Foothills Trail: Cascade Junction Trail

* Enumclaw North * Enumclaw South * Enumclaw Undeveloped Section *

* Buckley North * Buckley South * Cascade Junction Trail * C J Trail 2 * Cascade Junction Bridge *

* Carbonado * Wilkeson * South Prairie East * South Prairie West * Orting East * Orting West *

* Other Users * Volunteers * Foothills Trail Coalition * Foothills Trail Map * Flooded Foothills Trail *

* Introduction * Wheels in the Garden * Wheels Outside the Garden * Foothills TOT *

This section picks up where the Buckley South portion of the trail left off.

Although this section of the trail is open, it isnot developed much except for removing the rails and ties. It is possible that it will be paved in 2010.

Since it was impassible for my trike, I decided to explore it on my mountain bike. (The hospital bracelet on the handlebars is a reminder to me not to get crazy, following the broken bones in my first week on this bike, twenty-five years ago.

It doesn't take long before you come to the mud.

 

Since the trail is remote and almost unused, an occasional ATV ride will illegally venture onto it. I didn't encounter any other people today.

I did make the acquaintance of a very unfriendly pit bull terrier. His deep, loud voice spurred me on a little faster.

An iron water spring fed a small stream beside the trail.

The trail, currently a single track in places, goes under the highway 164 bridge.

Past the bridge, the land to the left drops off toward the valley floor, and Spiketon Creek tumbles down the side. The trail here begins a large circle to descend at a grade a train could handle. This will make for an easy climb back, once the trail is paved.

Easy riding now. This area wil be quite lush when the leaves come out.

Down at the bottom of the canyon at the end of the big circle, the old Spiketon Trestle has already been upgraded to a new trail bridge.

There is a great deal of ground water here, hence the mud. Along the banks, water gushes out to feed the moss.

As the rail bed gradually descends further, it cuts through a small hill to maintain an even grade.

This bridge will brobably be replaced with other trail improvements.

Halfway around the circle, the trail comes out on a small road. Across the road is the big surprise.

The next section of the trail is already paved. It is not open yet, but bodes well for a sooner completion than I had expected.

From here, the trail continues around the curve (see Foothills Trail map), across the new trestle bridge, and over to the triple arch bridge pictured on the next page.