Middle Fork Hike...

Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River....
(all pics in this post are taken with my phone and unedited)

Last Saturday Mr. G. and myself decided to go on a hike along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River, up in the mountains. Now I am not much of a hiker ( I really dislike steep inclines), but this was a trail that was just right in that department. 

Here is a little description of the trail I found online: "But a left turn to head upstream leads them deep into the quiet forest. The silence is broken only by the murmuring river, the whispering of wind through the trees, or birdsong from the fish-eating birds that live in the area. 

The trail weaves in and out of the forest, passing under overhanging cliffs and offering views across the river of jagged Garfield Mountain. Continue under a craggy wall dubbed Stegosaurus Butte at 0.75 miles. Soon after the Butte the trail widens, thanks to an old railroad path. This is your only hint of the area's history of logging - the railway was used to pull logs out after timber harvests. Continue on, crossing many creek drainages that keep the trail wet much of the year. 

The trail stays close to the river, at points even threatening to slump into the water due to repeated flooding that erodes the banks of the river. At a little more than three miles, the trail has completely washed away and is awaiting repairs to reroute the trail onto more stable ground. At this point, the trail is impassable to stock, but hikers can follow a rough, temporary path to rejoin the official trail and head into the forest."

What a spectacular looking bridge!

Mount Garfield...

We walked 3.5 miles to a nice stop next to the river, and then back again, 7 miles in total (3 hours). It was quite warm that day, but since we were walking underneath the tree canopy with a nice breeze, it was perfect.  I must admit that the next day we were completely bushed. I had also run extra miles in the week before, and my legs were just plain tired. No matter, I was feeling strong and I actually did go on a hike! {smile}

The trail was fabulously well maintained, except for this bit...

Where did the path go?

This last picture was at our mid-way point. What a beautiful day!