Our group of senior hikers began our trip on the CCC Trail from the Middle Fork/Gateway Bridge parking lot. We hiked the trail past the campground where a young rock climber came by us who was going up the trail to a rock wall area to practice some big wall climbing. Going by the junction to the side trail that goes up to the site of the former FS Nordrum forest fire lookout tower and the trail up Quartz Ridge we continued on the CCC Trail. After leaving the old road section of the trail we were going through a nice moss-covered forest area. After going by the huge Western Red Cedar snag the trail heads downhill where it crosses several small creeks on bridges. At one of the bridges, we saw some repair work had been done because of a conifer tree that had blown over onto the bridge that is now cut out. This is also where the side trail takes off going north over the rock wall is located that climbers use.
Further down the trail we came across a few fallen trees on the trail that we climbed over. We went as far as the big roaring creek with no name where we took a snack break and some photos. This creek runs all year, and you need to boulder hoop to get across it. On the way back on the trail, we met a woman and her two dogs, plus two other guys out on this nice sunny day. When we got back to the campground, we hiked the road up to the picnic shelter for lunch in the sun. After eating we took the Nature Trail out to the Taylor River, crossed over the Middle Fork Road and then hiked the Middle Fork Connector Trail back to the parking lot. Along this trail we stopped at the Taylor River viewpoint with a nice view of Garfield Mtn. Made for a nice day of hiking with a good group on a trail in the mossy forest. George
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