Getting There
I was already at the Blue Lake Trailhead. I headed back down NF-8123 to NF-81. I parked at an unnamed forest road. It was about 6.2 miles.
This was a bonus hike. I had originally thought I could head to the 83
road to find some visitors to interact with but decided against it. I'd
been wanting to hike this waterfall for awhile but it also seemed like
it was busy with people. There was only one other car parked across the road.
The Hike
Length: 4.05 mi
Elev. gain: 312 ft
Moving time: 1:14:55
Avg pace: 18:31
Calories: 758
Total time: 1:16:58
I took my bear spray because I was feeling a bit vulnerable. At the Kalama HC, there was a sign on the bathroom that said "Don't leave food. Bear in the area."
About 1/4 mile from the car, I saw that other hiker. I knew I was now alone, unless someone had accessed the falls from a different starting point. I walked briskly and kept my eye on the trees on either side of the road.
I passed the trail but decided to stay on the forest road for awhile longer.
I finally reached the falls trailhead and dipped off the forest road. I started saying "Hey bear" over and over. I did see several large piles of poop. I doubted it was dogs or horses and suspected it was bear scat. Yikes.
The falls are very picturesque but I felt rushed. I wanted to snap some pictures and start heading back to the car.
I would like to come back and bring some friends to check it out. Safety in numbers. The trek back seemed longer than the trip to the falls. I was happy to finally see the gate and FS-81.
