington & Great Northern railbed follows the Similkameen River west from Oroville WA. A seco...
The Washington & Great Northern railbed follows the Similkameen River west from Oroville WA. A second trailhead 1 mile west of Oroville offers an easy hike to the tall girder bridge spanning the river. Another 2 miles takes you to the Similkameen Falls overlook and the end of the 3.5 mile trail.
Plans call for the trail to continue 12.5 miles to the ghost town of Nighthawk. A nice easy grade suitable for all ages. Benches and historic descriptions are available along the trail. Non-motorized. Be sure to visit the Old Depot Museum and VC near the Oroville trailhead. |
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Eastern Washington -- Yakima
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Our hike along Cowiche Canyon trail was pleasant. We stuck to the lowlands so that our little ones c...
Our hike along Cowiche Canyon trail was pleasant. We stuck to the lowlands so that our little ones could manage easily. The trail followed Cowiche Creek, which was flowing quite well today, and offered an abundance of high desert vegetation. Autumn hung out on my back and took the views from the air while Ethan explored here and there looking for bugs, flowers, water, snakes, mountain goats, and more. Hiking in the morning was the way to go because the trail offers little shade and by the time we finished at 11:30am the temperature was in the low-70s (yes that is warm to us).
On our drive out of the canyon we saw a snake hanging out on the road. It was fully extended reaching a length of 3ft. or so and about 1″ wide. We stopped and got Ethan out of his car seat to observe the snake from the safety of the car. He looked at the snake for about 7 seconds and then told me “Okay Dad, let’s go, let’s go!” The size of the snake was a little intimidating for him (and me). It was a good find though and he was still talking about it this evening. We followed the hike with a lunch stop at the Yakima Farmer’s Market in downtown Yakima. We first gulped down delicious homemade strawberry and mango-peach lemonades, then satisfied our hunger with pork soft tacos. They were seriously tasty! Read more, and view photos, at http://www.brettandlaura.com/[…]/ |
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Olympics -- East
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To celebrate Father's Day, my husband wanted to do our first backpack of the season. The Dungeness ...
To celebrate Father's Day, my husband wanted to do our first backpack of the season. The Dungeness River trail has always been a winner (this was our 4th trip) and it was again!
We hiked into Camp Handy with our 2 young boys (7 and 4) and a dog. The trip in was about 2 hours. The trail is in good condition with only one tricky large stream crossing. The overcast sky kept the crowds away. We woke up to clear skies and mountain peaks. This is a great trail for anyone to experience. |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- South Sound
Wildflowers blooming
Overgrown, Mud/Rockslide, Mudholes, Water on trail
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Pack Forest is located near Eatonvile, drive Hwy 161 through Eatonville to Hwy 7 or drive Hwy 7 dire...
Pack Forest is located near Eatonvile, drive Hwy 161 through Eatonville to Hwy 7 or drive Hwy 7 direct from Tacoma. At .2 miles south on 7 from the junction is the Pack Forest entry. We decided to hike to the Little Mashel Falls. From the entry gate we drove up 1/4 mile to the parking lot left of the administration building. To get to the trail walk left from the administration bldg, signed "Lathrop Drive, Murphy's Ranch". Proceed on Rd. 1000 North about 1.8 miles. The road is flat then starts up hillgradually and eventually comes to a Y on the road. Go left. It is supposed to be Road 1070, but there is no sign there. Go 1/4 mile until you come to a rock on the left that says Falls with an arrow pointing to the path. Follow the muddy path. It will take you through a patch of tall grass, then more mud. The path will eventually descend down the hill. The path will Y, take the path on the right, do not continue down the hill. Continue on the flat path until it Y's again. Take the trail to the left and start down. There is a trail to the right that will take you to the top of the Bridal Veil Falls. There are deep pools below the upper. Return back on the trail and watch on the right for an obscure track that drops down. There will be steps going down, down, down. Turn right to the rock-slab pools at the base of Bridal Veil Falls. The Falls always amaze me. Very well worth seeing. It's about 4 miles round-trip.
Pack Forest is also a great place to take your dog for a walk. Rd. 1000 is a 5.1 mile loop. Very beautiful. |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- North Sound
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes, Bugs
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Decided to go for a hike after work since weather report for tomorrow called for rain. This was hike...
Decided to go for a hike after work since weather report for tomorrow called for rain. This was hike 22 of 50 planned at age 50. I decided to hike Little Cranberry Lake Park near Antacortes, Washington on Fidalgo Island. This areas is part of the Antacortes Community Forest Lands. Antacortes has a set aside some really nice places to hike which include the Mount Erie area that I hiked in hike 2 of 50 that you can read about or see from my links to my youtube channel. This areas has lots of trails so you can mix it up and go long or short for distances. I hiked about 4 miles. It was a beautiful sunny day and the trails are in good shape. One of the trails skirts the edge of Little Cranberry Lake for some good picture taking. This a great place for mountain biking and jogging as well because the trails are wide and well maintained. They can be easily hiked all year round since the island gets minimal snow. All and all a nice place with lots of Cedar Trees. The other two ponds are called Little Beaver Pond and Big Beaver Pond. When you see them you can quickly see why they got there name with all the trees downed by beavers. If your in the area check out this jewel of a hike near Antacortes, Washington. Check out videos of this hike and others I have hiked in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181. Here are some direct links to this hike. They are safe to click on or other wise open up youttube and type in lmm3181.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cERJTsSvwVQ http://www.youtube.com/watc[…]V653YQM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watc[…]u0TN7vs&feature=related Enjoy your hiking and get outdoors you won't be dissapointed Take Care Mike |
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North Cascades -- West Slope
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
Blowdowns, Mud/Rockslide, Washouts
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River Meadow's Park is a great place for a nice hike that isn't too far out of town. It's about 15 m...
River Meadow's Park is a great place for a nice hike that isn't too far out of town. It's about 15 minutes outside of Arlington. There are several miles of trails to explore....some of them are along the river and some are through the meadows and forest. There are campsites and yurts available if you want to explore for a little longer. This was my second trip here and I really like the park....
There were some washed out areas and spots of mud....but nothing that was impassable. I would probably wear shoes that you don't mind getting dirty though! We hiked out of the parking lot along the river and followed the trail until it disappeared....several spots along the river for lunch if you feel so inclined... :) Then we turned around and headed back to where the trail branched off and headed up near the park entrance....we followed the road that leads into the park down towards the parking lot and cut off at a gated area on the left that leads to the meadow trails. We probably hiked 3 miles or so....and there were still more areas to explore.... Check out my blog entry for the full report... http://ahomeschoolmomshikin[…]dows-park-june-16-2011.html |
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North Cascades -- Mount Baker Highway
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Nice walk with the little one. It's really to bad that it's unfinished but it's a sign of the times ...
Nice walk with the little one. It's really to bad that it's unfinished but it's a sign of the times $$$. It's enjoyable for what it is. A connector trail to Squalicum Beach from several small neighborhoods, if you continue a little ways further down the unfinished section you will reach Cornwall Park which is a nice place for a picnic. It's great to push the baby in the stroller on a nice sunny afternoon. That said I don't feel this is an appropriate venue for promoting this trail but I love walking it none the less. I will still give it 5 Stars and recommend it if you want to stretch you legs but don't want to leave town or are on your lunch break.
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South Cascades -- Chinook Pass - Enumclaw or Hwy 410 area
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Clogged drainage, Mud/Rockslide
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The drive in is easy, all paved roads. Popular trail but I arrived after lunchtime, so the crowds we...
The drive in is easy, all paved roads. Popular trail but I arrived after lunchtime, so the crowds were clearing out. I just wanted a short leg stretcher with my elderly dog, first hike of the year... this was a good one for me, not for the dog. Trail is in fairly good shape, with a tricky washout just before the first lake (about 1.5 miles in). Trail gets very narrow, good balance needed. There were many blowdowns cleared. Trail is underwater at one point, but the crowds have made a fairly clear diversion path. There are several narrow but sturdy bridges to traverse; one of them is slumped overland, so the approach requires a big step up. Nothing too bad, though.
No snow, but Chinook Pass was still closed. We hiked 2.4 miles in and turned around. Nice, mostly flat, solid footing kind of trail along an impressively roaring river (hello, spring melt!). The old dog at my side had trouble with the few scrambles required. Lots of people with small children were smiling at the trailhead post-hike, though, so they all seemed to have had no problem. |
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Olympics -- East
Wildflowers blooming
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Left the trail head at 10am and was at the top in about an hour. The views from the top were comple...
Left the trail head at 10am and was at the top in about an hour. The views from the top were completely clouded out. I found some calypso orchids along the trail not too far from the trailhead and glacier lily at the summit. The snow was almost completely gone, just a couple of spotty patches. The trail was in excellent condition.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
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We headed to eastern Snohomish County this morning to hike on the Barlcay Lake Trail. We were not di...
We headed to eastern Snohomish County this morning to hike on the Barlcay Lake Trail. We were not disappointed. Here are the highlights of this 4-mile roundtrip hike.
* 1 hour 15 minutes from our home * 500ft elevation gain (great for families) * 2 miles, 2 miles out (We didn’t spend our entire day on the trail) * Beautiful hike through a mature forest (really beautiful and serene setting) * Mostly parallels Barclay Creek (we love hikes along moving water) * Beautiful destination at Barclay Lake with a great view of Mt. Baring We spent a few hours on the trail, ate lunch and explored. While we saw only a couple groups on our hike to the lake, we passed more than 15 groups (90% with kids) on our way back to the trailhead. I think for the same reason we enjoyed the hike these groups were on the trail. Also, we saw a couple dads with their kids backpacking in this area. Read more, and view photos, at http://www.brettandlaura.com/2011/06/12/barclay-lake-hike/ |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
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Solid day for a hike! Partly cloudy and decent temperature. The trail was well kept and there were s...
Solid day for a hike! Partly cloudy and decent temperature. The trail was well kept and there were signs at every turn. The top of the butte gave an amazing view of the Snoqualmie Valley and North Bend. I definitely recommend this hike. There were young kids and dogs on the trail but they were all friendly and well behaved.
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South Cascades -- Chinook Pass - Enumclaw or Hwy 410 area
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This was the first time for us to hike to Greenwater Lake and I have to say that it was one of the m...
This was the first time for us to hike to Greenwater Lake and I have to say that it was one of the most gorgeous hikes I've done. It is very kid friendly, and even though there were quite a few cars parked, we only encountered a few families far and in between while hiking. We did not make it all the way to Echo Lake; nor did we plan to, but just hiking to Greenwater Lake took us a while due to my picture taking frenzy. Walking through these woods takes you back to basics, and it made me reflect on just being in nature with my loved ones away from all the every day grind.
The ground was dry with just a few mud holes in between, all bridges that carry you over the white water are all intact |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
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What a great time. We did this hike from finish to end in about three hours. We had a 3 year old a...
What a great time. We did this hike from finish to end in about three hours. We had a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old (in the pack) with us so it takes some time. Our three year old managed the whole hike on his own. I read that this was a good hike with kids and it sure turned out to be great. For adults its not terribly strenuous and for kids there are little streams, mossy rocks, bugs and huge boulders to look at. The best of all is the Look out at the end. A great reward with an amazing view. It was a pretty busy hike considering the sunny Sunday. Hardly any mud on the trail and very well kept. A great quick day hike.
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Issaquah Alps -- Cougar Mountain
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes, Water on trail
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This was our first time to the Coal Creek area for hiking, and we went on the recommendation of a fr...
This was our first time to the Coal Creek area for hiking, and we went on the recommendation of a friend and the book: Best hikes with Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades. My husband and I took our two sons (5 1/2 and 1) the older walking and the younger riding in pack. We didn't have a map and didn't take the book with us, but the map in the book probably would have been only a small help.
The area is littered with trails and signs for trails and unsigned trails. It is possible to get very mixed up. Even if you think you're still on the "main" Red Town trail, you can still get very confused, so I would suggest taking a map if you want to check out the other trails. The Red Town trail loops around by connecting to the Rainbow Town trail, from what I could tell by following the signs. At the trail head, there were four options to choose from. We started past the left gate and took the leftmost trail, marked Red Town, after a quick stop at the Honey Buckets conveniently situated right at the start of the trail. The wide gravel trail rises steadily for maybe .2 mile. Tiny creeping woodruff, forget me not, buttercups, and other wild flowers decorate the sides of the trail. There are some soft spots that are still drying out, and a few mud holes, but none are a hazard (unless your kids don't listen when you say stay out of the puddles...) We took a side trip at the sign indicating Rainbow Town Trail and Ford Slope. You'll pass a sign that warns of cave ins. It's a little scary to know you're walking over the top of empty tunnels, carved by men, that could possibly cave in...probably not with the weight of hikers (no matter how overweight some of us are) but a bit eerie none the less. At the bottom of the ravine is an exhibit with a coal car on a small rail siding and a double sided sign with photos of local coal operations. The coolest thing, though, is the mine opening. It is fenced and the weeds grow high within it, but it's very exciting to stand up above and look down into the darkness knowing men used to travel down there everyday to work and mine. We backtracked to the Red Town trail and continued towards the meadow. On the way my son noticed what appeared to be a large iron cylinder buried in the trail. There is also a horse/dog watering trough fed by the creek, and several bridges/boards over streams. Later, we also ran across a large piece of rusting cable. We paused only briefly in the meadow...bee allergies and boys not much interested in flowers. However, several of the Camas were blooming, and it appears the Columbine will be blooming soon. On the way back towards the trail head completing the loop, we managed to stay on the right path, but it was more from a sense of going the correct direction and remembering the Rainbow Town Trail name rather than following the signs. If you keep following the Red Town signs, you'll cut back across the area to the wide trail you started on. I think in the end we followed the Wildside Trail and then the Rainbow Town trail back down to the parking lot. We will return later to try out the other trails and visit the falls and the sections of trail we skipped, but we'll be sure to bring a map. |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - East
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Bridge out, Overgrown, Mud/Rockslide, Mudholes, Washouts, Water on trail, Snow on trail, Bugs, Avalanche danger
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Weather was not looking good for the west side of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington so we hea...
Weather was not looking good for the west side of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington so we head east to Twin Lakes Trail #1503. You can usually count on sun over there and we were not disappointed. This was hike 21 of 50 hikes I planned this year at age 50. A group of 4 of us hiked this 8 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of about 1000 feet. Twin Lakes elevations are at 2820 and 2825 feet. There was about a dozen trees across the trail and 3 or 4 landslides but none that you couldn't work your way around safely. I did forget one thing about going to the east side where its warmer and that is mosquito repellent. Yes they are out over there so make sure you take some. The lake area was pretty much free of them. It was just down in the valley near some of the stagnet ponds. A little snow in one creek bed that was easy to cross and plenty strong running water flowing out of the Lower Twin Lake along a big portion of the trail. There is some areas where you are hiking through the creek along the trail so keep a dry pair of shoes and socks in the car to change into to when you get back. This turned out to be a great day for a hike and a trail that was well worth driving too even though it took us 3 hours to get there. Check out videos of this hike and others I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or click on these safe direct links to videos of this hike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mrR4BzkQmY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VqZHdP0Pgg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMW8gfNQVwQ Enjoy your hiking!!! Mike |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming
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New to Washington State, this was our first family hike in the area. We arrived shortly after 10 an...
New to Washington State, this was our first family hike in the area. We arrived shortly after 10 and there was still ample parking. The trail is in excellent condition, and our 3 year old (as of last week!) was able to walk on his own, rather than sitting in the child carrier; he was so excited, he ran up parts of the trail! My wife and I frequently had to run after him, which was tiring- fortunately, there are ample benches along the way.
The trail is quite steep in parts, but the footing is excellent and the steeper sections are stairstepped, rather than a slope. The final push to the falls is all uphill and we were pretty beat by the time we reached the falls, but it was well worth it- the view was simply amazing! Saving the middle falls for another day, we turned back down the trail. Our son made it a little over half way down before he got tired and cranky, and wanted to be put in the child carrier. Given the steepness of some of the slopes, I'm glad he was able and willing to walk the majority of the way, I'm not sure we would've made it all the way up with him in the pack. There were plenty of people on the trail, but also many times where we were alone- a nice mix. Everyone was very friendly and commented on how well our boy was doing, which was really nice and helped to keep him going. The weather was cool and overcast, but it didn't rain. I was comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt, with the child carrier. We had rain jackets with us and they came in handy at the falls, where the temp was a good bit cooler! This is a great hike for families with children, there's lots of things to see, plenty of quiet family time, but also plenty of people around if you need help. The condition of the trail was excellent, and as I've mentioned our son was able to hike on his own with minimal assistance from mom and dad. We'll be headed back as soon as the muscles loosen up again :) |
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Olympics -- Kitsap Peninsula
Wildflowers blooming
Washouts, Water on trail
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The Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve is a nice place for a whole family to see some beautiful flowers, ...
The Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve is a nice place for a whole family to see some beautiful flowers, birds, and animals. Unfortunately, you don't find a trail map until you get all the way down to the bottom of the access road.
When I was there today, the trails that are supposed to lead to the cove itself are all washed out and covered by a marshy bog. It's a very pretty marshy bog with a lot of beautiful flowers mind you, but I wasn't going to go sloshing through the bog to get to the cove. That's okay though, there are a couple of different trails within the Nature Reserve to wander around. The trails are well-defined and sometimes marked with signs. I took the Sawmill Trail to the Margaret Trail on my way down, then did the Maple Tree Trail loop around the bottom, then walked back up the access road for a total mileage of 2.7 miles and 430 feet of elevation gain (stats from Garmin). Along the way, I saw a ton of spring flowers - some I had never seen before. One deer was along the path eating grass and didn't seem to care about me walking through. Two small snakes quickly slithered off the trail when they heard me coming. I spotted one beautiful red headed wood-pecker. Overall, it was a very enjoyable walk in the nature reserve seeing the birds, animals, and flowers, all with the gentle gurgling sound of water and pretty bird songs in the background. I plan to come back here with my kids (7 and 9 yrs old). I passed one dad out there with his two little boys that had to be around 4 to 6 years old. |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Bridge out, Mudholes
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It was a cooler cloudy day on our hike at the Old Sauk River Trail. Plenty of parking at the trailhe...
It was a cooler cloudy day on our hike at the Old Sauk River Trail. Plenty of parking at the trailhead and we were the only ones there (aside from one ranger and one work party vehicle) at 11:30am when we arrived. The trail is nice and level with not much elevation change. Pretty views of the river and forest along the way.
There were several work parties on the trail doing repairs to the trail and building new bridges. The trail is about 3 miles one way. We hiked about 2 miles in before we turned around. The trail was in good condition as the work crews had already cleared all of the fallen trees off of the trail. A few muddy spots along the trail, but they were few and far between. Check my full report at: http://ahomeschoolmomshikin[…]er-trail-june-9th-2011.html |
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Olympics -- Coast
Mudholes, Water on trail
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I like to visit Shi Shi and the Arches every few years as it has always been a favorite of mine, plu...
I like to visit Shi Shi and the Arches every few years as it has always been a favorite of mine, plus it's always interesting to see how a trail or destination changes over time. The new trail over Makah land is very nice until it finally meets up with what used to be an old road (logging?) of the primitive kind. Nature is slowly reclaiming the road part--indeed, I suspect most will never suspect it was a road at one time. Still quite muddy in some spots, although my memory tells me it was worse in the past when it was wider and less brushy. Still, not a great hike if all you've got are porous tennis shoes! It's deceptively dry in the early "new" part of the trail, but wetter and muddier in the last third.
Although I went on two fairly gray days, the wildness and the majesty of the beach, the Arches and the mighty Pacific are indeed impressive and sublime. A great place to get away from civilization and mellow out a bit. A nice little campfire added to the relaxing effect. About 30 youngsters (8th graders I was told by one of their teachers) were just leaving as I got there, so much to my amazement, I had virtually the whole beach to myself! That's a first in probably at least a half a dozen visits! Talk about solitude! Didn't see another person until I was leaving the beach the next afternoon. Then another small party was hiking in to camp and a few were obviously day hikers. Saw a deer, many bald eagles, seals (including one dead one at the Arches)and other birds. No rodents or racoons spotted this trip and few bugs. At least it didn't rain the whole time which would've put a bit of a damper on the trip. It seemed like the beach was a bit cleaner too than in the past, with less human garbage than I've seen before. Perhaps a work detail recently? All in all, a great trip to a wonderful wilderness destination. Highly recommended! |
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South Cascades -- Chinook Pass - Enumclaw or Hwy 410 area
Blowdowns
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Trail encounters a few major blowdown. Some mud. I brought my 4-year old. He handled it all very wel...
Trail encounters a few major blowdown. Some mud. I brought my 4-year old. He handled it all very well - even better than me as he was able to easily go under the trees where I had climb over them. He made it 2 miles before he had enough. That was our turn-around point. I think this was actually between the first and second Greenwater Lakes. I'm not sure if we ever saw the second one.
http://www.flickr.com/jasonracey |
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Puget Sound and Islands
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We’ve since been to this great park in north Seattle four times. It offers all the fun a kid could...
We’ve since been to this great park in north Seattle four times. It offers all the fun a kid could want in a park: swings, Salmon slide, lots of hiking trails, big grassy area, beach access, viewing platform for the trains, and more. The key part of this park is, by design, you can teach about how a watershed works. There are interpretive signs and plenty of viewing areas of the creeks. I think everyone who visits will agree that the views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound from all areas are spectacular.
Ethan and Autumn have enjoyed the South Ridge Trail hike. It offers a couple fun bridges, plenty of flora to view, trees to climb in and around, and nice views of the forest canopy. It’s only 2 miles or so and we’ve been able to do it in an hour with Ethan and his trusty explore pack. If you’re in the area we recommend stopping by Carkeek Park for a few hours. Your kids will love you for it. Read more, and view photos, at http://www.brettandlaura.com/[…]/ |
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Olympics -- South
Wildflowers blooming
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The hike was beautiful, we had great weather, and a mostly dry trail. My sons 2nd great class and a ...
The hike was beautiful, we had great weather, and a mostly dry trail. My sons 2nd great class and a group of parents hiked, we hiked to the river, it was perfect for the kids. I lost a black Nikon camera at the trail head parking lot though, and if someone finds it could they please email SarahMarieR@hotmail.com
Thanks! |
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Olympics -- East
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The loop trail around Ft Flagler state park is great for families. The elevation change is minimal....
The loop trail around Ft Flagler state park is great for families. The elevation change is minimal. Also, there are a couple geocaches in the park that are fun. The bluff trail "A" is the trail you are looking for and connects the batteries on the north side of the park. Grumpy kids can be cured with an ice cream bar at the concession stand on the east side of the park which services RV campers etc. With side trips to the beach, the total distance for us was about 6 miles. My six year old, carrying about 8 lbs, and I did it in 2.5 hours. The old batteries are very cool to explore and offer some adventure and mystique for kids.
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Just a few cars in the lot at 8:15am. Started hiking at 8:30. The trail to Bridal Veil intersectio...
Just a few cars in the lot at 8:15am. Started hiking at 8:30. The trail to Bridal Veil intersections was uneventful. As I had hiked to Bridal Veil on Saturday, I took the road more traveled. The view of the falls from the bride was far superior to the one from the top of the BV trail. Several good picture ops on the bridge.
Down the hill to the lower falls was the first set of 353 +/- prefab steps up the mountain. The lower falls made for even better photo ops. Then the grinder up the hill to the lake. A few blow-downs need more-complete removal but the trail was quite good to the snow level. The pool below the waterfalls at the top was potentially dangerous to navigate, but people watched out for each other and a stabilizing hand was very welcome. The lake was beautiful, some witnessed avalanches rumbling down Mt Index towards the late. The views and photo ops made it worthwhile. I'm anxious to climb it again without the snow and explore the trails around the lake. People were courteous and controlled their dogs well. I am still surprised the young parents lack judgment in bringing toddlers and young children in to this strenuous and quite risky environment. Children under 10 should not be on the upper trails negotiating narrow snow ledges and fording dangerous streams. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
Wildflowers blooming
Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Driving to the trailhead was wide open. About halfway up the trail there was a lot of snow on the g...
Driving to the trailhead was wide open. About halfway up the trail there was a lot of snow on the ground. We went with a 3 year old and a 4 year old, both did well. As the snow melted in spots there were holes to step in, hiking shoes recommended for kids too.
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Issaquah Alps -- Tiger Mountain
Wildflowers blooming
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Our family of four hiked the 1.5 mile Round-the-Lake trail at Tiger Mountain. As usual, the High Poi...
Our family of four hiked the 1.5 mile Round-the-Lake trail at Tiger Mountain. As usual, the High Point parking lot was mobbed. Many people were out with their kids, and I thought we'd have lots of company at Tradition Lake, but it was refreshingly uncrowded.
The kids (2 and 5 years old) were fascinated by the bugs, caterpillars and flowers they saw along the trail, and the barrier-free tread and lack of elevation gain made it easy going. Even though it was our constant companion, we'd only get a restricted view of Tradition Lake every so often - so as a "lake" hike, it failed to produce. One of several interpretive signs explained that this was deliberate, an effort to reduce the impact to wildlife in and around the lake. We took a counter-clockwise route, hugging the south side of the lake from High Point and returning along the Power Line Trail, which is really just a gated gravel road. I was surprised by how much my kids enjoyed this part of the journey. They joyfully jumped in every pothole, and I can just imagine how much fun they would have had if those potholes had been filled with water. Now I know where to go after the next storm! |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- Whidbey Island
Wildflowers blooming
Overgrown
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Today was a magnificant day for a hike along the beach. This was hike 20 of 50 I planned this year a...
Today was a magnificant day for a hike along the beach. This was hike 20 of 50 I planned this year at age 50. After hiking between 10 and 12 miles yesterday at Thunder Creek which was a three hour drive away I decided to hike a little closer to home. This hike is on Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve and State Park outside of Coupeville, Washington on Whidbey Island. This hike is a 4 to 5 mile loop if taking the beach and bluff trail. My recommendation is to take the bluff trail first and then down at the other end to the beach. I would not recommend this for young children, elderly or anyone afraid of heights or a steep trail. If so hike it in the opposite direction going down the beach first. Then hike up the hill to the bluff trail. The trail is pretty well maintained but the grass and weeds are growing high in some areas but the trail is easy to find. A beautiful day and a beautiful place to hike with great views of Whidbey Island, Pudget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Nothing bad to report on this place. Do not miss this hike if coming to Whidbey Island. You can see videos of this hike and others I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or just click these safe links directly to the videos of this hike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6CruMAty7s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ylxtj8aO4k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L946g6WsK7M Enjoy your hiking!! Mike |
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North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway
Blowdowns, Mudholes, Water on trail
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A good day for a hike up Thunder Creek in the North Cascades. This is hike 19 of 50 I planned at age...
A good day for a hike up Thunder Creek in the North Cascades. This is hike 19 of 50 I planned at age 50. A group of us decided to hike the Thunder Creek Trail which is located along side Diablo Lake at the backside of Colonial Creek Campground just off Highway 20. We went not knowing exactly how far we would take the trail but we ended up at McAllister Horse Camp which by the maps is approximately 12 miles round trip. The trail is in good shape with 5 to 6 down trees across the trail which were easy to navigate around and a gain in elevation of only 700'. The sun was out and no bugs to speak of. Very few people on the trail going in. We started on the trail at about 10:00 am and got out by 5:00 pm with two stops to eat and take a break. Some nice closeups of waterfalls, a raging Thunder Creek and a Snow Capped Colonial Peak. If you head up here to check out the views and want to spend the night then stay at the Colonal Creek Camp Ground and get an early hike up the trail. If you are staying the weekend or longer bring the kayaks and kayak around Diablo Lake. This was an excellent early season hike. Checkout my videos of this hike and other hikes in Washington on my youtube channel at lmm3181. Here are direct links to the videos I took that day. They are safe to click on or just go to my youtube channel at lmm3181.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU1osG3Ry00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrOYlAyu2IE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvQyDnSx3wY Enjoy your hiking!! Mike |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- North Sound
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes
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This was the second time that I've hiked from the Whistle Lake parking area in the Anacortes Communi...
This was the second time that I've hiked from the Whistle Lake parking area in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. Last time we hiked around Whistle Lake and this time we made it to the top of Mt. Erie. Make sure to bring a map so the that you can plan the trails you will take....lots of trails here and it will be confusing without a map!
The weather was beautiful! There were about 10 cars in the parking lot when we arrived at about noon......there were a few more spots...but it isn't a huge lot. When we left after 5 pm....the lot was full and people were parking along the sides of the road. We encountered a little mud on the trail, but it was mostly clear. On the way to Mt. Erie we followed 201 out of the parking lot, then onto 21, 207 and 216 all the way up to the top of Mt. Erie. We saw no one else on the trail until we were almost to the top. Once we got to the top it was crowded as usual with people who drove up.....not nearly as much fun as hiking up! The views were beautiful! On the way down we cut off onto 233 and then 204 and followed the lake back to 20 and to the parking lot. This section of trail around the lake was where we encountered a lot of people! We saw people jumping off of a tall rocky area into the lake as well as some teens that were skinny dipping....luckily they were in the water when we went by. We also encountered one motorbike on 20....this is the first one I have seen here in the ACFL's. It took us about 5 1/2 hours and we went approximately 6 miles Check out my full report at: http://ahomeschoolmomshikin[…]istle-lake-parking-lot.html |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
Snow on trail
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Thanks Cruiznbye for your helpful May 31 report. My son and I headed up late Saturday afternoon for...
Thanks Cruiznbye for your helpful May 31 report. My son and I headed up late Saturday afternoon for an overnight.
The route finding was easy Saturday thanks to the many who had hiked the route earlier in the day; as we headed up we met about 8 people coming out. Most likely, these helpful tracks will melt out during the week. I do agree about bringing the ice ax; coming down from the ridge Sunday afternoon felt pretty steep. We camped up on the ridge and had the basin to ourselves. Very still, very quiet. No bugs but we found fresh coyote(?) prints the next morning by our camp. Sunday we skied down to the lake and followed the tracks to the west end. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
Water on trail
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A great way to spend an afternoon hiking with the dog. I was not the only person who thought so yes...
A great way to spend an afternoon hiking with the dog. I was not the only person who thought so yesterday! The 12.5 mile drive in on Middle Fork Rd. was rather treacherous for the car. It added an hour to my travel time. Oh yes - many a 4x4 rushed past me, but I do plan on driving my Volvo XC a little longer so I took the road rather cautiously.
The trail head is at the very end of this road, past the Middle Fork camp ground. The name listed at the trailhead says Snoqualmie Lake so I was a bit confused and wondered if this was indeed the right trail, but at this point after having secured a parking spot, I was committed. The trail is very flat and although rather pictureque, feels like you're walking an old road versus walking a trail in the mountains. You need to traverse numerous streams - some rather gingerly - there were a number of soakers, especially among children of which there were lots our enjoying the day with their parents. At about 4 miles in, a considerate group of hikers pointed out the Otter Falls trail. There is no signpost, just "Otter Falls" carved into a tree on your left. The falls and lake are beautiful and a great spot to soak up the sun. At this point I turned back as it was getting late. If I come back to this area, I would bring overnight camping gear. Having just read some posts about Snoqualmie Lake, it feels like there is more challenge and interesting landscapes to be enjoyed by going further. |
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Eastern Washington -- Yakima
Wildflowers blooming
Overgrown, Bugs
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I hiked into the falls area, then followed deer paths along the creek, those paths are brushy and ba...
I hiked into the falls area, then followed deer paths along the creek, those paths are brushy and barely existent. The creek goes through a canyon area after about a half mile. I ended up scrambling up some mud/rock cliffs to the open desert above. The flowers were blooming in the desert & it was easy walking. Tip: Go to the falls then turn around and backtrack until you get to where the path turns to the left, following the creek, with an open area on your left. Look carefully for an opening in the bushes, it is the track up the canyon wall to a four wheel drive track that then parallels the creek going south. Way easier hiking along the four wheel track that is mostly grown over than trying to use deer paths and scramble up mud.
The temps were in the high 70's & low 80's with a cool breeze, very nice. The parking lot was full when I got back to my car around 2:00, but I don't know where those people were, the area very big and wide open once you're above the canyon. It is a kid friendly hike if you don't do the scrambling and deer-path following. The trails are in ok shape. There were no biting bugs out while I was there. |
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Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail
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Snow left on the last 2.10th of a mile.traction devices recommended...
Snow left on the last 2.10th of a mile.traction devices recommended
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Issaquah Alps -- Squak Mountain
Wildflowers blooming
Mudholes
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It was a beautiful sunny day, there were still a few pockets of muddy ground, but small enough to st...
It was a beautiful sunny day, there were still a few pockets of muddy ground, but small enough to step over...there were also some patches of horse manure before you get to the actual trail.
my 6 yr old LOVED the signs on the trail, running ahead to each one, I highly recommend this hike for kids. we did have a slight problem finding the Pretzel Tree, until we walked the trail backwards. :) one of the highlights was the small stream running under the trail at one point. |
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Mt. Rainier -- SW - Cayuse Pass / Steven's Canyon
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The Grove of Patriarchs Loop is a nice easy walk for kids, but don’t expect much excitement once t...
The Grove of Patriarchs Loop is a nice easy walk for kids, but don’t expect much excitement once there. There are a couple of big trees, but not much else. All in all my 8 and 4 year old were fairly bored. The best part for them was the bridge, which they thought was just the best thing. The trail itself is in very good condition with little ups and downs. No snow on the trail at all.
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Eastern Washington -- Yakima
Wildflowers blooming
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Did the hike with our two small kids (6 and 2.5). Pretty wildflowers, lots of birdsong. Trail was dr...
Did the hike with our two small kids (6 and 2.5). Pretty wildflowers, lots of birdsong. Trail was dry and easy to hike. It was pretty busy (Memorial Day Weekend), but everyone was friendly. Unfortunately, there was a group of young guys shooting skeet at the start of the trail so the gunshots echoing off the canyon walls pretty much put paid to any wildlife sightings. It's hard to get under or climb over the railroad track with a kid in a backpack. The stream crossing wasn't bad- two wet feet but not dangerous. In all, worth the drive from Seattle to get some dry, sunny hiking on a kid-friendly trail.
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Mud/Rockslide, Mudholes, Washouts, Water on trail
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Decided to hike the Lime Kiln Trail outside of Granite Falls, Washington. I was going to hike Thunde...
Decided to hike the Lime Kiln Trail outside of Granite Falls, Washington. I was going to hike Thunder Creek but decided to wait and see if I could get someone to accompany me on that one. This hike is about 7 miles round trip. This was hike 18 of 50 planned this year at age 50. This trail is deceiving. When you first start up the trail you are in dense trees covered with moss but you soon find yourself leaving them on to a gravel trail which may have been a gravel road at one time. This area is not interesting and may convince you to turnaround and leave but don't fret. At about 1.7 there will be a sign to head left. At this point you start to descend down into the canyon along Hubbard Creek to the Stillaguamish River. Along the way you will see the old Lime Kiln on the right side of the trail and numerous artifacts. The trees are covered in moss and a dozen or so trees have fallen across the trail but you can walk under them. There is one mud/rock slide that is a little tricky because water is running through it. Be careful here with young kids, babies in packs or anyone who is scared if they look down the slide. Enclosed is a picture. This whole area seems prone to slides and will need much work to keep it up. All and all it was a good hike. Check out a video of the river along this hike on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or just click on my direct link here. It is a safe link but if your worried go to my youtube channel and find it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeNHwDDh0Hw Enjoy your hiking!! MIke |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Snow on trail
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9:30 am Started at the trail head. High clouds, no rain. The trail is in pretty good condition exc...
9:30 am Started at the trail head. High clouds, no rain. The trail is in pretty good condition except for several blowdowns that need to be cleared.
The last mile was in soft, treacherous, slippery snow. Stepped into one "post hole" going over a small stream on a snow bridge. The lake was beautiful but low clouds blocked the mountain views somewhat. Warning: There were many small lightly-dressed young children 4 to 10 years old that should not have been on the hike. Many adult hikers where in light tennis shoes and t-shirts. Most were not expecting snow. I was wearing three layers and a Gortex rain jacket -- and it was cold in the snow area. There should be better warnings at the Trail Head of snow conditions and parents should exercise much better judgement. There were many dogs, most of them well behaved. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
Wildflowers blooming
Water on trail
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Great day hike! Besides the potholes getting to the trailhead, it was wonderful. The trail was visib...
Great day hike! Besides the potholes getting to the trailhead, it was wonderful. The trail was visible and maintained. Almost missed the Otter Falls since the sign was down. Look for the stacked rock at 4.5 miles and hike your way up the side of the hill. The Big Creek Falls was a great surprise as well. Didn't get to the lake but maybe next time.
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Mt. Rainier -- NW - Carbon River / Mowich
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The sign at the trail says the bridges are out, but the bridges are in. Which doesn't mean you don'...
The sign at the trail says the bridges are out, but the bridges are in. Which doesn't mean you don't have to do some rock-hopping (2 small river channels have no bridge), but if my 7-year old can do it, you probably can, too.
We actually went farther on the trail past the falls, before deciding there was no point. Note that if you're biking up the Carbon River road, the worst part is after the Chenuis Falls trail. Up to this trailhead, it's sandy and rough in spots, but largely rideable. |
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Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
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May 29, 2011
This is a great hike for families. Our group of nine (ages 51 to 10) stayed at the ...
May 29, 2011
This is a great hike for families. Our group of nine (ages 51 to 10) stayed at the Middle Fork Campground over Memorial Day weekend. A damper and mossier campground would be hard to find. The Otter Creek Trail head is about a half mile from the campground along a gravel road. The Taylor River is within sight of the trail for a while and then seems to run parallel, but out of sight. The trail was in good condition, but looked like it may have been a creek with running water in some places a few weeks ago. We stopped for lunch after 3 miles at the big bridge over Marten Creek. At about 4.5 miles the short side-trail to Otter Falls was marked by a rock cairn and an old signpost, but no sign. Otter Falls was in great form with an abundance of water sliding down the rock face. We then continued on to the concrete bridge over Big Creek at five miles. Those falls were roaring as well. On the way out, we saw an injured hiker resting with a companion just south of Marten Creek. She had a large cold pack and bandage on her thigh. She said that help had been summoned and that she didn’t need anything. A couple hours later when we were back at the campground, a white helicopter flew up the valley and then returned twenty minutes later. We speculated that they picked up the injured hiker. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Blowdowns, Snow on trail
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Very nice easy day hike. I thought there would be more people on this hike since it was memorial da...
Very nice easy day hike. I thought there would be more people on this hike since it was memorial day weekend, but I only saw four other groups. So, not crowded on this particular day. The views are not spectacular, but still a great nature walk. The lake itself is a beautiful sight, calm and majestic.
I was able to hike this after having just injured my knee the day before, with a knee brace on. The five miles go by in a breeze because it's pretty flat terrain. There were however some trees blocking the trail in parts, but can easily be ducked under or climbed over. There was also some snow still on the trail. If stepping in a week spot, it could go up to your knee, but if you follow other footsteps, it was already pretty packed down. All in all, pretty relaxing hike, great place to break in the hiking season in the NW. |
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Mt. Rainier -- NW - Carbon River / Mowich
Snow on trail
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Stayed at Ipsut Creek campground and biked down the Carbon River Road to the Green Lake Trail on Mem...
Stayed at Ipsut Creek campground and biked down the Carbon River Road to the Green Lake Trail on Memorial Day weekend. There were plenty of other hikers and bikers doing the same, although most of the bikers came up from the entrance; that section of the road is much easier to bike, by the way.
Snow on trail near the summit just before the final drop down to the lake, and a bit muddy in places, but otherwise no problems. My 11 and 7 year olds had a good time. Note also that the nearby Chenuis Falls hike has the bridges in, even though the trailhead sign currently says otherwise. Which doesn't mean you don't have to do some rock-hopping, but again, nothing a 7 year old couldn't do. |
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Puget Sound and Islands -- North Sound
Mudholes
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Squires Lake is a neat little hike just outside of Bellingham off of I-5 at exit 242. From the trail...
Squires Lake is a neat little hike just outside of Bellingham off of I-5 at exit 242. From the trailhead, there is a moderate incline until you reach Squires Lake. At this point, going left will take you around one side of the lake to Beaver Pond and the viewpoint there. Going right will take you down the other side of the lake with access to the South Ridge Trail with a nice viewpoint looking west toward the Blanchard Mountain area. Either route ends up at the start of the Beaver Pond loop trail.
The trail itself is in great shape and there are several benches and areas for little legs to rest and snack by Squires Lake. There are some moderate ups and downs along both sides of the lake as well. There are some muddy areas of the trail at this time, but nothing that a good pair of boots can't handle. |
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North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Blowdowns, Snow on trail
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Great early season hike (even though it is late May). Inquired with the rangers at the Verlot servic...
Great early season hike (even though it is late May). Inquired with the rangers at the Verlot service center and they confirmed that there was snow on the trail. Boy, was there ever! The last 1/2 mile was a complete snow field. At the top the snow was 5-12 feet deep but packed well enough that you could walk on it without falling through. It was slow going for my boys (6 and 9) but they were able to make it with minimal complaining. We got to watch a lot of avalanches on the cliffs on the east side of the lake. The trail around the lake is completely impassable and under 50-100 feet of snow (seriously, see attached pic). This frustated our hopes of doing some geocaching at the lake.
The rest of the trail was pretty wet but easily traversed at normal speed (very little mud, lots of loose rock/gravel). The water falls are very impressive with the high run-off so bring your camera. |
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