This trail is in dire need of help!
We parked at the "end of the road" and ran back on the road to run a loop coming up from Yellow Hill along the ridge over Elbow and up to Jolly Mountain before dropping down into the West Fork Teanaway Trail. The first 4 miles from the junction are in great condition, logged out and with multiple access points for water.
At the first creek crossing, everything changes. The trail disappears beneath fallen trees and rampant underbrush. Be prepared to hunt for signs of a footpath and be prepared for disappointment. For the next 6 miles you will be battling hundreds of downed trees from the 2017 Jolly Mountain Fire, shoulder-high overgrown brush flourishing under the open sky, thorny bushes, slide alder, blackberries(!), more deadfall, even more downed trees, eroded trail in cliffy areas, and multiple unavoidably wet creek crossings.
When (if) you get to the final two miles from the road, you will find the glorious work of an intrepid dirt biker who had ventured up from below and logged out the remaining stretch of trail.
If you plan on coming up this trail, bring a chainsaw and a machete and a few friends and turn it into a trailwork party. This trail really is a hidden gem that needs some serious polishing. The gorge it provides access to is quite beautiful and letting nature reclaim the path here would be a shame.
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