There was a sign at the trailhead stating "area closed, prescribed burning planned this fall". We ignored it, assuming it was a leftover from last year, but later came across a freshly burned area and fire equipment, oops! Check https://www.cdlandtrust.org/trails-access/trail-conditions before going; looks like the area is fully open again as of 5/4/2026.
Hiked a counterclockwise, 4-mile lollipop loop via the Rat Creek Ridge and Canyon Crest trails.
Road Conditions. Mountain Home Rd is getting a bit 3-dimensional, so high-clearance and AWD seem like a good idea, especially when wet. That said, we did cross a Tesla... There is ongoing construction ~2 miles north of the trailhead. No active work today, but signage indicated that the road there will only be open for 15min every hour during construction.
Trail Conditions. The trails were all clear, and easy to follow.
Highlights. Nice views into the Icicle Creek valley, and lots of wildflowers in bloom (balsamroot at peak, lupin just starting).
Crowds. Despite the closure, we encountered half a dozen other parties on the trail, all on foot. Plenty of parking.
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