Hood - Eagle Creek Trail

07/03/2020 (sih, cvg) Rather nice, despite longish drive to start (Harvey Rd Trailhead); some confusion on Google Maps this time sent us on 45 minute wild goose chase. Last mile of road still badly potholed, but seemed less awful than before. Surprisingly busy (July 4th weekend, covid cabin fever?) with five cars at parking; most seemed to be camping, a couple of other day hikers. Two good lunch spots (first one occupied by campers). The first 2/10ths mile of trail on old abandoned dirt road very recently bulldozed to 30 ft wide road that terminates in large flat area just as trail enters National Forest. Not clear what the reason is for road; future parking (currently blocked to vehicles)?


08/18/2017 Three miles out/three miles back. Total trail is over six miles one way. Decent hike; main attraction is trail seems to be seldom used. Trail starts from parking area, down decommissioned dirt road for rather bleak half mile, then enters Salmon-Huckleberry wilderness (from BLM property) and things improve, with nice mixed forest, with some large trees. Trail parallels Eagle Creek, but from high up the valley wall, so the creek is seen and heard, but we found only a single spot ("Picnic") where you could actually get to the water. Trail rather overgrown in many spots with bushes encroaching on trail; numerous seeps but no water to cross in the three miles we did.
Eagle Creek Trailhead about 18 miles and 40 minutes from Hwy 26/Firman Road; paved until last two miles, then things get rough; a number of formidable deep swales and potholes from logging trucks would make for tough going for low ground clearance vehicles. Assumed grim No Trespassing signage by Weyerhaeuser applies to getting off the road. Room for three or four cars on shoulder. Look for tiny brown vertical 3-5E-13.4 road sign.
sih, cvg, braxton