Catherine Creek - Natural Arch, Catherine Creek - Universal Access Trail — Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

I’m down in the Gorge for my annual spring wildflower trip, and after battling the crowds on a few other hikes, I chose this quieter corner this afternoon.

I started by doing the Natural Arch loop counterclockwise. As I had hoped, bitterroot is starting to bloom, although I saw only two, both on the rocks near the start of the CCW route. On the Arch side, there were logs and rocks to help with the Catherine Creek crossing, although they were a little lopsided and warranted some careful consideration, at least at current creek levels.

After completing the Arch loop I crossed the road to walk the ADA trail. It was my first time and I was impressed by what a beautiful trail it was. Good interpretative signs and many benches and great viewpoints. Also lots of good bird watching.