Big Creek — Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021

A fun Olympic Forest hike, adjacent to the Big Creek Campground, and one of the easiest to access trail-systems in the area. Upper Big Creek Trail runs parallel to the Forest Rd 2419, so some sound pollution during the spring/summer is a given. A good workout with some nice views of Skinwood & North Branch creeks. Theres a few limited parking spots near the closed gate (Campground is closed in the winter time), as well as on the sides of North Lake Cushman Rd (if there's overflow). The trail was in good shape, with a few bridges over the creek beds (one of which is guarded by the infamous Skinwood Bridge troll!). Slushy snowpack from the recent storm made for a more challenging ascent, and a slower decent. If planning on hiking within the next few days as the snow melts, i'd recommend some type of traction device (YakTrax, microspikes, crampons, snowshoes etc.) as the trail was definitely slippery. All in all, a great little hike any time of year, and especially for nearby Big Creek campers during the warmer months.