Boulder River Wilderness Area

I been really bad with this blog lately and I know a few of you want to know what I'm up to so it's time I started posting more. I promise I'll post more frequently!

Well after reading that the snow was deep after Otter Falls on the Taylor River Trail, I decided to go back once it was in much better condition and I could make it all the way to Big Creek Falls. My goal on the Taylor River Trail is to backpack all the way to Nordrum Lake and camp out by the lake and its waterfall. For now it is off limits seeing how there is 3 ft of snow at the lower elevation, I'm sure Nordrum Lake must have over 7 ft of snow.

So I decided to go to the Boulder River Wilderness Area after seeing how much water was flowing out of Feature Show Falls on some pictures from my hiking group NWHikers on some trip reports. Those pictures were not going to prepare me for how much water was really flowing through the river and its creeks!


The road up to the trail head was in pretty good condition, just a few potholes here and there. When I got to the trail head parking lot around 1 pm, there must have been at least a dozen cars park there. Every time I tell myself to get out early if I want to make it to a popular trail so I can beat the parking, but since I didn't leave till after 11:30 am, well finding parking was my consequence.

Got out and started hiking. I went passed the roar of Boulder Falls below the trail and decided I would leave that fall for last along with Feature Show Falls. I think I've gotten so good at telling the difference between a river gushing through its canyon to a river going over a waterfall. When I heard the river go from a "rushing" noise to a thunderous noise I knew if I looked carefully I should see the elusive Boulder Falls and have an idea of where to descend from the trail on my bushwhack down to the river bank. For the first time I was able to see glimpses of Boulder Falls through the trees.



The first one I got to was the tall small fall just before Feature Show Falls. It runs all year long even when it gets down to a trickle. I'm surprised that the Boulder River Trail is noted for its waterfalls on almost every hiking guide I have looked at, yet, only two falls have an official name. So I decided it was time to change that. So, I have named it "Mini Show Falls". I sat there and then I was joined by a French guy and his little kid and we chatted for a while. When I finished my picture taking I decided to press on to reach my goal of the campground 4miles away at the end of the trail.



It then started to hail lightly and I decided to come back to Feature Show Falls on the way back, adjacent to it though is another waterfall, this one is on the Boulder River itself and I'm just surprised how this obvious waterfall has no name! The river drops about 10-15 feet through these boulders it gets squeezed through on it's way down. So I named it "Boulder Squeeze Falls".






Then I went after the last known waterfall before Ditney Creek Falls which is hidden right after the campground past the end of the trail. This waterfall basically marks the midway point on the trail and every time I have been to this waterfall even late in the summer, this fall has a nice amount of water going over it and shows up on you guessed it... hiking guide books. Well time to name it: Unnamed Show Falls.


Now this is supposed to be the last known waterfall on the trail, but if you look at any topo map you'll notice there is another creek that empties right into the Boulder River and it has the same topography as the other two "Show" Falls. So I told myself to go find it and forget about making it to Ditney Falls and come back when I went backpacking. Now I came across some young hikers and asked them if there were any other waterfalls up the river and they said "nope, this is the last one". Well I decided to go with my gut and as I approached the creek where my map said it would be I notice water splashing off the side of the wall around the corner but there was barely a view. Then I got to a spot where it seemed the falls would be. I followed the sound of falling water and I went for it going into the bushes and at the river bank there it was! A waterfall! I decided to name it Hidden Show Falls. It drops about 80 feet or so and then if you look through the trees you see there are more falls. I'm going to guess it is about 160 ft.




I then decided to turn around and made my way back to Feature Show Falls to take some pics. It was around 5:30pm and I know once my camera starts snapping pictures I loose sense of time and I wanted to make it down to Boulder Falls on my way back to the car. Feature Show Falls is about 180 ft tall and it has a very distinct upside down "Y" shape as it comes down. It is very beautiful and I have never seeing it with so much and I guess someone decided that was the main feature and the name stuck.




Well by then it was 6:30 and I had to get to Boulder Falls and my goal was to be out of French Creek Road and SR-530 before it was dark and on to I-5. Last week my ABS came to life when I came within 10 ft of hitting a deer on U.S. 2 and on the way here I came across another deer running across the highway about 100 ft in front of me and I didn't have plans to hit a deer I couldn't see in the darkness on the way back home.

Well I finally heard Boulder Falls. Where the river went from a rushing noise to a thunderous noise I knew I was right above the falls. I then found a boot path and made my way down going over downed trees and my favorite plant in the world- Devil's Club (yeah right)!


As I was taking pictures I then noticed across the river there was some red markers. I'm guessing there must be a road there or some sort of path that doesn't show up on maps. Just found it weird for there to be markers there. Now I'm wondering if there is a way to get over to the other side down the river and make my way down to Half-Mile Falls, it does make you wonder especially since on the way up to the trail head you see some roads that spur of the main road.

It is not the tallest fall, but all the moss covered boulders and the gorge make this a very pretty waterfall. I could have sat there for a long time but by then it was 7:40 pm and there as still light out and it was time to get back to the trail and back to my car.


Made it back to my car by 7:50pm and was on I-5 by 8:20. If there is one thing I have to say I love about spring/summer (no, it isn't the heat or sun) it is that the sun sets down later as the season wears on.

Now why did I named all the other falls with "Show" in their name? Well if Feature Show Falls is the main feature, then the other ones are the previews and after-shows along the river, hehehe!

This is definitely my most favorite trail in the Cascades. Yeah there are more impressive waterfalls on other trails, but here all the greenery and the sound and sight of the Boulder River really makes me feel like I'm one with nature. No noise from cars or people, just nature. With Mt. Ditney covered completely in snow along with the surrounding peaks this river is going to be gushing for a long time this year. I didn't make it to the end of the trail at the campground, but I will be back later this month if not at the end of the week to get a backpacking trip under my belt for this season. Hopefully I can find someone to go with, otherwise I'm going at it solo!