I'm doing the Olympic Waterfall Tour and I decided to drive over and bag #4 and #5 on the list: Big Creek and nearby Staircase Rapids. I wanted to get them done before the season advances and the hordes descend.
The road condition "rough but passable" applies just to the gravel stretch going up to Staircase - it's pretty badly potholed, take it slow. The road to Big Creek is fine.
The Big Creek campground is closed; when I got there there were about a dozen cars in the entrance area and along the road - not bad for a Sunday morning. The bathrooms are mostly closed and locked. If you do find an unlocked one, bring your own TP.
The Big Creek loop trail condition was as close to perfect as I've ever seen a trail. It was a pleasure to walk on. There are lots of structures on it: water channels, retaining walls, bridges, even a bunch of nice benches. This trail has gotten a LOT of love!
Trilliums (trillia?) and yellow violets (I get a chuckle out of that name) were to be seen; more forest wildflower types like bleeding heart are on their way. Bugs are just beginning to come out.
The creeks at both places were running high, and fun to watch. I just wish the Forest Service would fix their segment of the road to Staircase. I probably won't be back until they do.
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