When it's been raining for several days, I seek out a river to hike along. Today I hiked along two. The two trails are just across the road from one another, and when combined, add up to 9 miles--not bad for a winter hike. The Sauk was running high and mighty. And I had both trails almost to myself--only saw one other hiker all day. First I started on the far end of the Beaver Lake trail, trail 783.1; the trailhead is 2.5 miles up the road from the Beaver Lake trailhead. The trailhead is marked with a forest service "hiking trail" sign, but the trail is not named. The 2014 Green Trails map (Sloan Peak No. 111) says this trail is 0.3 miles, but it's a bit longer (maybe half a mile). It drops about 200' feet in short order and then flattens and parallels a small channel of the Sauk River. The trail abruptly ends at the large slide pictured below, which bifurcates the two portions of the Beaver Lake trail. Along this short trail is a marked 15' diameter cedar tree (the Forest Service was being frugal as they re-used an old sign; the other side of the sign indicates a saddle at 3800' feet), which is studded with several spikes on the far side. Maybe loggers tried unsuccessfully to bring it down many years ago. Next I drove back to the Beaver Lake trailhead, which has a fancy trailhead parking lot as of a few years ago, and the beginning of the trail is a winding gravel path which evokes the Yellow Brick Road. The trail parallels the Sauk River and hugs it for the first half-mile or so. There's a stream gauge station along the river about 10 minutes into the trail. As indicated in another trip report, there is a large washout about 20 minutes into the trail, but it is navigable. If there's any more sloughing off of the bank, however, it won't be passable. Would be a shame to lose it since it's benefited from so much great trail work in recent years and provides an easy, almost flat (one tiny switchback) outing along a major scenic river. The railroad track that has been sticking out of the river bank at this spot for several years is now completely exposed and lying along the rocks next to the river. There was a lot of evidence of new beaver activity at Beaver Lake (chewed trees and two new lodges--one pictured below). There are many very large, majestic cedars in the grove beyond Beaver Lake. The White Chuck trailhead is a short drive up road 24, just across the road from the Beaver Lake trailhead. The trail had several blowdowns but nothing too challenging. The trail starts high above the river on a flat bank and has a few small ups and downs but no measurable elevation gain. The river is almost always within earshot but you don't approach it until about a mile in, still high on a bank, but with great views upstream and downstream. And then about 40 minutes in, when the trail turns abruptly left (to the new section WTA is creating), you can go straight (there's a four-foot log on the right at this little junction) on a boot trail that will lead down to the river bed, a great lunch spot with a wide open view of the river basin.

This was our first hike on this trail. It was a lovely day for November, 29° and all the mud was frozen. The bank the trail was supposed to be on disappeared in about 1/2 mile due to a slight river course change. The adventurous could climb down the bank and walk the riverbank as long as the water was low. We were with an elderly dog and chose to turn around. We understood that the trail has been washed out further along for years and never re-routed anyway.

Not the hike we planned to take. We got to the TH of our original destination, an obscure trail seldom reported on, but it was just too smoky. We nicknamed our day, smoke song titles, Fire in the Sky, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, and Ring of Fire. We settle for this little RR grade walk, it was close. Nice easy trail, but the lake (pond) was way down, along with the poor Sauk river. Once we finished here, we decided to check out the Lookout Tree. This trail is brushy and overgrown, with a big blowdown Lead Trail Dog could not get over. We did see a big ceder tree, now dead, with a sign. I'm not sure if that was the lookout or not.I would like to come back up here with a pair of loppers, and do what I do best. Added about .5 miles to hikeathon. Once done, we decided to head to the beach. See trip report on Ebeys Landing. https://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=3052&PID=515381

Went up with 15, 8 and 5 year old children. Packed in a small fishing kit. Fished about 35 feet beyond eastern end of bridge. Caught 3 nice little Eastern Brook Trout. Very nice surprise! The trail is always best during the summer when the trail is not sopping wet. Today, there was a little rain, but the drainage on the old railroad siding worked well enough to make it a breeze for my little kids. We rarely encounter other users, and today was no exception. The trailhead has had some work - new parking area and restroom facilities have been built away from the original embankment next to the old railroad tracks. Still an easy and awesome hike!

This was a great looking trail. Very beautiful next to the Sauk River; a little muddy (not too bad). You can't actually get to the lake but the journey was nice. The only downside were bugs; I think I got bit by a horsefly (like a wasp sting) so remember insect repellent!