Icicle Gorge Nature Loop — Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020

Today we drove from Big Pines CG to the Icicle River Road to view the fall colors. The cottonwoods along the Blewett Pass HWY were dressed in their prime fall colors, but the larch were mostly lime green. After leaving the pavement on the Icicle River Road, there are many, many potholes that need to be navigated, but any vehicle can do it if driven slowly! The yellow of the big-leaved maples and cottonwoods along the drive is beautiful, and the reds of the vine maples though past prime still add color to the area. There is snow on the high hills and mountains and the larch seen on them are prime. The few larches we saw along the road were still lime green. When we reached Rock Island CG which is still open, there were 100's of vehicles and people present for the filming of a Heinz mayonnaise commercial! Quite a distraction with all the large trucks and equipment along both sides of the road! We had lunch at the Icicle Creek TH and then drove to the Icicle Gorge  Nature Loop TH near the Chatter Creek Guard Station and hiked a short section of the trail before returning to the CG. There were a few fungi along the trail.