Elk Lakes — Saturday, Jun. 11, 2022

We drove to the trailhead off of 2401 across the road from the short trail to the upper lake (that trail is only 0.2 mi. but very brushy - lake is pretty though), and had no problems on the road. (Hamma Hamma to 2480 to 2401) We intended to hike a loop - trail 805.1 skirting the lower lake to the east, crossing Jefferson Creek, hanging a left on Elk Lake Tr. 805 to Rd. 2401 and walking the road back to our car, but there is no way to cross roaring, rushing Jefferson Creek (sign on board said bridge was out) even though there were green ribbons on either side showing where the respective trail is. I suppose maybe at the very end of the summer it could be a low flow? So we backtracked to our car, drove to the end of 805 and walked that up to the same river crossing spot on the other side. That side of the lake is where the fire was a few years ago (2018) and the burned trees made an interesting and different landscape. There was fireweed growing all around, so we'll have to go back later in the summer to see them all in bloom. There were several other wildflowers in bloom on both sides. 4.26 miles - pleasant walk - saw no one on the trail