Started with the Middle Fork Trail out to the Dutch Miller Gap Trailhead, then back to the Middle Fork and up Stegosaurus Butte. Still felt good, so took the Connector Trail up and did Garfield Ledges. Middle Fork road and trailhead are in great condition.
TL;DR: Great hikes, Middle Fork is wet, Stegosaurues Butte is steep, Garfield Ledges are nice and wide and even.
Middle Fork: First car in the parking lot at 7:45. Some very nice fog this morning covered the valley, visibility was pretty low. Set out hoping to be able to make it to Dutch Miller Gap TH. Ended up with everything one could want from a forest walk. Rolling trail, sunlight through big trees (picture 2), mossy knolls, waterfalls, stream crossings, campgrounds, you name it! There was one stream crossing at 2.75 miles (picture 3) that was only really doable by going up or downstream and jumping across slippery rocks or logs. Lots of snowmelt right now, so the water levels are high everywhere. Lots of people turned around here, smart decision. I crossed downstream on the way out and upstream on the way back. Besides that stream crossing, there was water on the trail in many places, sometimes up to six inches deep for sections up to 20 feet long. Thanks to conveniently placed rocks and logs, agile feet, waterproof boots, and the added stability of a hiking pole, my feet stayed dry the entire time. There are several logs down across the trail, but all should be pretty easy to step over. Took the river access on the way out and discovered much the same thing. Doable, at least a dozen logs across the trail, and a large swampy section that required some creative pathfinding. Probably stay on the main trail for now if you don't want that much adventuring. Made it to Dutch Miller Gap for a little snack and turned around. Restroom was closed, but two high-clearance cars in the lot suggest that the road is doable. Same story on the way back, skipped the river access as I did not want to navigate the swamp again. No snow at all, saw some bugs but they did not bother me at all. Saw no one else on the way out, and maybe 20 people on the way back. (13 miles, 1800 elevation gain)
Stegosaurus Butte: Turned around the corner on the Pratt Connector and started up the butte trail. After the rolling Middle Fork, the butte is a shock of elevation. Certainly not a highway, a narrow winding trail immediately becomes quite steep, making me thankful for my hiking pole once again. Ate lunch at the top, which was nice and sunny with great views over Rainy Creek, out the Middle Fork Road, and across to Garfield Mountain (picture 4). Down was faster than up, but not by much. Still need to watch for rocks and roots, hiking pole was even more helpful. Snow free, didn't see anyone else while I was up here. (2 miles, 1200 elevation gain)
Garfield Ledges: Walked the Connector Trail over the Garfield Ledges Trailhead. After Stegosaurus Butte, both of these trails felt wide, easy, and relaxing. Saw and heard some chainsaw felling happening over on the CCC Trail just before walking across the car bridge. Pleasantly surprised by the Garfield Ledges Trail, due to had excellent, wide grading and good footing everywhere, pretty much the opposite of the Butte (and stairs!). The view was great (picture 1), especially given the effort required. Could see down the Middle Fork road, out the river, and across to Stegosaurus Butte. Maybe a dozen people or so on the trail, more people coming down than up as it was close to 1:00 by then. No snow or bugs. Walked down and back the same way to the Middle Fork Trailhead, and just barely reached 18 miles of distance. (3 miles, 800 elevation gain)
In total: 18 miles, 6 hours, 3800 elevation gain
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