For this hike, I went to Liberty Creek which is about 40 minutes from where I live. I was joined by my friend and neighbor, Rocki. We parked in the Liberty Lake Trail Head parking lot which is at the north end of Liberty Lake (it is important to note there is a $2.00 fee per person unless you are hiking this trail in the off season).
There are a few options for this trail; go right at the first fork in the trailand follow the equestrian trail or go left to hike the 2 1/2 miles to Liberty Falls. You can then decide if you want to turn around for a quick 5-mile hike or you can hike the additional 5 miles and complete the loop. With it being winter there is still, of course, snow in the waterfall area and the trail was extremely icy, so it is better to be going uphill. Also, the use of crampons is recommended, as well as trekking poles.
We decided to hike the loop counter clockwise so we could save the waterfall area (Liberty Falls) for last. Little did I know how breathtakingly beautiful this trail is! Bright green moss covered the rocks and trees, and mushrooms were growing horizontally from the trees as if to create shelves for the squirrels and birds to sit and rest. I also found a tree near the creek that looked like “land coral” with all the moss growing from it (which was actually one of my favorite finds). It felt as though we were on another planet.
You will come to a very steep hill about two miles into the hike but thankfully there were many small flat spots that are great for a quick rest. Once you make it to the top, you will hike a little further until you come to Hughes Cabin. It was dark and cold, and it felt as if it was trying to tell a story. I was fascinated by this cabin and was excited to research it a bit the following day. I learned it was built as an Eagle Scout project in 1987 then restored in 2010 by Jared Dineen of Troop 304, also as an Eagle Scout project. During the restoration it received new flooring, metal siding and a new metal roof. The cabin offers cots and a small fireplace which makes for a great spot to stop and rest, or even take a nap.
We met a nice couple in their mid-60’s and training for their upcoming 5-month backpacking trip across the Pacific Crest Trail. The man has Parkinson’s Disease and was shaking as he held his trekking poles for support, but it gave me so much hope that I, too, will someday be on the PCT. He said that he wants to spend as much time as possible on the trails before his health no longer allows him to do so.
Shortly after leaving Hughes Cabin we found Liberty Falls and while the couple we met earlier said the waterfalls can be disappointing, I have to disagree. Yes, it was a shallow waterfall but it was still beautiful in its own way. The ice formed around it in all different shapes while bits of Spring popped out from underneath the snow.
We eventually continued down the trail and while we were only about 2 1/2 miles away from the car, we were both hungry and ready to rest and eat lunch. So we found shelter underneath a tree dome and made ourselves comfortable.
I recently began dehydrating and making my own meals for hiking and backpacking and this was the first time trying any of my meals while on the trail. Rocki decided on tortilla soup while I went for chili. We were both impressed! The ingredients rehydrated just as they should have and tasted as if it had just been cooked that morning. Earlier in the day we also stopped for breakfast which consisted of a brown rice and berry cereal.
We continued down the trail and came across a large area of Liberty Creek with a bridge that went across. The creek still had quite a bit of ice covering it but it was flowing quickly. We stopped to take pictures, of course, and also clean the mud off our boots. The sound of the creek was refreshing and peaceful, a great hideaway to sit and read a good book!
This is a trail I will be returning to again in the next few months. One of my favorite things about returning to trails over and over is that it will always be different from one trip to the next. The colors, the smells, the wildlife, the view…everything.
I would recommend this trail. It is a total of 10.2 miles with a 1,374-foot elevation gain. It offers something for everyone!
Outdoor Trail Adventures 