Big Creek — Sunday, Apr. 7, 2024

There were a number of cars parked along the road and a few in the small lot before the locked gate just before 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Since this is a loop, people end up spread out and you get time with just you and forest. I went clockwise. That means you start out with the big bridge and then the gloriously mossy giants. I love that section. You hit elevation gain in two medium burns with a section in the middle that allows you to catch your breath and enjoy the forest and some glimpses of sky. As always, the water is flowing in all the places the wonderful trail engineers designed it to, which means the trail is nice and dry. The wildflowers are sprouting here and there. I saw one skunk cabbage, a bit of white trilium, and a bunch of delicate yellow violets. The bathrooms are still locked. The sign in the small lot that says the dates when the campground is open so the lot is meant for short term parking is broken. I think May...