Dosewallips State Park - Steam Donkey Trail, Dosewallips State Park - Maple Valley Loop — Monday, Jan. 9, 2012

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

We had camped at Dosewallips SP Friday and Saturday nights so after our walk to Rocky Brook Falls Sunday AM, we hiked the Maple Valley Loop to stretch our legs some more before driving home. Craig Romano describes a 3.5 mile loop in his book, "Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula". Today we shortened the loop by using the fire road rather than including the Steam Donkey Trail. We began by hiking along the river behind the Platform Tents sites and then following the trail through Maple Valley. This trail takes you above the river for a short distance before dropping down to travel through Maple Valley with its large maples, decaying logs, stumps with interesting roots and new growth, a lush canopy of ferns, and a bridge across Phantom Creek. The trail then climbs about 350 feet to higher ground and a Douglas fir forest. We took the fire road to a sign for Maple Valley and followed this trail through another section of Maple Valley crossing a second bridge to return to the CG.