My first ever backpacking trip!  I am a Scoutmaster to a Scouts girl troop, and we came out here to give the beginners (not just me) a chance to learn how to backpack, use our gear, all that jazz.  My Scouts and the other leaders headed up to 4th of July pass on day 2 while I watched camp, and got visited by a bear.  I'm old and broken, and I still made the trip to the Thunder Campground (short though it is) just fine.  

Morning of day 2 I went in search of water further up the trail and wandered just past the 4th of July pass turnoff to a little creek across the trail and spent some time in the quiet there before heading back.

So many birds, wildflowers, mushrooms/fungi... beautiful weather, all around wonderful experience and highly recommended for a beginner like me, or even smaller kids.  Trail is fairly busy, but we still got plenty of non-"peopling" time.

We picked this trail for our first ever backpacking trip, and it was a winner! We arrived at the ranger station in Marblemount around 10:45am on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, and as expected for day 2 of a 3-day weekend, most campsites were reserved along Thunder and Panther Creek trails. However, there was still space available at Neve Camp, roughly 2 miles in on the Thunder Creek trail, so we snagged a permit.

The trail itself was in great condition and not busy. Just before the bridge across the massive creek, there's a sweet beach where we took a break. The climb after that is quite steep up to the junction with Fourth of July Trail. Not long after the junction, there's a steep slope down to Neve Camp, close to the river, while the trail continues on a couple hundred feet above. 

I couldn't find much info online about the campsites, so I'll share that we really enjoyed Neve Camp! You have to scramble to get down to the creek, but it's a good spot to collect water. The pit toilet is clean and secluded. The sites feel private and have their own fire rings. The one downside was the lack of a flat place to set up the tent at both campsites we looked at (one was already occupied, so I can't speak for it), so we had to set up on a bit of a slope and our sleeping bags kept sliding downhill. The roaring creek made for great white noise.

We also wandered further up the trail to gather firewood (in line with park regulations) and were treated to peek-a-boo views of the surrounding snowcapped peaks, and a lot of solitude.

Bugs were out and biting in the evening, but even more so the following morning when we were packing up. We used bug spray and only got a couple bites each.

Overall, a great hike in beautiful country and an excellent choice for first-time backpackers.

Fantastic one-night backpacking trip—20 miles total out and back to Junction Camp.

The trail was in great shape, with no blowdowns thanks to the hard work of trail crews. We had clear paths the whole way, very little mud, and lots of water access, though all the crossings were easy—our feet stayed dry.

Junction Camp was a highlight. Perched high on the ridge, it’s dry and breezy with incredible views of the Boston Glacier, Austera Towers, and the surrounding peaks. You can hear Fisher Creek from camp, and it’s just a short walk to grab water.

We brought bear canisters and definitely recommend them—getting a proper hang would’ve been tough.

Wildlife sightings included a couple of deer, two snakes, and a frog.

We’re already planning to come back in July to do the full thru-hike to Stehekin!

This Tuesday at noon there were 6 cars in a lot that can hold 16 plus 2 additional handicap spots. Nice toilet building.  The Colonial Creek South Campground is open so you can drive to the Day Use parking by the trailhead.

The trail to the bridge has some slight ups and downs but nets almost no elevation gain.  It's a really nice trail with only occasional rocks or roots. A work party recently trimmed the bushes near the trail so you don't get wet walking along. There's no snow at this low elevation.

The trail stays near the creek (really a river in this bottom section!) so you can see water to your left, or enjoy the mossy forest around you.  The side creeks across the trail are dry.  Almost no moisture on the trail; just the brief muddy part near the trailhead.  Not many flowers yet.  I saw a couple not far from the bridge.

I didn't run into anyone on the trail except a couple down by the river near the bridge.

A beautiful overnight at Junction Camp (plus a bear sighting! 🐻) just before the start of peak season. A nice 20-mile roundtrip, early-season backpacking trip. 

THE ROAD / PARKING

We camped at Colonial Creek South Campground on Friday night to get an early start Saturday. The walk-in sites are open right now; first-come, first-served. There were several open sites even though we got there late, though it wasn't quiet (camps close together).

The lot was practically empty the whole time we were there — I suspect that'll change soon as peak season is just around the corner!

The privy at the parking lot is in pristine condition, ready for summer. Larger bathrooms are not yet open. 

THE TRAIL

The trail is overall in good shape.

We had to go over a couple of larger blowdowns in the second half of our hike, though there's definitely been some recent trail work done in the first half. Nothing too difficult, even with a full pack on. 

Some small creek crossings, but we never got our feet wet with some careful rock hopping. 

I recommend poles for that climb between Tricouni and Junction camps (if only for the way down). 

CAMP

Junction Camp is really nice. The climb past Tricouni is brutal, but the campsite is worth it! Views of the mountains across the valley, and some really nice big campsites.

Privy was nice too, though not a lot of privacy. 

Mosquitoes are out(?!). They were annoying at camp. Not enough to pull out the bug spray, but enough for us to leave with a few bug bites each. We saw them when we stopped for lunch on trail, too. 

There were some very friendly deer at camp. I'd keep a close eye on your food — they were quite comfortable getting pretty close to us! 

WATER

Water sources were abundant throughout the hike, except between the climb from Tricouni to Junction Camp. 

I couldn't find anything about water sources at Junction Camp online, so we carried everything we could from Tricouni, but it looked like there was actually a trail from the turn-off to Junction Camp down to the creek. We didn't investigate it and couldn't see the end/exactly where it went, but it isn't marked on Gaia and it was definitely heading toward the creek.

There's also easy access to the creek about a quarter-mile before you reach the turn-off to Junction Camp, if you want to fill up there (after the climb). 

MISC.

We saw a bear! It was up in a tree. We only stuck around briefly to see what it was (we heard a weird sound neither of us recognized, which is how we saw it). 

What a beautiful trail. So green and lush. Many times throughout the hike, I had to stop and say, "Wow, it's so green!" and "It's so nice here!" 

We didn't encounter many people on this trip. We only saw about half a dozen people on trail all weekend, and then one other person at camp.