After a wild weekend of wind and rain we were excited to get out on this trail, especially since it had been closed since early July due to the wildfire in the area.  We arrived to the parking lot about 8:45 on a sunny Monday morning with two other cars in the lot; two additional cars arrived as we began our hike; the gate was closed and locked.  Both sets of bathrooms near the trail are locked - no access (winter or government shutdown?  We also didn't see anyone camping).

We hiked in a clock-wise direction and did not see any "trail closure" signs for the entire trail.  We expected to see a lot of trees down due to the storms/winds this weekend, but didn't see any until after the "Troll Bridge" on our way back down - four trees across the trail, all easily crossed.  With the amount of rain I expected running water on trail and LOTS of water in the creeks, but the trail is in great shape, and there wasn't an unusual amount of water in the creeks.  We did run into the Mount Rose Trail Maintenance crew consisting of about five or six volunteers complete with their gear and dressed for the weather - thank you to these volunteers!  We saw less than six hikers for the entire trail.  

Fall color is at or just past peak.  The Big Leaf Maples and Vine Maples contributed to the frequent gold/yellow color we saw up close and further away in the distance; the mosses and mushrooms are prolific right now.  Consistent snow coverage in the upper elevations of Mount Ellinor was evident but we saw no snow on our hike today.  

Upper Big Creek is in pre-winter mode with the gate to the campgrounds and the bathrooms locked. The trail is in excellent condition and one of the best to enjoy in rainy weather because water flows through the magic of brilliant trail engineering where it's meant to flow. There are a few downed trees, all easy to step over (one you can walk around and still stay on the trail). Two or three look fresh from this weekend's big wind (located on the water side half of the loop).

Few things:

The Hoodsport Visitor Information Center is open Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun. I'm not clear on the hours because a search will tell you 10-4pm, however, it was closed when I stopped by at 1-ish. There is a large dry erase board in front of the glass doors with current closures and openings.

Fall colors are brilliant right now. We didn't loose too many over the weekend. The drive made the entire adventure worth it before I even stepped outside my car. I'm not sure how much longer the leaves will hold out.

Last thing, the air quality was very good. 

Big Creek is open! It is snow free and the smell of smoke diminished substantially from when I was there last week. I hiked the connector to the Mount Ellinor trail stopping at the bench before the rocky path begins. It was snow free to there and I was told by someone that there was little snow above. The weather was variable today starting with sunshine, then mist and fog, then a blustery wind with a little rain, followed by sunshine. The gate to the campground was open until this afternoon when I got back to my car. Fortunately, it wasn’t locked. There was a forest service truck parked near me but no ranger. I expect the gate will be locked from now forward.

It's official: These trails and surrounding FS roads are now closed.  

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/olympic/alerts/updated-bear-gulch-fire-area-closure-7-16-25

I don't know who described this hike as "low-key" and "moderate," but I am here to tell you these are bold faced lies.  I wouldn't categorize this hike as strenuous but I would say it's hard.  The 850 foot elevation will feel like 1,000 feet by the time you get to the halfway point - which is also the top at 2.2 miles into the 4.4 mile trail.  This is not to say that you shouldn't give it a try, but be aware that this will require water, hiking poles and good shoes.

I hiked this trail with my 3 year old Staffordshire terrier today.  This was our first hike together and I was excited to make a new memory with her.  This was also the one year anniversary of my previous dog's passing from cancer last year so I needed to decompress with nature and activity.  The plan was a hike and then ice cream in Hoodsport afterwards.  While I was grateful to have my dog pulling me up and down the trail (she's helpful), I should have brought more water as it was a robust 88*F by noon.  I also recommend bringing snacks with protein as my Quest protein bar provided the most marginal of energy boosts.  Some older folks brought hiking poles and I highly recommend this too.  I wore Sketchers slip ins and they were fine. But please bring hiking boots if you need extra support.  

There was a mix of people on the trail - teen and 20 something people, kids with their parents, and people my parent's age.  This is a good trail for any age - but come prepared with water and energy packed snacks for your party. This trail is steep in many areas and is a hard climb up and down.  There are benches and bridges over creeks which provide rest spots and photo ops.  Take advantage of them!

The good news is that this trail is worth the workout.  The bridges are beautiful and the river is stunning - flowing over rocks and trees.  This river provides a welcome break from the heat as being near water cools you off on hot days.  I took some photos (which I will upload) and let my dog take a break. 

My dog and I were gassed by the time we got to 1.5 miles or so from the end.  I was grateful to see a sign that said we were 1 mile from the trailhead.  The first and last mile of the trail were flat and enjoyable - especially D!ck Rock (which WTH).

Please remember to pay for your trail parking at the kiosk ($5 a pass) and to carry out all your trash to keep the park clean.  Enjoy!!