What a wonderful, rambling trail!  I arrived to the trailhead in the back of the campground at 6:30am to start my run/hike adventure, 1 other car parked in that area.  I am loving a trailhead with running water in a real bathroom! 😂

Trail is in great shape!  Work has obviously been done already this season rebuilding tread, logging, and clearing debris- thank you trail crews!!!

I sped along until just beyond the turn off for 4th of July Pass when my progress was slowed by a doe with 2 fawns on the trail, after several enjoyable minutes they continued into the brush and I pushed on past Neve campsites and on to McAllister.  The new McAllister campsites look great, complete with bearpole and separate cooking/tenting areas.  

The creek crossing just past McAllister is now rock-hoppable and numerous smaller crossings can also be crossed with dry feet.  Continuing on to the large bridge at Tricouni camp I took a snack break and relaxed on the sand along the creek before starting the climb up to Junction campsites.  

If you venture out this far there are great views from the Junction campsites, even if you're not camping take the 200ft detour to enjoy the views!  the trail remains buried in the trees so don't skip this and miss out!

From Here I was torn on whether to continue along Thunder Creek or to explore Fisher Creek, so I did a little bit of both!  Junction campsites is pretty obviously where the trail maintenance has reached as both trails began to have winter debris/branches on them.  I kicked/threw the most egregious out of the way.  I continued down along Thunder Creek trail about 2 miles as it dropped back down to the creek before turning around and kicking myself for doing 2 miles of downhill...that I now had to go back up.  Hiking back up to Junction camp I took a breather hanging out in the sunshine before exploring up Fisher Creek trail.  almost immediately there are trees down and things are brushier than on Thunder Creek, I continued about a mile along before finally giving in to my complaining calves and turning around.

Return journey was relatively uneventful, saw 2 more deer, and I saw some people!  I passed 5-6 groups of dayhikers between trailhead and McAllister and probably an equal number of backpackers. returning to the trailhead about 4pm parking was now about 2/3rds full.

LARCHES!!!!!!! They're turning at higher elevations. Trails are in FANTASTIC shape, thank you NCNP! Its 5 miles from the Easy Pass trailhead to the Pass, then down to Fisher Creek campground. 2800ft up, then 1450ft down.

I hiked here for Rikki's 100th Bulger and completion of the Bulger list. Here's a preview of what I wrote,

"On 9/23, Rikki became the 92nd person (and first queer, disabled, female climber) to finish the Washington Bulgers! I met Rikki through the PNW Peak Baggers in 2020, and I am honored to witness this historical moment.

More on... https://www.facebook.com/groups/264051553280810/permalink/274193715599927/

This was an overnight hike over Easy Pass from Highway 20 down to Fisher Camp and back out.

The trail is in generally good condition, but I was glad I brought along my hiking poles to deal with some of the sections.  On the decent to Fisher Camp there are areas where you do not want to step off the trail as it a ways down.

The last water before Easy Pass, late season, is where you rock hop across Granite Creek. I assume that crossing could require wading earlier in the season.

The blueberries and mountain ashes had put on their fall colors, but the larches had yet to change.  The first snow of the season had fallen the night before which I feel will trigger the larches to drop their sap and start to change.

Arrived at the parking lot at 11 AM on a Thursday morning and found three vacant spots, plus however many cars can park along the shoulder leading in. Had the pass to myself both going up in the afternoon and coming back down the following morning.

Not as spectacular as Maple Pass or Cascade Pass, but much less crowded.

Took me about 2 hours up to Easy Pass with a full pack. One hour up from Fisher Camp.

Note that Gaia has mismarked (how surprising!) the location of Fisher Camp. Fisher Camp is another 1/4 mile further down the trail and is marked with a sign by the trail.

Fisher Camp is not a destination campground, but is the closest campground to Easy Pass. My campsite did however have a very curious ermine that was fascinated by my tent, sniffing at in the evening, and was using it as a trampoline at dawn.

The 1 1/4 mile / 1500 foot elevation difference has a better tread and an easier gradient than the trail up from Highway 20. Also, you have Fisher Peak staring at you the whole time. In my estimation, the views are much nicer on the Fisher Creek side of the pass. 

Important note: McAllister hiker camp seems to have been permanently relocated from between the McAllister and Thunder creeks to an area near the stock and group camps due to a bridge washout. The new location is in the woods barely within earshot of Thunder creek, on the opposite side from McAllister creek.

The Easy Pass trail is in great shape all the way up from SR20, with snow cover minimal (only a very manageable 3 yards of snow to cross) and the creek flow low enough to cross easily. There was minimal water at the top, so coming up on the NF side, filling up at the third creek crossing is advisable but may not be absolutely necessary. The Fisher Creek trail was overgrown but manageable in meadows between Fisher campground and Cosho. Black flies were swarming at Fisher and Cosho between about 10 am and 7 PM. They were more annoying than painful as few were actually biting. The trail between Cosho and Junction campground is in great shape except for a washout that requires a very rough 10 minute detour. Trekking poles strongly advised. Black bear cub on the trail about 1.5 miles from Cosho. Thunder creek trail is in good shape all the way to Colonial Creek campground. Much higher humidity along the Thunder creek trail.

Day 1. We started on the trail at 9 a.m. and reached the pass by 1 p.m., took a lunch break, and then headed down the hillside to Fisher Camp. The bugs were bad, campsites need some maintenance.  If you have the time and energy to push on to Cosho Campground you should do it. Cosho is beautiful and spacious and right on Fisher Creek. A beautiful spot. 

Day 2. We got a 9 a.m. start. The weather was clear and the wild flowers were beautiful. Lupine, Asters, Indian Paintbrush, tiger lillies, Arroroot(yellow daisy); Lungwort, Queen Ann's Lace- and more! We walked thru the beautiful Fisher Basin. Brushy in places. Had lunch at Cosho. The afternoon hike was wooded with lots of log bridges crossing creeks. Thankfully, every log bridge had a handrail! We reached Junction Camp at 5 p.m. There was one huge slide on the trail with a steep detour. The trail crew is working on a reroute in this area so that was interesting.

Day 3. We got on the trail at 7 a.m to beat the heat and reached our car at 2 p.m. I would rate this hike as a Humdinger! The trail is in great shape.