Fallsview Canyon (Falls View) — Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020

At this time of the year there is not much to see on Falls View from the fenced-in viewpoints.  Just a hair-thin trickle, barely visible when the afternoon sun is shining in the wrong direction.  The hike down to the river level in the canyon is a challenge.  The challenge is that you have to gain 600 ft. elevation coming back up out of the canyon.  Where the trail first gets to the Quilcene River, there is a nice swimming hole (cold water?).  From there the canyon trail is a lollipop-hike where for a long time you cannot see the river.  There is one fallen tree across the trail where one has to crawl under.  Shortly after a nice bench with a view of the river, the trail splits into the loop, with the left (upper) trail gaining a little elevation before descending and doing the 180 degree turn at the upstream tip of the loop. Doing the loop clockwise gives you the nicer view of the river in the canyon on the return leg of the hike.  Part of this trail is narrow and very exposed, not suitable for hikes with children.  The vertical dropoff starts only 6 inches away from the bench.  There is parking for about 10 cars outside the gate.  There should be a sign where the campground road splits into the upper and lower campground, directing hikers to the trailhead to go left.  Ignorant as we were, not having read WTA trip reports before starting on this trip, we got some extra exercise hiking the lower campgound loop before we found the trail head in the upper loop.