Dingford Creek-Myrtle Lake — Wednesday, May. 6, 2026

How bad could the Dingford road really be? Well, it's pretty bad. In all these years, I don't think I've been on a worse forest service road. Before the Mount Pilchuck road was repaired, that was pretty bad. Hart's Pass road wasn't entirely too bad, just really high up with one trouble spot. But this road was bad.

Dingford Road doesn't waste any time with the bumps, rolling and rocking my rig, spilling my drink and knocking items items off the dash. Sharp rocks in the roadway threatened my tires and tree debris could be heard banging and clanging around on the undercarriage. But my Tundra 4x4 handled it all like a boss. Then came the washouts. My running boards scraped and smashed into rocks but I powered on until about the last half mile to the trailhead. There were some barricades moved to the side of the road and a white Audi SUV parked at a turn out. I got out of my truck, and surveyed the washout. I probably could've made it, but I didn't want to press my luck, so I joined the Audi in the turn out and geared up for the last half mile walk-in to the trailhead. 

At the trailhead was a Tacoma with a camper and when I returned after my hike, a smaller red jeep had joined the Tacoma. And as I was gearing down at my Tundra, a red dually truck came lumbering down the road. We had a brief conversation of the upcoming washout, and I told them I just wasn't comfortable going into it but there were two other vehicles at the trailhead that made it- they pressed on and successfully made it through the last washout. 

I started down the wrong trail to begin with- I was headed to Goldmyer when I wanted to head towards Myrtle Lake. I realized my mistake when I glanced at my GPS and remembered the trip report details of the trail starting up hill. I turned around, back to the trailhead and found the right trail- and it does start up hill right away. 

The first part of the trail is pretty good- lots of rocks but decent tread. There's one blowdown that destroyed the trail, and the trail was rerouted around it pretty easily. Before Pumpkinseed Falls there are massive downed trees that required me to climb over, and one in particular to drop pack and crawl under. I really can't wait until a work party comes up here and clears all of these trees. It will make the long trek to Myrtle/Hester a lot more enjoyable. Once the trail levels out, it's a really nice walk through the forest with a lot of shade. 

Once passed Pumpkinseed Falls, I continued on and noticed that the Devils Club and other prickly plants are starting to bloom and will eventually be overcrowding the trail. So, maybe within the month would be a good time to get out to the lakes if that's what you intend to do. Otherwise, you'll be dealing with an overgrown trail with plants that have spines. 

About a mile from the Hester Lake junction, I hit Goat Creek falls. It was a torrent of water raging through the creek with very minimal options to cross. I hiked/bushwhacked up the hillside taking note of all the Devils Club sprouting in the area- at one point I grabbed one not fully aware and got a handful of spines. The farther up the hillside following the creek, the more Devils Club and obstacles I ran into. I was able to find a crossing but it was not as sturdy as I had liked. It was submerged rocks with a broken log across the creek. I made it across but just barely. My foot, at one point, slipped into the creek, fully submerged so now I had a wet foot. I was high up on the hillside with a lot of down climbing to do with more water to encounter. My foot was soaked, my hand had spines in it from grabbing a Devils Club and I couldn't find a way to the trail. Frustration mounted. 

Whenever I feel like the mountain is beating me, I most always just let it win. I don't tend to push my luck. I'd rather turn back, regroup and try again later when conditions are better. As I started my down climb and headed back the way I came, I nearly tripped over a branch and face planted in the creek. The other option would've been to grab several Devils Club to ease my fall, but I was able to get my feet back under me and save myself from a pretty significant fall. Once I regained my footing, I stepped on two rocks to cross the creek and they both collapsed under my weight, and I got another wet foot. 

After all of that, the trek out was uneventful. I didn't see anyone else on the trail. 

I hiked around 5 miles, (.5 miles to the TH, and .5 back to the truck) and around 1,500 feet of vert. Not a bad day, a decent work out and hiked a trail I hadn't hiked before.