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boulder
river wilderness area |
Darrington, WA
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National
Forest |
| Steve sent me a description of a hike
in an old growth forest along a river on Monday. The
subject line said "How about this one?" It
sounded so appealing that I responded "Sounds good," and with that it was settled.
We were going to hike in Boulder River Wilderness Area. I could hardly wait until Saturday. |
| Although the trail is usually described
as southwest of the town of Darrington, we were coming
from the Seattle area. From I-5, the last town before
the turn-off is Oso. |
| What we found is that the Boulder River
Wilderness area is both easily reached and intact, a
rare combination.
A
wilderness untouched by the ravages of man, this old growth forest
is a sanctuary of Northwest Coast beauty
capped by a 200ft waterfall. After hiking in second growth
forests, or through areas recently logged, this trail
is really a treat. |
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At the Boulder River Wilderness Area trailhead |
| This is a fairly easy hike, especially compared to
other waterfalls in Western Washington.
The 400 foot elevation gain is gradual and the trail
skirts the falls rather than climbing alongside them.
However it is a hike into a wilderness area. The generally
excellent trail has some rough spots. There is a bridge
made of a single log that must be crossed. Still it is
easy and safe enough to bring children, and wild and
picturesque enough to make an interesting hike for adults.
I think it is one of the best day hikes of moderate difficulty
in Western Washington. |
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| by Dianne Bengtson |
| photography by Steve Robertson |
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