This is a fantastic trail. The elevation gain is very moderate, the trail was in great condition and easy to walk on (mostly soft forest floor), and the river was absolutely beautiful. The water was crystal clear, exposing the endlessly varying shape over the river bed. Numerous creeks fed into it, some cascading down pretty waterfalls. Dappled light and moss everywhere really make this a magical hike. Oh yeah, and the waterfalls were very pretty too!
We encountered only a handful of other hikers, probably due to the fact that we hiked on a weekday, as well as the hike's great distance from I-5. It took us about 1.5 - 2 hours, but it was a beautiful drive and we didn't mind it.
The one thing to look out for is the last 12-15 miles of road, after the Eagle Cliff Store. There are lots of fallen trees that partially cover the road. Some obscure an entire lane. They're light in color, and if you weren't paying close attention, it would be easy to hit one, so give yourself extra time through here. There was also an unpaved section with potholes and a few places where lightly scraped the bottom of our car (a Toyota Camry). This was only a couple miles, and then it's back onto a nice paved road.
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