Hiked to the ledge with my two dogs today.  The first 0.6 miles is mostly done (still needs some mineral soil capping in spots).  There are 3 or 4 HORRIBLE spots that still need lots of work.   Admittedly, all these were above the "trail closed beyond this point" sign.   These spot are quite treacherous, and I should have paid attention to the sign.  Total distance of the trail to the ledge was 0.95 miles.   Seriously,  the upper 0.4 miles is a scramble in spots - not good for kids or dogs yet.

We needed a short hike with few people (and more importantly dogs) to walk our young puppy for her second trip. The Garfield Ledges trail isn't done yet, but is open up to a clearly marked sign. There are traces of the old trail through the moss, but the new trail will be like many of the other high-capacity trails being built off the Middle Fork. When it's done it'll provide great access to a killer view of the valley (assuming the trail ends where the old trail did).

(The link is from a 2011 trip up the old trail.)

Worked with WTA for Public Lands Day on the new Garfield Ledges trail which is not open yet. We spent the day removing a berm so that the water can run off the trail not down it. We also put in drains and replanted ferns along the trail so that it does not look like the trail was 'commercially' made with a BobCat.

The trail right now has some very muddy spots on it at the very start, and is not hike-able at this point. It will be opened sometime soon though.

There is a new parking lot and forest service bathroom right next to the trail head, but you can also park at the Middle Fork Trailhead parking lot and walk to this one its a beautiful little trail along the road and Taylor River.

On this National Public Lands Day I went on a hike with Mountains to Sound Greenway. They were having a hike on the under construction Garfield Ledges Trail to see how the work was going. About twenty five of us met at the Gateway Bridge trailhead parking lot and hiked the Taylor River Connector Trail over to the Taylor River/Snoqualmie Lake Trail and Garfield Ledges Trail parking lot. The connector trail is getting some new boardwalk bridges. There were piles of treated lumber along the trail and one bridge had been built. Before starting up the Garfield Ledges Trail we heard some dignitaries talk about the Middle Fork area and the projects that are going on now and in the future. Starting up the trail the short gravel section ends and the trail gets very muddy. We passed several volunteer trail crews along the way. There must have been close to one hundred people from WTA, MSGW and some personnel from the Forest Service. Some sections of the trail have been completed, while others are still being built. One area about half way up the one mile trail will need to have some steps to get up a steep rocky section. Further along at a switchback a very large cedar stump will need to be blasted in order to get the trail built. The new trail is supposed to be complete some time in the Spring of 2019. No great views today from the upper or lower ledges with the low clouds and rain.

On the way back down parts of the under construction trail were a slip and slide due to the rainy conditions. Some parts you could mud ski. There was a mini backhoe/dozer parked on the trail just below the rocky section where it could not go. Once the trail is completed hikers will have some nice Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valley views down river on a clear sunny day. Thanks to all of the hard working volunteers building this new trail.

Back down at the Garfield Ledges Trail parking area, some new picnic tables had been installed along the Taylor River. It was fun seeing all of the work going into building the new trail. Check it out next Spring.

Our group of senior citizens headed up one of our favorite short view hikes, going up the old Garfield Ledges trail to the viewpoint, where we had lunch.  While enjoying the lunch and view, we were joined by other hikers, coming up a different route:  they were building the new Garfield Ledges trail.  We asked if we could descend it, after lunch, and they okayed our request.  It was really interesting to see the machinery used to build trails, especially on this steep slope:very impressive amount of work! 

A link to my photos is below, in the full report.