With a rare opportunity to hike on a weekday I headed out to the Middlefork hoping to find solitude, and succeeded at that. It was a very quiet day even with the dry weather window (even Mailbox had parking available as I drove by around 10am).

I parked at the main Middlefork lot (nearly empty) and took the Connector Trail to the Taylor River bridge, then walked over to the Garfield Ledges trail and hiked that. I like to add the connector for some extra mileage on the short hike to the ledges, and it’s a lovely mossy forest with river and mountain views. (My sedan also prefers that I navigate the bridge potholes on foot!)

There was one tree down on the connector trail that required some maneuvering to get over (see photo). And one easy step over tree. Otherwise the trails were clear of obstacles and not as muddy as I thought they might be after all the rain.

Trail traffic was light, I only saw a few people on each trail.

And one of the toilets at Garfield Ledges was open, but TP supplies were low.

Decided on Garfield Ledges for a short hike with an out of town visitor, especially since so many of the Issaquah hikes have apparently been hammered by the windstorm. She loved it and was very intrigued by all the lichens, mosses, and mushrooms. Prettier forest than I had remembered, and the Middle Fork Valley in general has such a remote quiet feel compared to most of the I-90 or Issaquah Alps hikes. Also, since the last time I was here 4 years ago a better flat viewing spot has been engineered at the top, along with an interpretive sign. 

Mainly, though - No blowdowns or storm damage on this trail! As mentioned in previous reports, it's obvious that many trees had come down across the road and have been cleared. 

also, note that our electronics recorded 2.5 miles roundtrip with 650 feet gain, so a tad longer with slightly less elevation than WTA trail guide says.

As of Saturday 11/23, the Taylor River/Middle Fork road has mostly been cleared of obstructions, although it's evident where chainsaws have removed any big downed branches and trees (there were plenty). Thanks to whoever spent hours making all those trails accessible.

To celebrate the successful completion of my mentored lead hike with the Mountaineers Saturday morning (to Otter and Big Creek Falls), two hiking partners and I tacked on a brief celebratory 1-hour hike Saturday afternoon to the Ledges viewpoint. 

This was a new-to-me trail with delightful mushrooms, rich moss-covered boulders, and a wonderful view of the Middle Fork and surrounding peaks. I am thankful for the camaraderie and weather - not a drop during our quick hike. Not much in the way of birdsong, no mammals other than chipmunks, and the recent winds have pretty much knocked all the leaves down. Still, it had a wintry beauty I appreciated.

Overall: Short and sweet! Well-maintained trail with a gradual incline, took me about 1 hour, 15 mins going very slow. I only saw two other people out here on a Thursday afternoon! Great payoff with lovely views of the valley - just lovely! My YouTube video about this trail has more videos and info!

Trailhead and Parking:

• Parking Requirements: Northwest Forest Pass required; be sure to have it before arrival.
• Trailhead Conditions: The road from the bridge to the trailhead is rough with numerous potholes; high-clearance vehicles recommended, though some sedans can navigate carefully.
• No Cell Service: Be aware that there is no cell service, so consider bringing a satellite communication device for safety.

Trail Overview:

• Trail Length: Approximately 2.2 miles round trip.
• Elevation Gain: Around 650 feet, with a consistent, gradual incline throughout. Perfect for someone like me who needs more gradual, less steep trails as I recover from a foot surgery.
• Trail Condition: Well-maintained, with minimal obstacles. No large roots, rocks, or boulder fields, making it accessible and manageable for various skill levels.
• Dogs: I brought my dog who is tiny and very much a diva and she did really well on this hike. 

Other notes:

• The viewpoint is a rocky ledge with limited space, so be cautious if hiking with pets or children. The ledge has a steep drop-off, so keep a close eye on them.
• Due to lack of cell service and the remote location, bring the ten essentials and a satellite communication device! 
• There is a pit toilet at the TH that was super well maintained.

Until we get significant snow the middle fork valley offers some great late season hiking and the Garfield Ledges is just one of the many options.  Although the hike is quite short you can make it a longer half day option (around four miles), by starting from the main parking lot and taking the connector trail up and back.  Doing that gives you a nice warm up and a great view up to Mount Garfield, and it's fun to spy your destination from the bottom up.  Although the temps in N Bend were headed into the 50s the top end of the valley was only mid 30's when I arrived.  It's not unusual to drop ten degrees on the drive in.  Although it was a chilly start I knew with the sun out the ledge would be a warm place to aim for, unlike the trails on the shady south side of the valley.

There has been some work on both the connector and the ledge trail with the addition of significant amounts of gravel.  Drainage has also been improved, and despite rainy weather the usual slick spots were holding firm.  Views from the ledge were great, clear and expansive.  You can can see all the way over to Rattlesnake Ledge to the east.  Although the parking lot was fairly full the trail wasn't busy, most folks are heading up or down river.  After coming back down I intended to have lunch at the big bend pull out on the drive out, but it was full.  It seems the valley has been "discovered".  So I drove on to the Oxbow loop lot which also has car views up to Russian Butte.  It's good to see people out enjoying the valley, I passed many cyclists on the road and a large flotilla of rafts getting ready to launch too.

As the temperatures and snow level drops the upper end of the valley road can become quite icy and the road snow covered with minimal thaw so now is a great time to explore this area.  It's a beautiful drive down.

Looks like the forest stewards are going to be kind with us this year and not just lock all the outhouses.  I stopped to use the single open one at Camp Brown, clean and stocked, but noted one at the bottom of the ledge trail is also still open.