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Beautiful views. Nice temperatures. Lots of people, even mid afternoon on a Wednesday. Easy hike for us. Wear hiking boots or shoes you don't care about. I wouldn't recommend this hike for people who are disabled. The sandy dirt is hard to walk in. The fall leaves are worth the drive.
This trail is a great hike for a novice or pet owner. Not many steep grades or deep water to cross, but amazing landscape views from the creek bottom. The trail can be narrow at times, but also offers plenty of shade. Plenty of four four-legged walkers along the way. Peak traffic hours seem to be mid-morning.
We got to the trailhead at about 9.30 am on a Tuesday at the end of October. There were very few parking spots left. The bathrooms were okay. The trail was gorgeous. It was a little crowded but not too bad. Other hikers were very friendly, helpful, and respectful. There are many creek crossings, so you may get wet feet if you don't have good balance. I recommend at least one hiking pole or walking stick. We walked for about 1.5 hours and made it to the eighth stream crossing. We stopped fairly frequently to take photos and admire the natural beauty around us. The fall leaves and morning light were a spectacular combination. A little chilly and windy at times, a hood or head covering is a good idea. Layered clothing and plenty of drinking water will serve you well on this journey.
12/1/2023. The weather the night before was rainy with a bit of snow. Drove from CG and got at trail site right at 8am. Was the first car in. Paid the fee, found easy parking spot and immediately was in love with the scenery. It was a very cloudy foggy morning and there was some snow present here and there. Was first on the trail and it was beautiful and easy throughout. Took a hiking stick but did not really need it. 3.3 (+) miles if you veer off a bit to explore here and there. Was cold as you start but the more your go your body heat goes up. Since the temperature stayed in the 30s-40s I remained in my layers and had no problem. Haven’t gone in spring or summer but there was plenty fall foliage on the ground and trees along with the light snow sprinkles that made it an amazing experience.
One of the most beautiful hikes in the area. It’s fairly easy for all age groups and dogs mid sized and up, no elevation but long, about 3 hr out and back. Bring enough water and wear good comfy hiking shoes. Lots of places to take photos and watch birds. Many people on the trail, most are courteous. Pay to enter, maintained restrooms. Parking lot is pretty full. At a few spots it’s easy to get off trail without a map. Highly recommend using a hiking app.
