Woods Creek — Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020

My wife and I hiked this as a wayside exploration while camping nearby at Mayfield Lake.  The trail is a pleasant walk thru the woods; the Timberland Library at Randle has placed fifteen signs along the route based on a children's nature book "The Forest", making this a great trip for kids to look at the signs and ask questions about nature.  The trail is flat, crosses Woods Creek once and parallels it.  Alders and cottonwoods abound.  Bugs weren't too bad today as it was a bit breezy, but I could see where they can become brutal on a hot, humid, still day.  We had an interagency pass, but make sure your NW Forest Pass or day use fee is paid.  Adjacent to this trail is a 1 mile loop called the "Old Growth Trail", worth the extra effort, as it heads up the hillside thru some stands of fir.  Although it's not what we're accustomed to as "old growth", it's worth the extra loop.   This would be a good picnic stop and exploration as part of a trip to Windy Ridge at Mt. St. Helens.