Mill Creek
We had just finished Red Elephant Hill and it was raining. We looked over to where the Mill Creek trail was and it was really pouring. Did we still want to run it? Yes! We started on the western end this time.
It was a bumpy trail from the start, and the rain had stopped by the time we got to the first creek crossing. It was really scenic, and we hung out there for a bit enjoying our time in an open area instead of surrounded by trees. But we had rocks to see so we headed up the hill.
It's definitely some bumpy fun on the western half, and the climb was a good one. There were multiple lines through many of the rocky spots and it gave everyone a challenge if they wanted it.
After bumping and bouncing our way through the trail we got to the Empire Hilton. The forest service had roped off the area immediately next to the cabin so we had to park next to it in a designated parking area that was pretty big. The forest service had even marked the cabin.
It was just as well stocked as it had been the last time we were there, though it seemed to be a lot cleaner and more organized. You could tell that people really loved the cabin and it was taken care of by many. It's not a huge cabin, though, and Jeffrey was definitely too tall to get through the door without crouching.
We hung out by the cabin for a while, chatting and laughing. Bob found he was too tall for the newer Wrangler after checking out Ben's Jeep. It's always nice to go car shopping in the middle of the woods.
After leaving the Empire Hilton we headed back down to the eastern side of the trail. It's twistier on that end and there seemed to be more rocks. There was a section with a really big rock in it, though you could get around it. It was wet after the rain and it would have been a big challenge in the other direction. We still banged and bumped our way down it.
We came to a truck going the other way and we were working our way around him when Monica and Karen spotted a big spider in the Jeep. They both bolted out of the Jeep, and Matt saved the day by killing the beast. The truck driver had a laugh, at least.
When we got to the end of the trail it was still rainy and chilly. We took the Red Elephant Hill shortcut south a little way to intersect with Bill Moore Lake and out to the pavement. A few of us stopped at Jenny's for dinner and it was so good. We'll definitely be back for dinner there again. It was a great day.
Reports from Other Days: 5
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Mill Creek. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
