Little Mountain Park - Darvill Loop — Friday, Jan. 11, 2019

Little Mountain Park has a great network of trails but it would benefit from better signage and maps posted at the trailheads and/or at junctions.  Also the park gate does not open until 10:00am.  There is parking for 4 cars at the gate and there is a trail from that point that joins up with the trail network.

We parked at the second trailhead after the gate which gives access to the Julieanne trail, the Ridge trail, the Bonnie & Clyde trail, and the Quick trail.  A WTA team is working on the Quick trail building real switchbacks so it will be less "quick" and more comfortable.  We stopped to chat with the team and the work looks so much fun that I want to join in.

We hiked the Julieanne trail to its final junction with the Bonnie & Clyde trail.  Julieanne has a few steep ups and downs but these are short.  Bonnie & Clyde is a nice easy trail.  We followed this around the north side of the mountain to the Sidewinder trail and then took the steep Drop Down trail up to the magnificent north viewpoint.  This is a metal platform perched out on pylons for expansive views.  From there it is a quick up the road to the summit parking lot and viewing gazebo.  It is really nice at the summit with picnic tables, outhouse, lawns, and benches.  Spectacular views.

We tried to return via the Ridge trail but there is no sign for it.  So we took Fred's trail.  Yipes!  It is very steep.  Fortunately it is short and joins the Bonnie & Clyde back to our trailhead.  We found the other end of the Ridge trail and one end of the Quick trail right there at our original trailhead.