It was a sunny Sunday morning, but the trail was far from crowded; only 4-5 cars in the parking lot when we arrived, and we only passed about six people along the way. The trail is in great shape, alternating between steady incline and level sections to catch your breath. It is shaded until it breaks out on top of the ridge and the powerline break. The little bench mentioned in the trail guide would be a lovely spot to sit and soak in the wonders of this forest, but the creek has gone dry for the summer so we pressed on. Plenty of evidence from past logging operations lays beside the trail, reminding hikers of the history of the area and our good fortune that visionary people saved the ridge from another round of clear cutting.
On this day the views from the top were breathtaking. We enjoyed some snacks at the first lookout, taking in the wonder of Mt. Index and Bridalveil Falls, and then headed east to the Canyon Falls viewpoint for the views of Baring Mountain and Eagle Falls below. Even at our leisurely pace and time spent taking in the views, it took less than 3 hours from departure to return. I suspect this trail gets less usage than many of the more popular hikes nearby, but it is well worth doing.
Pro tip: the coffee shop/bakery at the Bush House in Index makes a nice reward after the workout of running up and down a mountainside.
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