Lewis River, Washington - March 16, 2021
Posted: March 18th, 2021, 3:17 pm
I just wanted to post this for future persons wondering what this trail might be like in mid-March. This makes a good early season hike for people itching to get out.
Date: March 16-17, 2021 (Tuesday - Wednesday)
Route: Curly Creek Trailhead, northbound 6.5 miles.
Distance: 13 miles RT
Days: 2
Weather: Sunny / Partly Cloudy
Temperature: ~30F overnight, 55F daytime high.
Bugs: few and sluggish
Wildlife: None. Droppings only.
Humans: None. Snow tracks of two bikers and two hikers from several days earlier.
Trail condition: mostly clear, with intermittent snowfields <6" deep. No special gear required.
Trailhead: Last half-mile road to TH technically closed, but physically accessible by any vehicle. Bathroom doors were open.
I did a season opening overnight backpack mostly just to soak up time off that i have. I lost daylight around the 6.5 mile mark so i turned around to the last known decent campsite. Trail was clear for the first 3 miles to Bolt Camp Shelter, then snowy in places after that. It may have been too much snow if i had come a few weeks earlier. I would say this is easily accessible for most able-bodied hikers now.
Campsites: There are campsites, established and improvised, all along the trail as far as i went. I am a bit anxious about camping out when i don't know about campsite available. This trail has many sites, so no need to worry if you're this early in the season. I counted at least 10 places to camp in the 6.5 miles i walked, but i stopped counting after a while.
Special note for hammock camping: There are plenty of sites with trees for hammock camping. You are not limited to beaches. Additionally, there are often broad flat benches on the inside of the trail that you can put a hammock up where a tent would otherwise not be able.
Date: March 16-17, 2021 (Tuesday - Wednesday)
Route: Curly Creek Trailhead, northbound 6.5 miles.
Distance: 13 miles RT
Days: 2
Weather: Sunny / Partly Cloudy
Temperature: ~30F overnight, 55F daytime high.
Bugs: few and sluggish
Wildlife: None. Droppings only.
Humans: None. Snow tracks of two bikers and two hikers from several days earlier.
Trail condition: mostly clear, with intermittent snowfields <6" deep. No special gear required.
Trailhead: Last half-mile road to TH technically closed, but physically accessible by any vehicle. Bathroom doors were open.
I did a season opening overnight backpack mostly just to soak up time off that i have. I lost daylight around the 6.5 mile mark so i turned around to the last known decent campsite. Trail was clear for the first 3 miles to Bolt Camp Shelter, then snowy in places after that. It may have been too much snow if i had come a few weeks earlier. I would say this is easily accessible for most able-bodied hikers now.
Campsites: There are campsites, established and improvised, all along the trail as far as i went. I am a bit anxious about camping out when i don't know about campsite available. This trail has many sites, so no need to worry if you're this early in the season. I counted at least 10 places to camp in the 6.5 miles i walked, but i stopped counting after a while.
Special note for hammock camping: There are plenty of sites with trees for hammock camping. You are not limited to beaches. Additionally, there are often broad flat benches on the inside of the trail that you can put a hammock up where a tent would otherwise not be able.