Sunday, June 9, 2024
After yesterday’s hikes in the area of Fifteenmile Creek I camped that night, and this morning I hiked the Eighmile Loop Trail.
I started at the Bottle Prairie Trailhead and headed east on the Bottle Prairie Trail:
I reached the junction where I would take the right fork for the Eightmile Loop Trail, but briefly detoured to the left for Perry Point:
Not sure why, but a bunch of trees had been cut down:
I reached Perry Point and the large tree that used to have a crow’s nest lookout in it:
You can still see a board or two hanging out up there:
An old ceramic phone insulator embedded in the trunk:
There are some weathered boards on the ground too:
Heading back to the junction I now had a view of Lookout Mountain:
Eightmile Point:
I reached the junction and turned left, heading toward Fivemile Butte:
The trail crosses Road 120 and continues on the other side:
This next stretch was quite lovely with open meadow parkland in ponderosa pine forest:
Another view of Lookout Mountain:
I reached the top of Fivemile Butte where a short side trail heads into the trees to the fire lookout. The renters weren’t present so I took my time looking around:
A trail beyond the tower leads to a viewpoint of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams:
Near the tower is a spot where you can get a peek at Mt. Hood through the trees:
After a short break I returned to the main trail where I spotted a doe cross the trail and head into the trees where she enjoyed some leafy snacking. I left her alone while I photographed the plethora of lupine that was blooming:
And yet more balsamroot:
Shortly after I took the photo I below I heard the distinct sounds of a dog owner shouting at their dog. The doe I had seen a few minutes earlier came bounding out of the woods being chased by said dog. Fortunately the doe was faster. The dog gave up the chase but continued running around crazily. The whole time the out-of-sight owner was yelling for the dog to come back. The dog totally ignored her. A few moments later the owner came into view. She was on a mountain bike with several other people. I told her that her dog had been chasing a deer. “I know,” she said, then yelled to her dog “don’t do that!” Dogs are required to be under control at all times. If your dog doesn’t respond to voice commands your dog is not under your control.
Saddened by the callous disregard for wildlife I had just witnessed I continued on:
The trail began switchbacking down the eastern slope of Fivemile Butte. The forest had been thinned here so it felt more open and wildflowers were in bloom:
The trail then entered a much denser forest that had not been thinned:
At the bottom I reached a junction. Eightmile Crossing Campground was to the left. I turned right:
I could hear Eightmile Creek off to my left as I hiked west, but couldn’t see it until the trail crossed it via a footbridge:
I continued west upstream along the creek until reaching the Bottle Prairie Trailhead. This was a lovely hike and I seem to have hit the timing just right with the wildflowers!
Gaia stats: 7.3 miles, 1,100′ elevation gain
