Afoot and Afield: Portland/Vancouver. Douglas Lorain

peak and then stays level or goes gradually downhill for a little less than a mile before reaching a small brown sign marking the junction with Wildcat Trail 156.

      The recommended loop turns sharply back to the right here, climbing very steeply for a few hundred yards to the top of a viewless knoll and then descending a little ridge to the south. The downhill along this ridge is gentle for most of the first 0.5 mile, but as the little ridge peters out, the pace of the descent quickens. A few miniature switchbacks help somewhat, but generally you steeply descend the forested hillside. For a short time the pace lessens as the ridge reappears, but this respite is followed by nine very steep switchbacks. You know you are near the bottom when you start to hear the sound of crashing Wildcat Falls, in the canyon on your left, and come to a rocky overlook above the falls. From this viewpoint the trail descends six more switchbacks to a stunning viewpoint near the base of the falls’ 100-foot sheer drop. From here the trail follows the creek downstream for 0.2 mile to a junction just above Siouxon Creek.

      The trail to the right goes down 50 yards to a knee-deep ford of Siouxon Creek. Since you still have those wading shoes, this ford should be no problem. A short distance up the south bank is a campsite and a junction with the Siouxon Creek Trail. If you want to extend the trip a bit, bear left at the junction on the north side of Siouxon Creek, hop across Wildcat Creek, and then climb upstream for 0.5 mile through lovely forests to a junction with the Chinook Trail. Bear right (downhill) and drop to a rock-hop crossing just below 50-foot-high Chinook Falls. To close out the loop, walk downstream past a couple of campsites and across a wooden bridge over Siouxon Creek. Turn right at a junction on the opposite side of the bridge and walk 3.7 miles along the scenic Siouxon Creek Trail back to your car.

      TRIP 3 Siouxon Creek Trail

      

Distance		7.6 miles, Out-and-back
Elevation Gain		700 feet
Hiking Time		3½ to 4 hours
Optional Map		Green Trails Lookout Mountain
Usually Open		March to November
Best Times		Mid-May to mid-June
Trail Use		Good for kids, dogs OK, backpacking option, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing
Agency		Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Difficulty		Moderate
Note		Good in cloudy weather

      HIGHLIGHTS This is the premier hike in the Siouxon Creek drainage. There are no grand viewpoints, but the glories of two Pacific Northwest trademarks, forests and streams, are nowhere on better display than here. A cloudy day is as good as a clear one because the forests and waterfalls are spectacular even in the gloom.

      DIRECTIONS Begin by driving to Battleground, either by going north on State Highway 503 from Interstate 205, or by going east on State Highway 502 from Exit 9 off Interstate 5. From the intersection of the two state highways in the middle of Battleground, proceed north on Highway 503 for 16.8 miles and turn right on N.E. Healy Road just after you pass the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument headquarters.

      After 9.2 miles on N.E. Healey Road, bear left at a poorly signed junction and travel on single-lane, paved Forest Road 57. Drive another 1.3 miles, and then turn sharply left on often unsigned Forest Road 5701. Follow this rough, paved road for 3.7 miles to its end at a trailhead parking lot.

      The trail departs from the north side of the lot and drops 50 feet to an intersection with the Siouxon Creek Trail. You turn right and descend through a lovely forest composed predominantly of western hemlocks. On the forest floor are lots of downed nurse logs, mosses, sword fern, and oxalis. After 0.1 mile of downhill, you reach the creek bottom and cross West Creek on a flat-topped log bridge. The walls of the lush side canyon holding this creek are draped with mosses and ferns. Immediately after the bridge, you pass the first of many excellent creekside campsites. After this camp, the trail travels in small ups and downs, gradually making its way uphill but staying about 50 feet above the clear waters of Siouxon Creek. About 0.9 mile from the trailhead is the signed junction with the Horseshoe Ridge Trail (Trip 4).

      The Siouxon Creek Trail goes straight and does a series of small ups and downs, alternating between creek-level flats covered with a tangle of junglelike vegetation, and hillsides sprouting tall cedars, firs, and hemlocks. Several tiny tributary creeks cross the trail, providing ample water for plants like devil’s club and salmonberry. You cross Horseshoe Creek on a plank bridge just above lacy Horseshoe Creek Falls and, about 100 yards later, come to a junction with a 180-yard spur trail to a viewpoint at the base of the falls.

      About 0.2 mile after Horseshoe Creek Falls is a camp with a little wooden bench where you can sit and enjoy a classic view of nearby Siouxon Falls, a twisting cataract with a deep swimming hole at its base. A short distance farther upstream is a smaller waterfall with an equally good but not-as-popular swimming hole. At both locations the water is very cold. As you continue hiking on this lovely path, you pass numerous unsigned side trails leading to terrific campsites and lunch spots that are perfect places for the kids to play or for adults to quietly contemplate nature.

      Horseshoe Creek Falls

      About 0.8 mile above Siouxon Falls is the unsigned junction with the upper end of the Horseshoe Ridge Trail bearing uphill to the right. You stay straight on the lower path and walk 0.7 mile to a second junction right next to a bridge. The official Siouxon Creek Trail continues straight, reaching Forest Road 58 in about 4.5 miles. A more attractive route turns left and crosses the bridge above a deep pool of water. You then climb past two excellent camps and follow Chinook Creek upstream to the base of Chinook Falls, a 50-foot drop over a sheer cliff.

      You can turn around here, but for even more scenery, you can cross Chinook Creek and traverse a hillside to a junction with the Chinook Trail. Turn left here and travel downhill for 0.5 mile to a simple crossing of Wildcat Creek, a little above where this stream joins Siouxon Creek. To visit 100-foot-high Wildcat Falls, turn right at a junction and climb 0.2 mile to a viewpoint at the base of this falls. To close out the trip, either return the way you came, or, if it is late summer and you are willing to get wet, turn left at the junction below Wildcat Falls and drop to a knee-deep ford of Siouxon Creek. Wading shoes and a walking stick may come in handy, depending on the water level. On the opposite bank, an obvious use trail climbs about 100 feet back to the Siouxon Creek Trail.

      TRIP 4 Horseshoe Ridge Loop

      

Distance		10.4 miles, Loop
Elevation Gain		2700 feet
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