Snoquera Falls Loop, Buck Creek — Saturday, May. 12, 2007

Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410

A deserted parking lot at Camp Shepard was a surprise at 11:30 on Mothers Day. We thought a short trip to Snoquerra Falls would be just the thing. We headed north out of the parking lot to the amphitheater, turned right and took the left (less developed trail) to go towards the falls, thinking we would check out the nature trail (right path)on the way back. Work has been on-going on this trail, the blow downs increase as you go up. Nothing Maisie couldn’t leap up on or trot under, her humans managed with a few grunts. Lovely wildflowers, the last of the trillium at the start, many orchids along the trail through the woods, and chocolate lilies??? – those green and brown bell-shaped ones - near the waterfall. More varieties looked to be ready to burst open at any time. Trails are a little confusing, follow the signs to Snoquera Falls. We forded the stream below the falls and scrambled up along the old water pipe to the plunge pool on the left side looking upstream. Lots of spray and volume. Definitely cool. We decided not to do the loop because we remembered the ugliness of transecting the rock slide west of the falls a few years ago. Instead we branched onto bits of the White River Trail and Buck Creek Trail to lengthen our loop back. We were aiming for the nature trail near Camp Shepard but somehow ended up on Hwy 410 instead. Quite a few more pooches in the parking lot when we returned. We spoke to some people who did do the loop and found it passable with a small child and 2 dogs.