Dry Creek Trail, 062022

[Don Nelsen]

We originally planned to hike the Dry Creek Trail and continue on the Big Hollow Trail to Observation Peak but had to alter our plans a little.

Neither of us had ever hiked these routes so this was a new adventure. It was a bit over-the-top, too, since it was about 16 miles out-and-back with about 3,400’ EG. It was a very nice day, though, Monday the 20th with comfortable temperatures in the middle to high 50’s.

This trail got a complete log-out in May and except for a very short distance near the north end, is unburnt.

Some of the trail follows an old steam-era RR line and goes arrow straight through the forest for a ways starting at about ¾ mile in.

What we didn’t plan on was the lack of a bridge when we got to Bourbon Cr. Well, to be completely honest, there is a bridge, but not a very well built one:

Kel made a tentative venture out onto it and thought that she could do it, but decided she might have trouble on the way back after tiring out from another 8 miles up and back from observation Peak. She sat down on a log, and made a great frowny face.


She graciously said “Go ahead and do Observation, Don, I have a book in the car”. I decided it would be best to go to plan B: Check out the rest of the Dry Creek Trail to the junction with the Big Hollow Trail and see if we could do the rest of the hike from the Big Hollow TH off of road 30.

I crossed Bourbon Cr., hiked the short way to where the Big Hollow Trail crossed Dry Creek and found no bridge. I could see hardly anyone had crossed the logjam and the trail showed it:

There was a narrow, unstable log but I knew plan B was out.

We hiked back on Dry Creek Trail and plotted to come back the next week. I planned to bring some tools along too, and improve the crossing.

8.7 miles out-and-back (with a few side trips) 450' EG, hike #60

[drm]

Those crossings can be a challenge. But with snow mostly gone in the Trapper Creek high country, I expect the water levels will be coming down pretty quick.

[Don Nelsen]

Those crossings can be a challenge. But with snow mostly gone in the Trapper Creek high country, I expect the water levels will be coming down pretty quick.

There's likely a good reason it's called Dry Creek but I've never been in there to take a look later in the summer. Thanks for the comment Dean.