Arrived to the Marymere Falls parking lot at 9am on a Saturday and snagged the last (legal) parking spot. When I left at 1pm, the lot was overflowing with people parking on the shoulders of the roads. Get here early on the weekends!
Despite the parking, and that Storm King trail looked like a line at Disney, Barnes Creek Trail was practically deserted. That's why I love this trail...it's only 30 minutes from Port Angeles, there is convenient and (usually) open parking, and within 15 minutes of walking you can be completely alone in a fantasy forest.
Spring is definitely about to...spring. The trees and flowers are full of buds just waiting for the first warm day to bloom. In a couple weeks time this valley will be gloriously covered in electric green. For now, the lack of new vegetation gives a more open feeling with better views up the river.
The log bridges over the river and creeks are in ok condition. The first and longest bridge is wide, but the handles have been torn off in recent storms. Second bridge is good, and third bridge is ok but slippery with a warped handle.
I stopped after the third bridge for lunch (about 3 miles from the parking lots), and decided against going up the switchbacks to the Aurora Divide split, even though that's some of the prettiest forest.
Only saw one other person the entire time, and he commented how busy and annoying Storm King was...he was so happy to have discovered this trail.
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