Washougal River Trail

[sttjones]

Has anyone tried to hike the Washougal River Trail from Deer Creek/Prospector Creek up along the Washougal River to the FS-41 Road or to the Bluff Mountain Trail? I see an old trail on my map but lost the track after two miles at 45°45.084', -122°07.032'. I started at 45°44.580', -122°06.816'. I attached a portion of an old map and drew a red line for the route I'm trying to find.

[Chip Down]

Have you tried looking for the top of the trail along the Bluff Mountain route? Do you know if it follows one of the ridges between Bear Creek and Grouse Creek? I've never noticed a junction up there. Looks like it could be fun. Map below shows portion of Bluff route where they should meet.

Incidentally, I've wondered about the trail that supposedly goes west from that section of Bluff, shown on map below.

[sttjones]

I'm planning to go along the Bluff Mountain Trail in a few weeks and try to find the trail from the top. From the top the red line I drew drops down the ridgeline between Bear Creek and Grouse Creek down to the Washougal River.

As for the trail going west from Bluff Mountain, I don't see where you have drawn a route. I've driven that way and been on the Bluff Mountain Trail and haven't noticed anything that looks like a user trail. I don't think this is what you mean, but the Bluff Mountain Trail goes west from Bluff Mountain to Silver Star Mountain and that trail is somewhat maintained.

[Don Nelsen]

There is a route that goes west from the Bluff Mt. Trail that was once a road. It eventually gets you to the north end of Star Ridge. It's been years since I hiked it. It's not continuous, at least that's what I remember, and a couple of stream crossings are involved - I'll try to find my GPS track. Cleaned up, It could make a good loop via Star Ridge, right now, not so much.

dn

[aHushedLocus]

I explored that area 2 years ago in autumn. The road is washed out much sooner than you'd expect - You'll cross Deer Creek 3 times before you reach Prospector Creek.

There are a couple of interesting plunge pools at the Prospector/Washougal confluence - a hiker unfortunately lost his life to one a few years back, so be careful:
https://www.columbian.com/news/2015/may ... gal-river/

The abandoned road along Washougal is easy enough to follow, with a few disused hunting camps along the way. There's a decent waterfall visible if you 'shwack your way through some devil's club - definitely the loudest part of the creek.

The road is eventually swallowed by overgrowth ~1/2 mile past the falls, where it begins the climb to the ridge. I bet you could follow it further in the right season.

[jvangeld]

That is good information, Locus. Thank you.

Steve, I've been looking at the Lidar data and I haven't found much trace of a trail that heads up to the Bluff Mountain trail. There are a few old road grades South of Grouse Creek, but they don't seem to make it to the top.

https://lidarportal.dnr.wa.gov/#45.75049:-122.14426:15