We completed a 4-day, 3-night backpack along 53 miles of the Palouse to Cascades (P2C) State Park trail along this converted railway line from Cedar Falls to south Cle Elum. The entire trip was along the well-maintained packed gravel trail with only a 2% incline resulting in above average travel speeds even with a full backpack. The first 4.5 miles from Cedar Falls to the Olallie State park was well traveled by other hikers, bikers, and even some rock climbing groups. This section is was a pleasant walk with summer wildflowers (especially foxglove) in bloom.  From Olallie S.P. to Hyak (about 16 miles) the gentle uphill track was less traveled except by bikers. Two back-country camps (Alice Creek and Carter Creek) make for nice rest stops. Water is available from the adjacent creeks. The vault toilets were well maintained. The approach to the Snoqualmie tunnel offered some good views over I-90 and the rest area at the west entrance gave an opportunity to throw on a fleece and headlamp for the 2.3-mile tunnel walk.  Hyak at the east end of the tunnel makes for easy highway access with a large parking area, restrooms, and picnic tables if one wants to meet friends or just hike the tunnel. From Hyak to Lake Easton State Park the hike is a gentle downhill stroll of 18 miles. Cold Creek and Roaring Creek campgrounds are excellent overnight stops with large gravel tent pads and clean restrooms (Note: $12 primitive camping fees). Bugs were minimal even at dusk but the I-90 highway noise from across Keechelus Lake may bother light sleepers. Further down the trail and just beyond the eastern entrance to the Whittier tunnel there is a rest area with restrooms and a picnic table…nice surprise! Paralleling the Yakima river for the last couple of miles to Lake Easton S.P. one begins to see a change in vegetation type due to the dryer eastern slope climate. At the west end of Lake Easton State Park there a well-marked cutoff trail access into the park but one can choose to bypass this access and walk into the town of Easton. The small but well stocked Easton “The Hitching Post” grocery store provides limited food service at times but more importantly, lots of cold beverages after a long trek! The store is a good location for a car rendezvous. Easton is only a one-mile drive back into the State Park entrance. Lake Easton Park is an excellent overnight stop with 2 hiker/biker tent pads. The only downside here is the ever-present din of traffic noise which is disconcerting throughout the night. I suggest reserving a larger camping spot. These campsites are more costly than the hiker/biker pads are but closer to the restrooms and showers. Check out the possibility of reserving camp site #87. The 11.5-mile hike from Easton to South Cle Elum is level, straight and rather an uninteresting “slog” into town. In the summer it may be quite hot with little shade midday so sunscreen, a big hat, and adequate water should be carried. The South Cle Elem Rail Yard National Historic rail yard was a welcome end to this section of the P2C trail. The trail-head entrance at train depot building (originally built in 1909) was our final rest stop and made for an interesting and easily accessible pickup location. See parks.state.wa.us for more information and Maps.

Feet were still a bit sore from the Thursday hike to Wright Mountain so we decided to do a bike ride on the Iron Horse trail.  We chose the segment from Hyak to Lake Easton so we would be in the sun most of the day.  

The ride is on good packed gravel the entire way. Views to Snoqualmie Mtn across Lake Keechelus was very nice. Most of the trip goes through pleasant but somewhat uninteresting 2nd growth forest.  There are 2 short tunnels and a few bridges with views as you get closer to Lake Easton.  

We ended up having a late breakfast at a cute little country store and cafe called the Hitching Post.  The owners are very friendly.  

When we got back to the car we got a $99 ticket for forgetting to post our Discover Pass.  Must have been to eager to get moving. $59 if you prove that you purchased a Discover Pass within 15 days.  Has anyone ever gotten out of the ticket by proving that you had a pass but just forgot to display it?

RT 36.6 mi and 400 ft elevation gain (ignore the All Trail elevation gain)

My family's departure to California and a friendly WTA members reminder that it stays light out later prompted me to scheme to squeeze in as many hikes as possible.  I'd recently been looking through some sixties era hiking books and decided to explore this one from a 1969 first edition of Trips and Trails, 2.  Though it suggested a much shorter starting point it's now on private land and I wanted some distance anyway.

We started north from the Iron Horse gate where road 5480 crosses it.  This is a flat rail grade that skirts Keechelus Lake and has views out to Easton Ridge and beyond.  We came across a 'backcountry campsite' along the way where there's large flat tent sites on the left side of the rail bed with picnic benches and fire rings and on the right a privy (locked) and sign board with another picnic bench.  There are social trails leading to the lake and this alone could be a good walk for young children.  A little further along is the bridge crossing Roaring Creek. Before the bridge on the left a few rough trails lead down to a swampy area where you can cross a small tributary and push your way through thick brush.  Sticking close to the creek for a short ways we turned uphill a bit and then traversed towards the falls.  A faint path took us over a few trees and to the edge of the pool.  There's a survey boundary marker 15 feet away from the water here marking private property.  Be respectful and stay close to the creek.  We could see that in late Summer low flow you could work your way along the cliff face and behind the water which is also mentioned in the book.

To get there take I90 east and turn off at exit 62 going right on Road 54 and heading towards Stampede Pass.  In roughly 2 miles turn right on Road 5480 to Lost Lake and park on the left just before crossing the Iron Horse Trail in about another mile and a half.  Walking distance is 3 miles with a few hundred feet of bushwacking.

Condition report on the JWT west of Easton:  I parked at the JWT Easton TH. Discovery Pass required. I headed west on the trail. There are places small trees and branches have fallen across the trail. In one spot, about 2 miles from Easton, a rockslide goes across the whole trail, but is easily scrambled through. Right past that spot, a high bridge over the river is signed "Area Closed". It said that on both sides of the bridge for no apparent reason. Anyway,  I made it about eight miles west of Easton, at which point there was continuous snow across the trail. This trail is easy grade and offers nice views of the Yakima River and lots of creeks and woods. You also get to go through two cool tunnels.  In places, you can see the surrounding mountains, which still carry a healthy load of snow up high. BTW, this trail makes a great mountain bike ride, which would be the preferred way to do it for those with a bike.