This is a brand spanking new trail about 1/2 way up the Middle Fork road. It is a perfect choice for a cloudy or rainy day. The entire 2 mile loop is raised and covered with gravel. It would be a perfect choice if you are looking for an effortless stroll. In spite of the fact that it was raining all day, the trail did not have even the smallest puddle of standing water.
I went here looking for mushrooms but didn't see many. The forest here is so beautiful that it didn't matter. The northwest section of the loop that parallels the Middle Fork road had the best trees. Huge moss and lichen draped Big Leaf Maple, old stately Sitka Spruce, and a few very large Western Hemlock can be admired along the route. Fortunately the old time loggers didn't have much interest in these types of trees, instead seeking out Doug Fir and Cedar. This entire area was a lake bed during the last ice age (15,000 years ago). The lake was formed when the bottom of the valley near North Bend was completely blocked by the massive Cordilleran Ice sheet that filled all of Puget Sound from Canada to Olympia with ice up to a mile thick. As a result, the soil here is heavy clay which settled into the lake bed over thousands of years. This is why you rarely see Douglas Fir trees along the floor of this valley as they require well drained soil. Because of the clay soil and the heavy rainfall, the Sitka Spruce thrive here and almost nowhere else in the Cascade range.
There are a few nice views across the Middle Fork river to The Pulpit and Russian Butte.
Oxbow Lake is a peaceful lake that formed when an exaggerated bend in the Middle Fork river got pinched off and isolated. Oxbow lakes are common on rivers that traverse flat terrain like the Mississippi river, but not so common in the northwest.
The Maple trees are turning yellow/brown and have lost about 1/4 of their leaves. Although they are not very colorful, the fall folliage adds a nice contrast to the scenery. In a few weeks the Cottonwoods will be putting on a much brighter yellow display.
Save this one for a cloudy or rainy day to really appreciate the views inside the forest.
Note that the WTA description is no longer accurate. Also AllTrails does not show the full loop trail.
There are 2 trailheads. Start at the one that is 0.2 miles further up the road so that you don't miss a good view and some of the best trees.
2mi and 80 ft elevation.
Comments
Bob and Barb on Oxbow Lake
Thank you for your informative report and beautiful photos! It was interesting to read about the geology of the area and to learn of a new trail to explore!
Posted by:
Bob and Barb on Sep 22, 2019 06:56 PM