July, 2024
This morning I woke to another gorgeous, bright sunny day. I put on my hiking boots and headed out the door to find out if what the internet said was true, that there was a trail along the north side of the Satsop River. The Satsop river runs right along the northern edge of this campground.
[Note … blog reader Steve W asked in his comment to the first blog post of this camping trip if he remembered correctly that there was a trail here, and if I’d hiked along this trail … I did Steve, and your memory is perfect.]
The campground is on the south side of the river. You can get down to the river at a few places from inside the campground, on the south side of the river. But the longer trail runs along the opposite side, the north side of the river. I walked out to the road, outside of the campground, and then walked across the bridge over the Satsop River, to get to the north side of the river. And then I found the trail. That internet map was spot on!
As I was starting my trek along the trail, I met two very nice adults with three very active children … all of whom were having a wonderful time. Have to admit I was glad they were just ending their hike and were leaving the trail, those kids were active! Other than those folks, I saw no one on the trail during the three hours I spent on that trail. I could see a few people on the campground side (the south side) of the river, but none on the north side where I was. Well, ok, I saw birds, and fish, and I probably saw small mammals and bugs. So, I guess I did see lots of lovely people. 🙂
At the beginning of the trail was the sign below. Click to enlarge … take a look at the map in the lower right corner. I walked along the river trail to the point where it turned inland, and then I turned around and came back along the same river trail.
So, let me start at the beginning of the trail, where that large BLACK star is in the sign above. Around the first corner of this trail, it opened up to the grassy area below and a sign that said “East to the right” and “West to the left”. It didn’t say anything about the river, but I figured the river had to be to the right, east, and so that’s where I went. East. In between those trees, through the dark spot there.
Ah, the Satsop River. 🙂
The Satsop River is a really pretty river. I wish I had remembered to take a video so you could hear it, such a restful sound. On the other hand, as in the photo above, the moving water does eat away at the river bank and sometimes a tree will fall. But that’s all part of regular life here. (click to enlarge photos)
The photo below shows another spot where the river bank was washed away and what the result was for that tree.
The trail/path here was so pretty. It was narrow and didn’t seem used a lot, but I liked it that way. 🙂
In the photo below, you can see a couple of people out on that gravel bar in the distance. They were on the campground side of the river.
For the photo below, I’d just come out onto a gravel bar on my side of the river, just shy of a 90-degree bend in the river, to find a fisher-person fly-casting. I snapped several photos and then finally got this perfect one (below) of the line in the air and the sunlight glittering off the water droplets along the line. Later this same day, back in the campground, I walked around until I found that fisher-person. We had a great conversation. I showed her the photos I’d taken; she loved them! She gave me her email address and I emailed all the photos to her. And she gave me permission to use this photo in my blog post of this camping trip. It was such a joy to have that interaction. People are so wonderful, aren’t they?
Anyway, back to my morning walk along the north side of the Satsop River …
Even the path itself was fascinating, with the roots and dried leaves and green plants and splashes of sunshine.
Eventually I reached the part of the trail where it turned and went inland. So I turned around and came back along that same trail, along the river. And then I arrived back at the bridge, and crossed back over the Satsop River, and walked back to the campground and my trailer/home … Towhee the Trailer.
What a perfect morning.
Oh, that was lovely, thank you!
You are welcome. 🙂
All the flowers and plants and fungus. I think I can smell that fresh air! 🙂
Oh, I wish I could share the smell online. It was wonderful.
That interaction with the woman who was fishing was super. So glad you found her and, of course, you made a friend. It’s a great photo!!
A friend indeed, whether I ever see her again. 🙂
I LOVE the photos of the plants. 🙂 thank you. But the river is so sweet too.
The plants and flowers were spectacular. Thanks Ruby.
We’re in Hawaii for a couple of weeks, on Maui. Oh my gosh it’s great here. But it’s dry. We’re both hungry to get back to the west coast of the USA and the luscious wet, green world we’re used to, just like in your blog post here! What a great story of photographing and then finding that fisherwoman, so cool. And a perfect photo! 🙂
Ah, Hawaii, good for you folks! A friend of mine is there too right now. I’ve loved visiting those islands. And, maybe like you folks, I do love the Pacific NW even more, even with the rain. 🙂 Safe travels, Jamie.
Oh you went! Yay! Isn’t that a nice little hike? The hike through all of the trails up into the woods is nice too, but the walk along the river is the best part. Glad you went. 🙂 Isn’t it great to meet new people? Beauty of a photo.
Yes, I went! 🙂 Thanks for that comment earlier Steve. It was perfect. And so was this walk. I’m glad you remember it too. Yep, new friends. 🙂
LOL! I laughed out loud at your comments about the “active children”. Holy smokes, after many decades of RVing, we know what you mean. Inside a home/house, there’s insulation and distance from neighbors, but outdoors and/or in an RV, that separation doesn’t exist. So many parents take their kids camping, out to explore the world, in tents or a tent trailer or a rented RV, or an owned RV that they use ocassionally, etc, and those adults don’t seem to have a clue that the rest of us really don’t need to experience their kids’ playful exuberance. Yikes. 🙂 Thank you for that gentle reminder to others that one family’s active kids are not necessarily another family’s enjoyment, shall we say. 🙂 Great photos, great walk, love the flowers, and that fisherwoman thing was just super.
Aargh, I love children, but “active” children, well maybe not so much. Wanda you describe the dilemma of so many of us out camping, trying to find peace and quiet … while other campers are out there with the intent of letting their kids run and scream so they, the parents, can get some rest back inside their rig. Hmmm. Thanks for being a voice of reason. 🙂
What a nice walk!
It sure was. 🙂
Interesting that they left the trees where they fell and didn’t remove them. And the info on that sign about “terraces” that were created by an older (probably larger) Satsop River was interesting, maybe during the time of glaciers so there was more water flow? I like how you show us the larger view of the forest and the river, and then you show the details of the water’s edge and the flowers and even details of the dirt trail. My favorite photo is #12, but I also really like the photo just above it (I see a monster with arms reaching out to grab you!), and I also really like that fisher-woman photo, and the flowers, hard to pick a favorite. 🙂
I thought that too, about the trees, Olivia. I might have assumed they would remove fallen trees, but they don’t since it’s all part of the natural scheme of things. And yes, one of the State Park Rangers told me that the Satsop River was MANY times larger when the glaciers were here, exactly for the reason you said, more water.
Ack, I didn’t see that monster! Now I’m terrified!! 🙂