Weekend #2 of exploring lesser known trails in the Naches Ranger District took us to the Gold Creek Trail #966. The trailhead is located at the end of Road 1705 which, while long, is one of the smoothest forest service roads I've ever had the pleasure of driving.
From the TH, the trail climbs gently for about a mile until reaching Devil's Slide, an impressive row of cliffs that drop down to the Milk Creek drainage below. The trail never actually reaches the edge of the cliffs; when the forested slopes above the trail give way to sagebrush, a short off-trail scramble up to the ridgeline is required. Watch footing near the edge and enjoy great views of Mt. Rainier!
After reaching the end of the single track trail at about 1.2 miles, we continued uphill on a 4WD road, eventually turning right on the road that leads out to Bald Mountain. This last ~1 mile provides stunning views south toward Mt. Adams and the Goat Rocks, west toward Mt. Rainier and the peaks of the William O. Douglas Wilderness, and, as you approach Bald Mountain, north toward the Stuart Range. Skies were a little hazy today, but the Bald Mountain summit offers one of the most expansive views anywhere in the area. We hung out here for an hour or so, enjoying the views and wildflowers, and letting our one-year old get out some energy after being stuffed in the hiking pack for most of the day.
Wildflowers were abundant. While they were past peak on the sunnier slopes, this route traverses an impressive array of different environments and the list of species we saw was quite long. Highlights included dense patches of lupine and larkspur in the sagebrush meadows, crimson columbine and tall bluebells on damp slopes, and bitterroot and scarlet gilia on dry rocky slopes.
Total distance from trailhead to Bald Mountain was about 7 miles RT with about 1000' of elevation gain. This trail permits motorbikes, but we saw zero vehicles of any kind on the access road or trail, and only 1 ATV and 1 motorbike near Bald Mountain. Overall, an incredibly peaceful location.
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