This was an Olympia Mountaineers youth and family backpack. Our party consisted of three children ages nine and older, three parents, and the trip leaders. One of the leaders had scouted the route about a week before.
The unpaved portion of the Duckabush Road is in good condition to the trailhead spur road. It was graded in May 2024. Just after the signed entrance and exit for the horse trailer unloading area is a spur road on the right, going uphill. It is marked only by a signpost with its Forest Service road number. This has a few potholes. The parking lot was about 2/3 full late on a Saturday morning.
The first 1.2 miles is all uphill at an easy grade on a former logging road to the height of land on Little Hump and the beginning of The Brothers Wilderness area. The trail narrows and makes a somewhat steeper descent of about 250' to the floor of the Duckabush River valley. Recent trail work was evident, and some steps have been added or replaced. Some of the trail on the flat is getting a bit brushy, but not yet a problem. We did not notice any devil's club or nettles infringing on the trail. Salmon, service, thimble, huckle, blue and other berries were ripe.
At about 2.3 miles, the trail rejoins the river, and passes three distinct camp sites between the trail and the river in the next quarter mile. More recent trail work is evident here. The entire route was very suitable for youths with backpacks, as well as adults, with no deadfall, obstacles or detours. We chose a pretty site with easy access to the water. The sites have rock fire rings, but with a burn ban in effect, we put a string of LED fairy lights in the fire ring for our gathering around the campfire. On our return to the parking lot Sunday afternoon, the lot was again about 2/3 full. A Forest Service or other federal pass is required at this trailhead. A car with a state Discover Pass in the windshield had a "Notice of Fee Due" under the windshield wiper, so the lot evidently is patrolled.
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