I last did this hike in late summer 2024, but wanted a chance to see it again in all its spring splendor. As expected, the waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife put on quite a show.
The North Shore Road was rough and narrow in some areas, but easily passable in any vehicle if you take your time.
The vault toilet at the trailhead is kept clean. There was toilet paper but the hand sanitizer dispenser was broken; bring your own.
The trail is mostly dry and free of obstructions, and the camps are in decent shape. Past O’Neil Creek, a handful of blowdowns require a little extra work to get around, but nothing was impassable. A couple of small stream crossings required rock hopping or stepping on logs, but my feet remained dry in trail runners. There were no sketchy water crossings or dilapidated bridges to negotiate.
I began seeing bear in the meadows after No Name Creek, and continued spotting them along the way and into Enchanted Valley. For the most part, they kept their distance from the trail, took note of me and went about their business. One bear I spotted as I entered the Valley showed interest in me and took a couple of steps in my direction, but stopped a safe distance away. I did not see any make their way toward the handful of occupied campsites or exhibit habituated behavior. There is a beautiful campsite in the Valley, in a stand of huge cedars, that remained unused while I was there. That site is quite close to an area where I saw some bear activity, and I would not have been comfortable setting up there. I also spotted an elk and a nearby camper told me he had seen a herd on the river bed.
It appeared everyone was complying with bear canister requirements in the Valley. I didn’t see any rangers checking permits and bear cans as I usually do on this hike.
I noticed very little change in the overall landscape in the Valley since my 2024 hike. No significant new erosion seems to have taken place near the Chalet and the river bed seems largely as it was prior to the rainy season. I have not looked up annual rainfall or snow pack data for this past winter, but I would not be surprised if I was to learn it was below average this year.
I had fantastic weather for 4 days/3 nights on trail. It rained for about an hour in the middle of the night one night but otherwise was sunny and dry, with highs in the 50’s-60’s and lows in the high 30’s to mid 40’s. This is a perfect spring trip and I’m so glad to have done it!
Comments