Headed out the gorgeous Middle Fork Road to see what family friendly spot we could find for a light hike. Stopped and parked at the "Oxbow Trail" sign just passed the Bessemer pull off. GreenTrails maps have a marked out old road circling the oxbow lake and we gave it a try.

The trail is obvious to follow. Up and down some humps (previously referred to as "tank traps") and through the dense foliage (filled with ripe and ripening salmonberries) you wander a ways without much trouble. It looks like some group is working very hard on improving the trail as we stumbled on what looked like airdropped puncheons for a shiny little steel bridge crossing a currently dry segment between the muddy lake bends.

Beyond the bridge (going around was simple) we found more berries and more dense greenery. The muddy trail attested only to the passage of deer in the form of numerous tracks. Eventually, though, the stinging nettles got the better of us and our toddler hiker and we turned back for tamer environs near Mine Creek.

I doubt we'll be back for anything other than a quick berry picking excursion on the way to other spots along the road. Unless you feel like a brush bash to enjoy some nice second growth other options abound in the area.