This is one of my favorite hikes for solitude (the road sees a lot of traffic because people are headed to the end of the road inside North Cascades National Park. The trailhead is unmarked. The trail is under the jurisdiction of the US Forest Service, so dogs are okay (compared to no dogs allowed on the National Park trails) At Marblemount I set my trip odometer to zero at the start of the Cascade River Road. The first 10 miles are paved, then it is gravel. My trip odometer read 16.9 miles at the trailhead, which is also the location of the last switchback on the road. (see photo)
The first 45 minutes are on an old logging road that is now closed to vehicles. There is one year-round stream along the old logging road that is easily crossed on a double log bridge. After the logging road the trail travels slightly downward until it is close to the South Fork Cascade River. A little bit farther and the trail junction for the Middle Fork Cascade River trail is reached. Keep right and continue on the South Fork Cascade River trail. When the trail reaches the Middle Fork of the Cascade River, one must cross it on a log that has been flattened on top. Someone has sprinkled small rocks on top, which helps with the traction. If walking across the log is too scary for you, sitting on the log like a horse and butt-scooting is acceptable and I've seen other people do that.
After crossing the log, the trail stays away from the South Fork Cascade River for awhile, and then drops down to the floodplain, crosses a very shallow side stream, and at 3.2 miles from the trailhead one arrives at what I call the Big Rock campsite. The trail and campsite is between the river and the Big Rock. There were lots of blueberries just past this camp site, which is where I turned around today.
Some day I hope to hike the total 9 miles (one way) to South Cascade Lake, but for me it is at least a three day (two night) expedition, and the trail gets pretty rugged in places. On the return hike I walked a short distance on the Middle Fork Cascade River trail, turning around where the trail is lost in an area of boulders that must be clambered up and over (which I've done in the past, but not today).
Comments
Muledeer on South Fork Cascade River, Middle Fork Cascade River
Very cool to see that someone is using that trail! I did a bunch of work parties up there, the first one was just finding the trail and brushing it out so it was visible.
Posted by:
Muledeer on Jul 17, 2024 09:31 AM
C P on South Fork Cascade River, Middle Fork Cascade River
Hey Eldon! What are you doing Friday? I am thinking about going here for 3 days/2 nights and finding and fixing this to the end.
Posted by:
C P on Jul 17, 2024 10:37 AM
Eldon Jacobson on South Fork Cascade River, Middle Fork Cascade River
I have other commitments on this Sunday. I am trying to schedule this for Labor Day weekend with some friends and relatives. I do know I want to set up base camp farther along the trail (not at what I called the Big Rock camp), about where the trail starts to climb away from the river. This is around milepost 4.5 or 5. It is the last relatively flat spot next to the river. A short distance beyond the trail enters a small clearing filled with tall grass intermixed with stinging nettles.
Posted by:
Eldon Jacobson on Jul 17, 2024 05:21 PM
Eldon Jacobson on South Fork Cascade River, Middle Fork Cascade River
I forgot to mention that one reason I turned around was the heat. In the morning at the trailhead the temperature was 59 degrees, but as the day warmed up when I returned to the trailhead the air temperature was 80 degrees. I was wearing a short sleeve synthetic button shirt and shorts. Two times I doused my shirt in the river to help me stay cool. For me hiking in 80 degree weather is a no-go.
Posted by:
Eldon Jacobson on Jul 17, 2024 07:10 PM