The reality of our day was that we hiked the Antoine Trail, or at least part of it. Why have I chosen ‘Cabin Trail’? Because there isn’t a separate Antoine Trail listing and CT does mention connecting to Antoine Creek Trail.
Antoine splits from Cabin Trail at 5000’ and ends when it meets the Mount Bonaparte trail at 6950’. Our hike today started on the summit of Bonaparte descending 400’ to Antoine and then descending that trail for about 600’.
The fair question is why? And from the summit? Well this week we’ve been volunteering at the lookout. Mornings provide a few hours to get out and stretch our legs so today was a trail day (versus crosscountry). As ripped up from ATVs as the Bonaparte trail is, the Antoine Creek trail is in great shape. No erosion, little use, and well maintained.
The forest has seen its share of fires and is in various stages of regrowth. Some thickets, some heathy lodgepole, but very little if any old growth. We saw a few flowers, a bolete or two, and the obligatory Clark’s Nutcracker up high. The northern exposure provides for good ground-hugging grouse-whortle berries a very small variety of huckleberry.
I’d love to take the time to make the circumnavigation of Bonaparte. It looks like 16 Miles and includes this trail. That looks like a great little adventure.
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