Beacon Rock State Park - Hamilton Mountain — Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023

Hiked the loop counterclockwise from the campground (and was very glad I did it in that direction for the reasons mentioned above, plus there were places on the way up that were near-scrambles that would've been even dicier coming down). It might've been just as well that I didn't realize going in how narrow, eroded, and scrambly the trail was in places near the top, but I and my dog both managed. Midweek traffic was quite light beyond the falls. Sadly, it was too fire-smoke hazy to see the distant mountains, but the views were fabulous anyway. And a foot-soak hike in the creek on the way back down, shared with rainbow trout, crayfish, and a frog, was delicious. Not an easy hike, but a great one overall.