Finally got to check YAB off of my hiking bucket list! The road to the trailhead is rough but passable for all sorts of vehicles. We arrived at the TH around 9 am and returned just before 4pm. There were not too many cars at the TH when we arrived but counted almost 30 cars as we were leaving.
The trail is steadily uphill for about 2 miles until it starts to flatten out, with the only water source before the tarns being a creek at about 2.5 miles in. There was some smoke in the air which did definitely affect my asthma and made me quite wheezy for the rest of the day, so sensitive groups might want to wait for the smoke to dissipate. The trail was well maintained but had some tall steps for my short 5'2 self. The fall colors are starting to show and wildflowers are still blooming. Lots of butterflies enjoying the flowers near the creek. Blueberries are also still ripe.
It took us about 3 hours to reach the tarns where we ate lunch and explored a bit. Everyone on the trail was very kind and even got to see lots of pups enjoying their hike. We did find a left behind doggy bag unfortunately, please remember to pack out all waste. There are a lot of campsites near the tarns for backpackers, but no campfires are allowed. Please always remember to practice Leave No trace. A Northwest Forest Pass is required at the TH.
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