After hiking up to the former Nordrum Lookout site (see my other report for this hike), I had some time to check out another trail in the area. I parked at the junction of the Taylor River Road and the Middle Fork Road. Since the paved section of the Middle Fork Road ends at the Taylor River bridge, the gravel road has some mighty big pot holes. I had some info about where the trail up to the Garfield Ledges (aka Garfield Balcony) took off from the Middle Fork Road, so I went looking. I found a trail going up the hillside that turned out to be the "new" not yet constructed trail to the ledges. I found survey stakes plus red and orange ribbon. This survey line was not brushed out. Getting higher up hill, I came to a ridge line and decided to follow it to the east. I could see more red ribbon on trees down below my location. With the thick conifer trees, there was not too much underbrush. I soon came to the old trail and saw where the new one will meet up with it. After going by the lower ledge, the trail goes up steeply. The new surveyed trail left the old one to go on a less steep grade. I stayed on the old one as it went steeper up the hillside (think Mail Box Peak, only a much better trail to hike on). I could see where someone had done a good job in trail building. After one more steep section I came to the upper ledge view point. The new trail will be meeting the old one not too far from the upper ledge.  I could now see down the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valley all the way to Cedar Butte near Mt. Washington.

I had lunch and took a few photos before heading back down. It rained lightly for about five minute and the sun tried to come out. I took my time going back down the steep sections of the old trail. About half way down a lone doe walked by the trail. I followed the old trail all the way down to the Middle Fork Road and saw where it met the road. Just downhill from mile marker 12, the trail crosses a boggy area with a small creek. This is a couple hundred yards from the Middle Fork Road gate. Glad I had my trekking poles for the steep sections of this trail. Looks like this trail has been here for many years. Some of it is covered in moss and hemlock needles.

Mountains to Sound Greenway has on their website info for building the new trail. No date as to when it will be built. Made for another fun hike on an old trail to a viewpoint.  About two miles round trip with 500' of gain. Right before starting this hike, a game department pickup truck with a bear trailer came by heading up the Middle Fork Road. While driving out the Middle Fork Road back to North Bend I saw that the "big" bridge over the Middle Fork Snoq. River is getting a new deck. The DNR contractor was busy building the entrance road to the new Granite Creek Connector Trail trailhead parking lot. George