Skookum Flats trail and waterfall

 

Skookum Falls

We missed the hike last week so it had been two weeks and it was a good thing that this week the hike was easy and on a relatively level trail through the forest.  We started at 2200 ft elevation and probably did not climb more than 300 feet coming or going.  It was cloudy, sunny (very short period), and finally rain.  But fortunately we were back to the parking lot at the trail head by the time the real rain started so did not get too wet after all.

Trail through the woods

Located near Enumclaw, Washington, the Skookum Flats trail follows along the White River through the forest.   This is a nice trail with a spongy natural covering not gravel or hard packed dirt.  There was some mud in places and even standing water in others since it has been raining for several days but all in all not too bad.  The destination for us yesterday was a view of the waterfall.  That was a little more than 2 miles in and made for an approximately 4 mile round trip.  The trail continues for some distance further but we did not do that this time.  After missing a week it was about all my legs wanted to do anyway.  The cough that has plagued me for a couple of weeks or more did not help much either. 

 

One section of the trail was filled with downed trees.  It looked as if a huge windstorm had done the damage.  The logs had been cut to clear the trail area but the trees were still lying in tangled piles like giant match sticks all around.  It was very impressive.

Our eyes were looking for wildflowers and we were not disappointed.  I lost count of the numbers and varieties.  The highlight for me was finding a wild orchid growing in the woods.  So tiny only the pink color drew the eye to the two little Calypso orchids growing by the trailside.   The lens on my small camera is really not sufficient to do due justice to a small flower like this but one shot wasn’t too bad.

Calypso Orchid

 
This little orchid is sometimes called a “fairy slipper” since it is a tiny version of the larger Lady Slipper.

Lupine

Coral root, just popping up not in full bloom

Vanilla Leaf

Miterwort or Bishop’s Cap

Pinesap flower – this will grow to about 12 to 18 inches high and have flowers. 

Wild Ginger

Wild ever bearing Strawberries

Bunchberries