A quiet trail to expansive views – though you need to go all the 6-miles to get most of them (there are some mostly-screened views of Nelson Ridge on the way up).  The trailhead is on the north side of the paved Bumping River Road, a little ways past milepost 9 (if you cross the Bumping River bridge, you just missed it).  Lots of parking in an informal open area on the south side of the road across from the trailhead sign.  The trail actually heads right (paralleling the road) from the trailhead sign for maybe 30 yards or so before reversing course and starting to climb.  The obvious scar right behind the trailhead sign is actually a switchback shortcut, which is starting to seriously erode the trail.  The trail climbs through mature forest (no significant fires in here for a long time) for a long five miles, mostly at a pleasant grade, to intersect the American Ridge trail.  This time of year (and thereafter), turn left at the junction, follow the American Ridge trail a half-mile to about the point where the trail starts its descent into the Kettle Creek drainage, and ascend (a straightforward scratch-trail hike, not a scramble) the 6310’ high point to the south (left) for the full views (there are still snowpatches on this final push - the only ones we encountered, will probably be gone in a week to 10 days).  Note: If you do this trail too early (as we once did), and the American Ridge trail is snow choked to the left, following the American Ridge trail to the right at the Goose Prairie trail junction for a short mile will take you to a 6250’ high point with almost as pleasant a view (did not check the condition of this section of trail on this visit).

Flowers in bloom, but not vast fields of them.  Mainly the usual suspects for this area, but there was one especially nice Tiger Lily.  Unaware of bugs while hiking, but a mosquito landed during one stop.

The Goose Prairie trail is much in need of some TLC.  It appears not to have been maintained for the last 3 or 4 years (maybe the local trail crew was morphed into a fire crew before they got to it, considering the number of fires in this National Forest in the last few years).  The result is choked drainages and quite a bit of deadfall.  The worst (but not the only) trail erosion is in the stretch just beyond the Douglas Wilderness Area sign.  Lots of downed trees (which will slow you down), but nothing all that difficult to step over (the vast majority of it), straddle over, bypass, or scrunch under.  Unfortunately, some of the bypasses (including one former switchback shortcut which is now effectively the trail) will presently become erosion problems if nothing is done.

Social distancing would be mostly easy – it’s usually possible to get off the trail.  However, no one else was hiking it on this Tuesday.

FYI:  Five cars parked at the Crystal Peaks/Lake trailhead at 6:45AM and the same number (not the same cars) at 5PM.  Maybe the mob scene on these fine trails is abating, now that other hikes are melting out?

Siona’s excellent report (6/19/2020) has all the primary data you need, and I won’t necessarily repeat it.  Following are some supplements and elaborations.

The Goat Creek Trail (#959) was the recommended route to Goat Peak in Spring and Manning’s classic 1992 book.  It’s much more civilized than trail #968C from Hell’s Crossing Campground. 

Trailhead is at roughly milepost 6 on the Bumping River road, on the north side.

The creek at about 4800’ is still running rather weakly (probably will dry up sometime in July).

While there are a few somewhat-masked views earlier (notably toward Nelson Ridge at around 4200’), the most open views on the Goat Creek Trail are just before the intersection with American Ridge Trail (#958) at about 5700’.  The junction is marked only by an ancient wooden “American Ridge” sign nailed to a tree – turn right here.  At about 5900’ are grand views of Rainier and the Fifes Peaks.  In case the party is totally pooped at this point, you’ve now seen all the cherries on top of the Goat Peak Sundae.

I noticed mosquitoes investigating my hand after stopping for a minute or so twice on the way up, but otherwise wasn’t particularly aware of bugs until around the summit.  Even there they weren’t very aggressive.

Most of the trail is good for social distancing (i.e., you can easily get off the trail, or, in the few stretches where cut into steepish slopes, you can see people a ways away and often find a good spot).  The last half-mile or so is a bit more problematic (mostly on a steep slope, but there is sometimes a bit of space on switchbacks or elsewhere).

There was no one else on the trail all day (except at Goat Peak summit – they came up one of the other routes).

Hiked American Ridge Trail 959 from Bumping River Road across from Cougar Flat Campground. Only hiked in 2.5 miles as I was rehabbing a bad knee and scouting for suitable snowshoe routes. Would have liked to continue on to Goat Peak but will have to wait until next year.

Day hike of 5 miles round trip on American Ridge Trail 958 off the Bumping River road. There were a few trees down across the trail but nothing you couldn't step over or go under. Most wild flowers were past their prime and the trail was dry and dusty. I was rehabbing a bad knee and exploring the area for suitable snowshoe routes so I only went in 2.5 miles before turning around. The trail takes you to the top of the old ski slopes at the American River Ski Bowl.

We meandered around a classic Cascades loop, which can easily be done as an overnighter if you’re short of time. A few notes:

Forest Road 1800 to the Swamp Lake Trailhead from Bumping Lake checks all the boxes for a bad piece of road. I wouldn’t want to do it in anything less than a Subaru, but we saw a passenger van in the lot. I salute you, courageous van driver.

The signpost at the junction of the Cougar Lakes Trail and the American Lake trail is there, but the sign itself is missing. Keep straight for Cougar, turn right for American and the PCT.

Cougar Lakes are lovely, but camping is somewhat limited. Camps on the land between the lakes are closed for much-needed rehab. Continue along the smaller lake’s shore and find a sign pointing to camping on the right (northwest). We hiked about 5-10 minutes up the trail here without coming to the camps and opted to turn back to a previous legal site, one of two we saw. There’s a fair amount of garbage in these camps, unfortunately. We hiked out some but I’m afraid couldn’t get it all all (lots of rope). Reminder: foil and plastic don’t disappear in your campfire. And folks, what’s up with the wet wipes? Is this a trend? Please take those with you.

We saw one group at Cougar and another at American Lake, and then we came to the PCT, where you’ll likely have plenty of company. We took a sidetrip to Two and One Lakes, pretty little things surrounded by green grass meadows and full of hungry fish, at least seemed this way to a non-angler. Two big camps at Two Lake (but again with the wet wipes, which aren’t going away anytime soon. Please forgive me for not picking it up.) The trail back up to the PCT is navigable but faint. At the unsigned PCT junction, someone has blocked it off. If you’re coming from the south, trail is about a quarter mile past the Three Lakes junction.

The Fish Lake trail doesn’t seem to get much traffic these days. Be aware there’s really no camping after Fish Lake until you reach Red Rock Creek, about 3 miles from the Trailhead.