2-18-13
After
a very strenuous snowshoe climb
the day before I was looking for an easier trip for the Presidents Day
holiday. Kim and Jonathan were free and we settled on the Lime Kiln
Trail. An easy walk along the old Monte Cristo railroad grade. The SF
Stillaguamish River roars by below. The trail goes by the old lime kiln
which was used to make mortar for cementing ties into rock along parts
of the old railroad grade. At the end of the trail is a spot where you
can drop to rocks along the river.
The trailhead is just outside of Granite Falls. It is only 7 miles round trip with 600' of elevation gain. We did not need an early morning start. It was 9:45 when we hit the trail. The first part is in a very green forest with moss draped and hanging from the trees. Soon the trail leaves forest for a section along an old road. Back on trail we dropped down along Hubbard Lake. Another road/trail brought us to a wide bridge. Here we met a hiker and his dog. The trail down to the railroad grade looked have had some recent work done. It is in good shape.
There were signs of a fairly recent mud slide. A big tree fell across the trail and has been cut out. A missing trestle requires the trail to drop to a narrow slick bridge. A sign at the trailhead mentioned a new bridge and I believe it will be here. Hiking with Kim and Jonathan means more photography and consequently a slower pace. There are a lot of things to see if you slow down and look closely. Kim is an expert at seeing things I normally speed past. It was fun to slow down and enjoy the trail and not just the miles.
There are more types of moss on this trail than almost anywhere else I hike. I had my DSLR for a change and that added to the fun. A few more groups passed us as we slowly worked our way down the trail. It was already 12:30 when we reached the river at the end of the trail. 3 1/2 miles in 2:45. The water level was low enough to allow us to walk well out from the shore. Placid water turns to white water at this spot. It was cold but a great spot for a lunch break.
Soon we were heading back. We first completed the loop at the end and dropped to the old trestle site where the railroad crossed the river. The cement support is till there. We took a lot less photos on the way back. There were several more groups coming in but a lot less than I was expecting on the holiday. While the sun never did come out it did not rain either. This was a great choice for the day. An easy hike, a shorter drive, and a lot of photo opportunities. This was my fourth of fifth visit since the trail opened and it will not be my last.
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Trips - 2013
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The trailhead is just outside of Granite Falls. It is only 7 miles round trip with 600' of elevation gain. We did not need an early morning start. It was 9:45 when we hit the trail. The first part is in a very green forest with moss draped and hanging from the trees. Soon the trail leaves forest for a section along an old road. Back on trail we dropped down along Hubbard Lake. Another road/trail brought us to a wide bridge. Here we met a hiker and his dog. The trail down to the railroad grade looked have had some recent work done. It is in good shape.
There were signs of a fairly recent mud slide. A big tree fell across the trail and has been cut out. A missing trestle requires the trail to drop to a narrow slick bridge. A sign at the trailhead mentioned a new bridge and I believe it will be here. Hiking with Kim and Jonathan means more photography and consequently a slower pace. There are a lot of things to see if you slow down and look closely. Kim is an expert at seeing things I normally speed past. It was fun to slow down and enjoy the trail and not just the miles.
There are more types of moss on this trail than almost anywhere else I hike. I had my DSLR for a change and that added to the fun. A few more groups passed us as we slowly worked our way down the trail. It was already 12:30 when we reached the river at the end of the trail. 3 1/2 miles in 2:45. The water level was low enough to allow us to walk well out from the shore. Placid water turns to white water at this spot. It was cold but a great spot for a lunch break.
Soon we were heading back. We first completed the loop at the end and dropped to the old trestle site where the railroad crossed the river. The cement support is till there. We took a lot less photos on the way back. There were several more groups coming in but a lot less than I was expecting on the holiday. While the sun never did come out it did not rain either. This was a great choice for the day. An easy hike, a shorter drive, and a lot of photo opportunities. This was my fourth of fifth visit since the trail opened and it will not be my last.
 Jon & Kim On Trail |
 Mossy Tree |
 Hanging Moss |
 Mossy Trail |
 Slippery Bridge |
 Kim & Mossy Logs |
 Colorful Fungus |
 Tiny Forest |
 Draped Moss |
 Bright Colors |
 Another Fungus |
 Bird's Nest Fungus |
 Broken Up Stump |
 Colorful Ferns |
 Another Fern Shot |
 The Lime Kiln |
 Small Mushroom |
 Orange Fungus |
 Miniature Forest |
 Placid River |
 Bunch Of Moss |
 Mossy Ground Cover |
 Looking Upriver |
 Looking Downriver |
 Silky Smooth |
 Glistening Rock |
 Railroad Bridge Support |
 No Leaves Yet |
 Dark & Light |
 Mossy Stump |
Trips - 2013
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