Maple Falls Trail is a nice enjoyable not too difficult loop trail hike. If you can find it that is.... I arrived at the trail about 10AM, after an adventure trying to find it, and ending up at Silver Lake. As noted with the other trip reports, there is very little info on this hike. including directions. I finally found the beginning of the trail, off of a very small parking area next to the Silver lake Community Church. YAY!
The bridge has been repaired. there is a very nice trail just before the bridge that parallels the creek. It is short (.2 mile?), but allows for creek access. There is absolutely NO SIGNAGE on this trail, which makes hiking the actual loop trail challenging. I went on the main trail, which I believe is the Bay to baker trail, hiked that all the way to SR542. it is a very nice walk, lots of woods, peaceful. I would have gone further, but as noted before, no signage, and I could not determine how far on SR542 I would have to walk until I picked it up.
I returned to the bridge, determined to find the loop trail. I did much the same as the trip report from a week ago, inevitably choosing the wrong one. The one I ended up on took me up to an old road. I have to admit I did enjoy that trail, not too sure which one it is, but there were views up there, so worth the walk. Still determined to find the Loop Trail, I returned back to the bridge.
It was at this point that I thought, this is a mile loop, or so I had read, the junctions had to be a short distance apart. So.... I then took the first trail, off to the left, and headed on out. I then took the fist trail I saw on the right and followed that (rather than head on up to where I had gone before). VOILA! It was the loop trail. I was certain, as it was short, made a loop and eventually I found another small trail, on the left that went down to the falls. Finally, the Falls! They are very pretty, and worth the puzzlement, and no signage, it took to find it.
It is a very nice hiking area. I so hope that eventually there will be signs, and a trail headed sign of some sort, to ease the way for other hikers.
Comments
Kickervilleclem on Maple Falls Trail
Yes, definitely confusing. But this is a Whatcom County park and the parks department website has maps of this and all county parks. But it doesn't show the trails that are not part of the park except the mentioned Bay to Baker. BTW, the map says it continues on the highway for nearly 3 miles. I think I would drive to where it starts again.
Posted by:
Kickervilleclem on Jun 08, 2019 03:56 PM
manniemanx on Maple Falls Trail
Yupp, I can agree with all you say. I did find a map, just wish it had distances between junctions etc on it. At least the map they did have gave me the general directions I needed to go. Even with that I made several wrong turns. Yes too on the mileage for the Bay to Baker. I had really hoped to do those three miles, just couldn't find the spot where it picked up again once I was on the road, without walking on that road, or returning to my car and driving to find it. Perhaps on my next visit! I will hope that someday signage will be added.
Posted by:
manniemanx on Jun 10, 2019 06:57 AM
Kickervilleclem on Maple Falls Trail
Yes, definitely confusing. But this is a Whatcom County park and the parks department website has maps of this and all county parks. But it doesn't show the trails that are not part of the park except the mentioned Bay to Baker. BTW, the map says it continues on the highway for nearly 3 miles. I think I would drive to where it starts again.
Posted by:
Kickervilleclem on Jun 08, 2019 03:56 PM