I was super excited to check out the new Teneriffe Falls connector trail today. I have been up to the falls on the old trail a few times and it's a bit of a grind with the rocky switch-back tread and today, despite some improvements in that section, all the banged up toe memories came flooding back. So this is a report mostly for that section.
I parked at the Teneriffe Falls parking lot and the the less said about the deplorable state of the two porta-potties the better except plan on a pit stop before you arrive. Not very busy with the temps on the cool side. I made good time up to where the trail jogs right and starts the big climb to the falls and then it was a slo-mo careful hike up through the rocks. I was keeping an eye out for the new connector trail junction but need not have worried it is well announced (pictured), and is about half way up the rock section to the main falls. I passed Nancy's hiking crew from Renton and a work crew trying to subdue a large trail rock, but after that I was solo again all the way to the falls. Falls were amazing as always, but I can only begin to think how crazy crowded this tight viewing area must get on weekends. Then it was back down to the connector junction. The new connector crosses the creek on a nice sturdy bridge and then it is carpet-like hiking. You can not begin to think how good that feels after the rocky switch backs. The connector winds through the forest with some amazingly huge logging stumps, some fun moss shrouded trees, and vine maples all scrambling for the light. After a second low footbridge the trail actually turns up and I was starting to think I missed a trick and was now heading for Mount Teneriffe, but no you soon book end on to the Teneriffe road-trail and there is a sign to guide you. Make sure to turn left here to go down or you will be heading to the top of the mountain and that's a long way. This new trail will make getting to the falls so much nicer, I like a nice loop but using this new route as an out and back will still be better than the rock fiesta of the existing trail.
On the way back I extended my hike by taking the short connector to the Talus Loop trail and then taking that +down+ until it connected with the Roaring Creek trail. I was going to head up and have lunch at the talus overlook in the sun, but I was running out of gas and didn't want to climb again plus there was no sun to be seen. There has been a re-route on the lower section of Talus Loop too. Just a few weeks ago Talus Loop and Roaring Creek joined together and shared a single trail about 0.1-0.2 miles before the Mount Si Main line. Now Talus loop has been divorced from Roaring Creek with a new section so it arrives at the main line by itself. Kind of a mega junction now. Not sure why they did that and the new Talus Loop section is actually quite steep. Anyway just make sure to pick the right trail (Roaring Creek - signed) at this new junction to head back to your car. Roaring Creek was just a fern garden of loveliness today and the waterfall is still full. In fact once back on the Teneriffe road-trail and heading down to my car all the trail side waterfalls were very chatty and beautifully outlined with fresh green ferns, and you have to hop over all the cross trail water features too. So much green here.
Final stats were just under 8 miles and around 1700 ft of el.
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