When we got to the Herman Creek Trailhead around 10 AM, there were maybe 15 cars already there, and three more arrived as we were getting ready. But we only saw two other parties the whole day, which I guess means most people were headed up toward Indian Point or Nick Eaton?
After a short climb past turnoffs for the PCT and a couple trails up Nick Eaton Ridge, 406 follows a flat old logging road for a while, with small bits of old equipment hiding in the leaves.
Then the trail becomes a trail, and the creeks start. So many creeks! So many that I couldn't figure out all the names. We passed two before entering the Hatfield Wilderness, one of which I think the Field Guide calls Nick Eaton Falls.
Then into the Wilderness and onto more creeks. The Green Trails map has the trail passing through six on the way to Cedar Swamp - in order: Camp, Casey, Hazel, Slide, Mullinx, and Whiskey - but there were way more than that, a bunch of which I'm guessing are just seasonal. Please forgive my mislabeling probably all of them
Edit: I've tried to fix some of the mistakes - thanks for the clarification, Sean! - though I'm probably still messing some up.
Camp Creek?
Hazel Creek? Actually: an unnamed stream.
Up a ways past the Casey Creek turnoff, the forest gets spectacular. It just doesn't get much better than this.
And more creeks! Crossing... Slide actually: Mullinix Creek?
Mullinix Creek? Should I just stop guessing?
In retrospect: yes, you should.
Alright, if I've already been wrong this many times, I might as well hazard one more: Whiskey Creek? ("Whiskey is never wrong!" - except in this case)
About this point, snow started, then, as we made it up to the Swamp, blown downs around the trail rapidly increased. I guess all the snow, ice, and wind the last few weeks have taken their toll.
Whew! Glad I wasn't here when this happened.
Up in the Swamp proper, blow downs became less common, but the snow got deeper - maybe 18-20 inches.
Before heading back, we took a short bushwhack down to Herman Creek. It's one of the funny things about this trail: despite the name, you only really hit the creek for the first time at 7.5 miles in. I'm not complaining, though - there are already more gorgeous creeks there than I know what to do with!
It started raining slightly on the walk back, but the forest was so pretty that neither of us really noticed. A lot of people have said it here already, but we really are exceptionally lucky to have this in our backyard.
It'll probably take me a few more trips to get it all straight, though I certainly don't mind practicing.