Garfield Ledges — Saturday, Jun. 10, 2023

Edelman and I did a couple short hikes out on the MFS road today--this one and Oxbow Loop (see other report). We'd never been to Garfield Ledges, and since we are about to move to Bellingham (i.e., will be exploring new territory), we decided to check it out before we leave. It's short but sweet, and I was glad that we tacked on the .5 mile Middle Fork Connector each way. The Connector is a really pleasant trail in itself, with several pull-outs where you can sit and enjoy the river, but it also allows you to park at the spacious and non-pot-holey Middle Fork Snoqualmie lot (rather than baha-ing across the gauntlet of gouges that lead to the Garfield Ledges lot and Dingford Creek road). The TH is near the entrance to the parking lot. Back to G.L.: it's steepish, but short, and the view is interesting. On a clear day, I'm sure it would be even more interesting! A brief overview of the history of the area is posted at the top. Flowers on our route included bunchberry, bleeding hearts and vanilla leaf. We saw 6 hikers today. The lot at MFS was pretty full for such a misty/drizzly day, but we love to see it--Northwesterners embracing the moisture-fest! Outhouses at both MFS lot and the Garfield Ledges TH were stocked and in decent condition. RT trip was 3.2 miles. Happy hiking, Everyone!