Big Creek Loop

A waterfall on Branch Creek Thursday

I forced myself to take it a bit easier for this hike; instead of Mount Rose I did the Big Creek loop.  It’s been years since I’ve done the entire loop.  I find the first half of the loop to be prettier and shorter.  But now with the re-routing of the bridge both halves of the loop from the Ellinor connector trail is pretty much the same distance.  I’m glad I did the whole loop as I found oyster mushrooms and got to see all the wonderful bridges.  The Mount Rose trail crew does such a great job here.  I noticed that few new benches have been installed and the bridge over the dry creek has been resurfaced. 

I took my tea at the look out and found lot’s of bear grass up there.  I wanted to wander up into the forest on the lower Ellinor trail but I forced myself to take it easy.    I started my hike at 9am and finished at about 2pm. 

The campground gate was open, but I did not have my forest pass with me, so I had to park outside the gate instead of at the trail head.  It’s not legal for the forest service to charge us just to park and hike, but I don’t feel like fighting a ticket.  I got a giggle out of what was done to one of the pass required signs.

8 miles with 1,700 feet elevation gain.

Trees are marked, maybe to be cut at Big Creek on Thursday

Bridge at Branch Creek on Thursday

This creek has been dry year round for several years now but the bridge
just got upgraded anyway and it needed it.



Allotropa virgata

Allotropa virgata

This property was given back the the tribe.  The tribe will now
charge for boat launching, but not for picnic parking.  Seems fair
boat owners have boatloads of money.



Stopped to tye my boot and noticed the moss Hylocomnium splendens

Lunch on Mount Ellinor

Bear grass ready to be hauled off by brush pickers

Marked tree at Big Creek camp might be cut down

Marked trees at Big Creek camp might be cut down for
added campsites

Oyster mushrooms

Amanita

Allotropa virgata

Thank you Mount Rose trail crew
The bridges on this trail are amazing.

9th circuit court of appeals has ruled that it is not legal for the forest service
to charge people just to park and hike.  But the forest service still puts these signs up.

Wild Rhododendron

8 miles with 1,700 feet elevation gain
Bad track log today, this hike is really just 6.5 miles at most