I'm really only so-so about this hike, but it'll do on a beautiful winter day when most everything else isn't nearly as accessible. The parking lot was full by noon, pretty much what you'd expect for a weekend with decent weather, but it wasn't too bad finding a place to pull off on the shoulder, though be aware that smaller cars might have trouble with the snow bluffs. Anyhow, it's a highly trafficked and well-maintained trail which means that wayfinding in the snow is no problem and there were only a few minor blowdowns to navigate around. You could do it in regular boots too, though pretty much everyone I saw without extra traction devices was pretty bummed about it. I didn't use my poles too much, but having microspikes made a huge difference.

Foot traffic was light today on the Big Creek Trail at Lake Cushman. We started hiking at about 10:30 am. Warm sunshine and blue skies were breaking through. The forest was absolutely stunning. The well-manicured trail, damp from recent rains, was drying out fast as we walked our dogs in a clockwise direction up the loop trail. We headed straight to the viewpoint off the Mount Ellinor Connector trail at 2600 feet elevation. A wide bench offers a comfortable place to sit and take in the views. We fully indulged, especially after climbing steadily for 3.8 miles and 1800 feet. Even after a half hour of rest, we felt a little reluctance leaving such a pleasant spot.

We dropped back down the trail and took the continuation of the Upper Big Creek Loop Trail. The north and east side of the loop meanders more than the west side and offers a dozen interesting bridge crossings, numerous benches, a nice viewing spot where two branches of Big Creek converge, and a section of trail where Mount Ellinor and Washington can be seen on a clear day. Even though cloud cover prevented us from seeing the two peaks today, our senses were quite full from taking in all the other beauty the trail offered.

The full loop with the two viewpoints covers around 8 miles and gains a modest 1800 feet. This is a relaxing hike that provides a nearly constant stream of interesting sights and sounds.   

It was a busy day on the Big Creek trail. I arrived at the closed gate to the campgrounds at 9:15 on a Friday of a big holiday weekend. The small space in front of the gate was filled (but not blocking the gate) and cars were lined up along the road. The bathrooms are unlocked and stocked. There are no trash cans so leave your Starbucks cup in your car (one and only gripe-promise). The trail is in perfect condition with water flowing where amazing engineers planned. I'm so grateful to have access to the beauty this hike through the woods and along rushing water provides in abundance. Thank you to all those who work on this trail. This is an uphill trek whether you go clockwise or counter clockwise. I haven't decided what direction I like best, but counter clockwise is hitting the spot right now. If you choose to do the lookout, the sign says 1 mile to the viewpoint. Be prepared to feel that sign is full of bologna. It's more like 1.5 miles with tons of steep on top of more up. Totally worth it if you have the extra steam. 

We chose to #optoutside on the only good weather date and location in western Washington for this Thanksgiving weekend. Clockwise route up to the overlook.  This route will give you 8 ish miles with about 1,800 feet gain.  The first section (1.5 mile) is the steepest of the entire route, so when you get to the connector for the loop, you still have some elevation gain, but the steepest part is behind you.

This is a "go-to" hike for me when I want a quick, easy day on the trail.  It is beautiful, clean, peaceful and always different.

Big Creek is a "go to" for me when I want a quick workout on a clean, beautiful trail.  Today I arrived a bit before 9 just as a group was starting to gather.  I headed out clockwise and went up to the overlook for 8.3 miles and just under 1,800 feet gain.  The creeks are running hard and you could tell there has been water running on the trail, but the trail was fine today.  There a few small trees down over the trail but no problem navigating them.  It was so nice at the overlook and very clear so I enjoyed the great view.