The hike to Tunnel Creek showed up in my Strava feed, and with no firm plans for the weekend, off I went. The views looked nice and the hike wasn’t an elevation or distance killer so it wouldn’t consume the entire day. I also really love hiking along creeks & rivers to photograph baby waterfalls.

I pass the Heyday Farm frequently and enjoy photographing the ever changing scene. This morning it was nearly all fog until I arrived in Quilcene.

Trail

The trail is in great shape and it’s evident recent work has been done to improve it, especially along a few sections which appear to have experienced small slides.

As do most Olympics trails, this one started in the woods at the end of a long, dead-end gravel road.

Much of the trail is along the Tunnel Creek, sometimes within sight, nearly always within sound. There are many small waterfalls and I’m sort of addicted to photographing them.

The trail is of moderate grade (compared to most Olympics trails anyway) until crossing the footbridge over Tunnel Creek, then it turns up.

Per the trip reports, there are two lakes, though the first was more pond and the larger, Harrison Lake, wasn’t that attractive and looked a bit stagnant. It was certainly nothing like the beautiful lakes of the Grand Valley.

After many stops along the trail to photograph flora and fauna, I arrived at the end of the trail – or so I thought! I never bothered to look at the map to check I, in fact, reached Valhalla Peak and reviewing the map later confirmed I had not. Argh!

In any event, I enjoyed my afternoon coffee and the views of Mt Constance & Mt Rainer and then headed back down to the truck. I’m excited to return and actually do the entire hike.

Mushrooms, Berries, & Butterflies

Huckleberry & mushroom season is upon us. I saw so many species of mushrooms and was particularly excited to see chicken of the woods throughout the hike.