Staircase Rapids — Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025

The road is closed at the park boundary due to a washout at the entry booth, but the extra 1.2-mile road walk was very pleasant, allowing our group to enjoy views of the river, small waterfalls and a herd of elk grazing along the roadside.  They quickly disappeared uphill before we could get very close.  The trail itself was in surprisingly good shape given all the winter rains and wind.  We encountered five trees down across the trail but all were easily stepped over and offered no challenges.  Numerous muddy spots were likewise no deterrent and it was good to note that people are not walking around them widening the trail and destroying vegetation.  The rapids were spectacular as were the abundance of mosses and ferns.  Once reaching the bridge, we enjoyed the sun-dappled crystal clear pools and then decided to retrace our route instead of completing the loop so we could enjoy the river views in reverse. Total distance hiked: 4.2 miles.  It was a magical day in a magnificent place!