Tiger Mountain Trail — Saturday, May. 13, 2023

A full TMT thru hike!

The trail description currently says "Certain parts of the trail will be closed through Fall 2024," which is frustratingly incomplete. Which parts? Will there be detours? Does this prevent a thru hike? Well, I decided to risk it, and here's what I found.

First, there are no trail closures currently, but there will be, so do your TMT thru hike now. I saw timber-sale markers a little north of the south trailhead, and more near Middle Tiger. When will they actually start logging? Will there be detours? Dunno. I couldn't find anything on the DNR website.

Second, the recent clearcutting of the West Tiger ridge has destroyed a short section of the TMT, and there are no signs or guidance on how to get through. Here's what I did, which worked well.

When you reach the dirt road that descends from West Tiger 2, follow it down (left) toward the saddle before West Tiger 3. Don't go all the way down to the low point. Look back on your right for a rough bulldozer track that goes east across the north slope of West Tiger 2. Follow it. Look ahead and slightly left (downhill) for the remnants of a trail going your way. Scramble down to that trail and follow it east until you hit a lot of downed trees. A rough, bombed-out version of the trail continues east along the upper (right) edge of the downed trees and then becomes a real trail, shortly reaching a junction with a sign that shows you were on what's left of the TMT.

Third, the rest of the TMT is in good shape and well signed, although the section that goes around the west side of Middle Tiger is quite narrow and a bit outward-sloping.

Fourth, as promised by the trail description, despite it being a gorgeous Saturday in May, I had the part of the trail around Fifteen Mile Creek all to myself, though Custer's Bridge has been upgraded and is no longer so rustic.