Friday, we hiked the Blodgett Canyon Overlook. This trail is a favorite of ours for a last minute evening hike, due to the easily attainable 2.8 mile total distance out and back. While the trail itself is not the most appealing trail in the Bitterroot Mountains, the views it provides are nothing short of awe inspiring.
Yesterday, we played hooky and took our first hike up Camas Creek Trail No. 125 to Camas Lake. It will not be our last. Despite being somewhat strenuous in incline, it was a gorgeous climb that ended in a pristine alpine lake with several excellent campgrounds. We cannot wait to come back and backpack up for a few nights of camping.
The drive up to Camas Creek Trail is looooong. The paved part is not so bad, but once you hit FR496, it’s gravel for SIX MILES, which you have to take at 10-20 miles an hour because its full of wicked ruts and your truck is only two wheel drive! (I mean our truck is only two wheel drive. Too bad we couldn’t see the future when we bought it back in 2011.)
Important note about the Camas Creek Trail: FR 496 is close to impassible until the snow has completely melted in the summer. We tried to do this hike in June, but the ice was so thick and slippery across the narrow gravel road that we actually had to back down the mountain half a mile before we found somewhere we could turn around and drive back down to Coyote Coulee, the lower, non ice covered trail at the base of the mountain below.
Arriving at the trailhead, we found ample parking but only one car. (Awesome!) When we first started hiking in the mountains last year as newly transplanted California suburbanites whose previous relationship with nature consisted mainly of beaches, parks and short vacations at the cabin, we were admittedly unnerved by an empty trail. (We were also afraid of the dark. Eeek, is that a WOLF? What was that sound??? But I digress.) Now, nothing is more exciting than an empty trailhead. Aside from the CRAZY, mind blowing concept of literally being the only people for miles, it’s nice to know you won’t be running into Dolly Dog Wrangler and her eight insane and untrained dogs running amok off-leash. A peaceful, deserted trail is bliss.
Pastures + Pine 