Early in September while I was backpacking in the Fish creek area I spent a night where Pick Creek empties into Wash Creek. While there I noticed some flagging for a trail and on the next day followed the trail for about 6 kilometers. Realizing that I had other places to go I turned around and headed back, although I should have just followed it to its end (or starting point) and adjusted my schedule. That said what can anyone tell me about this trail, I don’t seem to find any mention about it, I’m assuming it starts somewhere along forest road 45 or 4550 (Memaloose road). I would note that the only thing needed now is a short section of trail cut along Wash Creek to the old bridge across Fish Creek to connect up with the trail following Fish Creek.
Interesting,
Thanks for sharing your Fish Creek adventures. I love that area
Great find. Looking at old maps I think you might have found remnants of the old Cold Springs trail. How far up were you able to follow it? Any photos?
I made it about six kilometers (3.4miles) up the trail. I have a geocache in the area where Pick creek feeds into Wash creek and have visited the area around every other year. This was the first time I've seen the flagging that far down and I would say that it's no more than a few years old if that. The trail was quite easy to follow and looked like parts of it had been recently worked on. If I can find the trailhead, I had thought about using it as my entry point next year for the Skookum lake campout.
A couple of weeks ago I was camping at where Pick Creek feeds into Wash Creek. I took a day and followed the trail I found last year until I found the trail head. The trail was pretty easy to follow, although a few spots were lacking in flagging tape. I confirmed the trail name, Cold Springs trail no 519. You would never find the trail driving along the forest road as there are no markings or indication that a trail exists. The trail sign is about 30 meters off the road and thats probably why it's in pristine condition (if you can't see it, you can't shoot holes in it). It also states that Wash Creek is only 3.4 miles down it. GPS coordinates for the trail head are WGS84 N45°03.843' W122°13.684', from there you just have to look for the sign to find the trail. I added a couple of pictures Showing the trail head sign, a water feature along the trail, and the last two of Pick Creek where I camped at.