Trip Report
Taylor River
Solo trip with my dog to Otter Falls on a foggy, rainy fall day.
Courtenay Schurman
- Tue, Oct 15, 2024
- Taylor River
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road rough but passable
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Fall leaves and fog/rain make this rocky trail a little more dicey than usual. Stream beds are all passable right now. Anyone uncertain of their footing would benefit from having at least one trekking pole. Fall colors include yellow and brown (no vibrant reds or oranges like higher alpine) but the mushrooms are fantastic. Nobody else was on the trail. Left the parking lot at 7:35 a.m. and returned at 10:55 a.m. One other car (a fisherman) was in the lot when we returned.
A foggy morning in the dark made the curving Middle Fork road a little daunting, but it's been freshly paved with white lines so high beams helped. The last .25 mile to the parking lot has several potholes, but drive slowly and you will be fine. 7 bird species, lots of chipmunks, and a ton of mushrooms. It started foggy and turned to mist, but I didn't need rain gear or gaiters. The grade is very mild, it didn't feel like we'd gained 1150'. We went at a faster pace than usual (2.5-3 mph) since it was so flat. The 200-foot climb to the Falls looks like it can be done by any number of routes. It's the only time it felt like we gained any elevation.