It was kind of sad to finally get to this trail and to find it such a wreck. I've looked at this trail, tucked into the southwest corner of Tiger Mountain state park, for several years. The road access is ~5 miles of dirt road from highway 18, which just never seemed worthwhile. Especially when there is the Mirrormount neighborhood so close to the trail head. We drove to Tiger Mountain Road, parked respectfully alongside the road, and walked the quarter mile to the real trail head.
The initial 1/3 of a mile or so of trail is in fine condition. It is wet in spots and muddy but there aren't any difficulties. However, once into the canyon the trail quickly deteriorates. Trees are down, the trail is overgrown, and once the river is crossed the trail dies altogether. The river isn't terribly high but really only suitable to walking up creek in the heat of the summer.
We found a few remnants of mining here and there. Several closed mine tunnels, foundations from old buildings, and of course the old road beds. At least one location a coal seem was open for us to see what the miners had been working upon.
Judging from the mapping sources that I was using the trail no longer goes as far up the canyon as it once did.
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