We arrived at this easy to park trailhead just outside North Bend around 9:45 and started out mid-morning on this gorgeous day outside.

Trip: The trail is easy ups and downs through some mud and across a number of very small streams. Trekking poles were nice to have. We had a turn around at the Dingford campgrounds approximately 6 miles in. 

Noteworthy: Wildflowers, trillium, violets, emerging coltsfoot, mosses, waterfalls. The huckleberries are blooming.

Hazards: None at this time. There is one creek we had to rock hop and it was reported was completed washed out and flooded a month ago.

12.61 miles, 1600' elevation gains total 

The moss covered trees, trillium, yellow skunk cabbage and stream crossing were beautiful. Thankful for the sunny day!

Snoqualmie Middle Fork was on our monthly hiking schedule for today.  Five hearty hikers braved the the less than stellar forecast for a soggy / muddy hike in a lush green forest.  We pulled in to the Middle Fork Trailhead just before 10:00.  It was low clouds, 48 degrees with a light rain coming down.  The vault toilet was out of supplies, but a DNR worker was there cleaning it and taking away trash when we walked back to the TH early afternoon.  A trail runner pulled in and said he planning to make it all the way out to Goldmyer.  He had on running shorts a singlet vest that held 2 water bottles and he was off.  We were surprised that he would take on a 20 mile trail run with minimal gear and potentially not see another individual the whole time.  The entire trail is saturated soil with several muddy spots and long mud puddles to work around.  With the recent heavy rain and snow melt all the side creeks and channels were at peak flow.  All the recent deadfalls and tree debris had been cleared in the miles we covered. We turned back at the drainage past Nine Hour Creek where the creek was over flowing.  A log was placed across the creek about 10 yards downstream but looked too iffy for members of my group to take the risk to try and cross it.  Spring wildflowers were budding out all along the trail.  We saw trillium, coltsfoot, yellow violets, salmonberry, huckleberry, skunk cabbage and more.  Birds and their calls were heard all along the trail and a couple chipmunk calls.  We saw robins, wrens, woodpeckers, crows and a a couple sparrow varieties.  We kept eating trail snacks throughout so we could coverage more miles before the rain deluge started again.  The skies cleared a few times with small sun breaks and you could see the top of Garfield Mountain.  On our return we heard unusual drilling / sawing noise when we arrived back at the base of Stegosaurus Butte.  We noticed someone up on the eastern edge of the rock wall drilling holes and or affixing climbing anchors.  Trail traffic was super light we passed 3 other trail users on our return.  Eight cars were in the TH lot when we pulled out just after 1:00. The weather gods were with us as it was pouring when we drove back to Mailbox Peak area and the outskirts of North Bend.  Another fantastic day out in nature with friends.

Enjoyed a sunny Sunday, and extended my normal route on Middle Fork Snoqualmie River, and took the Dingford Creek trail to Pumpkinseed falls. There are a few blowdowns across the rails as you approach Dingford Creek, but none are difficult to pass. The trail was also pretty muddy, especially the Dingford Creek trail, which had water running over it in more than a few places. That said, the trail is in good shape, and water crossings were easy.

There were more than a few trail runners out on the trial, and lots of people with dogs, but the trail never felt crowded and everyone was polite and friendly (including the dogs, only one of which was unleashed but under perfect control). Total distance for my route was about 14.5 miles.

Gorgeous day to hike! Trail is in good condition but muddy in some spots. Trillium are out in force and river is a gorgeous green! Hiked to 4 mile mark where trail meets the river again and had lunch before heading back.