I always find total solitude on this trail. Not a sole around yesterday on FS26, at the TH or on the trail.
FS26 has a couple of rough spots that can bottom out a car if care isn't heeded. There are also a couple of spots, depending on the time of day, where the sun can cause blind spots on sharp curves that could be deadly.
I started at the FS2612 TH. From this TH I clocked 5.5 miles to Deadman's Lake on both Garmin and Topo Maps+.
The first two miles of the trail through a new growth forest, are in great shape. This was welcomed since this is where almost all of the elevation is gained. The trail starts to deteriorate with water runoff ruts around 2.2 miles. The ridge trail is rutted throughout. There are a few spots along the ridge where mud is prevalent and slick.
Fall colors are past. No snow on the trail. At this point, this trail is all about solitude with occasional views.
There isn't one spot on the trail where there is a 360 view. Instead, there are spots along the trail where there are great views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood.
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