Alec has the easiest job on this hike, giving Ben the heaviest load! And I thought my 18 pound pack was pretty good for a day hike. Here we see Marten creek, at the three mile point from the trailhead. After a short break for some photos, it's time to hit the trail again!



A ways down the trail, we notice this waterfall far off and up in the distance. This is with 3X zoom! I completely forgot to get out the binoculars from my pack. After a bit of the 'are we there yet' going on in my head, we finally reach our turnaround and lunch spot, Big Creek. As you can see, it's a nice solid automobile bridge from when this 'trail' used to be a road. The falls here are quite spectacular, as usual not being done justice by the photos. Alec makes full use of the opportunity to eat and run around while we relax. On the way back, the trail just gets longer and longer, while the feet get more sore. Fortunately, with the modest elevation change, it's easy on the knees. Alec takes a short nap on the way back, then wakes up and walks for a bit, perhaps 1/4 mile. Everyone is happy to finally make it back to the car!

Overall, this was a great hike, if not exactly replete with views other than the forest and the occassional river sighting. However, the waterfalls were very refreshing and thunderous, this early in the season. I'd say it's good for conditioning without wearing yourself out, because of the long distance and small elevation gain. The downside is that you must drive 10 miles on a very poor gravel road (at least this year) to get to the trailhead.