Zipped by the sign on my way home from another hike, and had to back up to check this one out. Got home and looked it up; and sure enough, CP has a report. So I guess this is more of a reminder...

This is a great little leg-stretcher. A quarter mile down a steep hill to a couple giant cedars. Watch for the sign!

After my other nearby trip I headed here.  Took Beaver Lake trail to the broken bridge, carefully made my way across.  Where the trail is washed out, I started along the bank.  It became apparent getting across the slide would not be easy.

But the far bank of the river was nice and flat.  Since my feet were already wet, I made sure the water wasn't too deep and walked across- piece of cake!  Beyond the slide I located the trail and sloshed back over.

Much of the Lookout Tree Trail needs work, doesn't see many people past the Tree (from the other end).  Glad I had the flags that I left back in December to follow.  I'm only the second Report to do this in it's entirety,  been washed out since the 90's.

When I got to the Tree, I decided to make a loop out of it and went up to the Highway and back to the Beaver Lake trailhead.  Pretty boring section of road, would go back the way I came if doing it again.

In 2 pieces since 1995. this follows the railroad built in 1926 by the Sauk River Lumber Company.  Lots of people hike the recently reworked and well-signed Beaver Lake Trail (96 Reports to date), fewer the cut-off Lookout Tree Trail 783.1 (no Reports).

Drive the Mountain Loop Highway a little over 11 miles from Darrington (about 2 past Beaver Lake T.H.) to wide spot and hand-made T.H. sign on R.  Trail drops and is in good shape the quarter mile to the Lookout Tree, used by the Forest Service from 1916 to spot fires.  Trail continues another 50 yards then disappears.

Left is an orange flagged route, didn't appear to be a trail under there so I only went 4 flags.  Back at the trail-end I poked around and found the continuation, overgrown and blown-over.  In two spots there are jumbles of trees down, almost turned around but was able to find trail to continue.

At 1/2 mile beyond L.O. Tree is the location of the old trestle next to the river.  There didn't look to be an easy way across the slide (trail stays on near side of river), a Report from 2002 says they made it across from the other side.  Just before the trestle is an ancient "Trail Not Maintained Beyond This Point" sign, perhaps to absolve the F.S. of liability. I flagged and cleared some brush on the way back, not perfect but better.

I drove to and hiked the Beaver Lake Trail, recently cut short (again!) by trees knocking out the bridge over Beaver Lake.  What remains has been made into a viewing platform, sign reads "Trail End" but nimble hikers can continue to slide.  This trail is more RR like, with long, straight stretches.  Several places to access the river before and beyond the Lake, indeed getting across slide looked easier from this side.