A trail all to ourselves

Coppertone and I started our Oregon hiking adventure with a hike to Fall Creek Falls.  We had seen indications that trails in the area were to be reopened on June 1st but the parking area was still closed off for some reason.  We saw no sign at the trailhead indicating the trail was closed.

It was rainy yesterday so the trail was quite muddy in spots.  It was something we would encounter on several of our waterfall hikes through the week.

At one point the trail passes through an enormous boulder that has split into two chunks.  We passed through the slightly claustrophobic passage without difficulty.

The area obviously had suffered a great deal from recent fires that had devastated Oregon.  Blackened trees and fallen trunks made for a solemn path uphill despite there being obvious signs of renewal.  Workers have done a fine job clearing obstacles from the trail however.  At no point was the trail blocked in any way.

When approaching Fall Creek Falls the temperature drops and the crashing waters create a thunderous cacophony.  The trail continues from the falls base to a midsection with a wood railing overlook and then continues to the top of the falls where there is a bridge and National Forest road.

It is only here on the National Park road that we spot a sign that indicates the trail is closed.  This could help explain why we didn't see another soul on the trail during the entirety of our trip.

On the way back to our starting point we stop to observe an American Dipper parent feeding its young in a calm pool.  The parent repeatedly dove into the water to fetch a larva or some other small critter from the depths and then deliver it to the hungry chick twittering nearby.  It was quite entertaining to watch.

In the end we logged a bit less than 3 miles in less than 2 hours.  It looks like the trail repairs have gone well.