Driving directions are correct until it says at the junction turn right. There was no junction, just keep following the FS road into the park. Some potholes and washboard in the road, but not horrible. Easily passable by all vehicles. If you are going on a sunny weekend, advise going early. We left the park at about noon and there was a 3 mi backup at the Skomomish Park, people waiting to get in to launch their boats combined with people trying to get to parking for the lake. There is no actual parking lot along the road for the lake so cars are parked along the FS road. Makes it challenging for two cars to pass in either direction plus a parked car. Some bottle necking on the road. Add the people visiting the lake and walking in the road, asks for patience.
Now for the hike. National Park Pass/America the Beautiful needed or pay day fee. Entered the park around 930, able to park across from the campgrounds, not the overflow. Trail map from the park easy to follow. Cross the big bridge to the trailhead. Decided to hike the loop clockwise from the bridge instead of from the overflow parking area. Note that the Rapids Loop is noted as 1.9 mi rt on the map. Hiking clockwise was more elevation gain versus the counter clockwise. The overflow parking lot starts at a little higher elevation on that side of the river, one good uphill and then the rest of the Loop is mostly downhill. But we went the other way. Beautiful views of the river and the rapids. Trail has more rocks/tree roots than the other side. Quite a few spots to acces the river with views of small waterfalls and pools of clear clear water. Walked the spur to the big cedar tree, root base is ginormous. Suspension bridge is nice and wide with a little sway but not too much. Hike the return of the loop is mostly tree root and rock free, mostly tree covered with a few spots of sun. Trail is a little confising in two spots. At the big tree down over a dry creek with a new footbridge built next to it. Trail seems like it’s a spur but you end up on the same trail in the other side. Next confusing part, once you get to the top of the incline trail seems to head right but there is a tree over the trail. Went over the tree and trail dead ends with a washout. Beautiful view of the bridge you started on and the rapids. Go back and go up the hill and down and it’s done. Beautiful hike, would like to do again and spend more time in the river. Note that there is no signage for the rapid loops trail from the over flow parking. Two trailhead signs. One is for Wagone Wheel and the other lists several longer hikes but not the rapid loops.
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