This is an area close to my home that I hiked often as a kid, but haven't been in about 20 years. My brother was visiting from out of town, and recommended this particular trail, which I don't recall ever being on before. To get there, take Hwy 22 to mile marker 23, and turn onto North Forth Rd {directly accross from Swiss Village restaurant}. From there, you have a beautiful 14 mile winding drive {pack the motion sickness meds if you get queasy easily- we do} before reaching the fork in the road. Stay to the left, toward the Opal Creek park entrance. Drive 3 more miles, just past the Opal Creek junction, to a small 2-3 car parking area on the left. You'll see the trailhead sign to the left {FYI: you'll need a NW Forest Pass. $5/day or $30/year. Purchase online or at Detroit Ranger Station}.
Henline Falls trail is a 1.6 mile round trip hike. This secluded and rugged wilderness trek through the dense trees has a continuous gradual incline to the waterfall at the top. The trail is well maintained, but at times becomes rocky and narrow, making it too difficult and dangerous for toddlers 2-4 years old {even with our 6 year old, my oldest son insisted on holding onto her while hiking the narrow section- must say, I loved that he was taking care of her}. About 0.5 miles into the hike, stay to the left when the trail splits, then stay left again at the next split {you'll see a sign marking the Henline Trail}. From this point, it is only .25 miles farther to the top. The trail will eventually come to a sizable open area, perfect for a snack stop. Afterwards, the trail gets increasingly narrow, until you must walk single file, with a steep drop off to your left. The 90 ft waterfall is beautiful, as well as the water run off the mountain side.
So far, we've experienced only the chocolate torte. Here comes that drizzle of raspberry sauce I talked about. If you're willing to do a little rock climbing, you can maneuver to an old silver mining cave from the 1930's. It is hidden just to the right of the waterfall. Since we did this hike in the winter, my brother quickly climbed over to the cave, and deemed the climb too dangerous for the kids, which unfortunately left us stripped of our raspberry sauce for today. In the summer, the waterfall is only about 1/8 of the size it is in the winter, which means that the rocks next to it are not so wet and slippery and therefore easier for the kids to climb. The smaller waterfall and warmer weather also allow for some swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall, and in the stream below it. Now THAT would be a perfect hike: a wilderness trek, followed by a little rock climbing, cave exploring, and swimming. I can't wait to return in the summer at get my raspberry sauce at last! {**A important note about the mining cave: My brother informed me that when he climbed the rocks to peer into the cave, he saw a barrier blocking further entry after only about 100 ft. After doing some research, I've been unable to find any indication that it has been permanently boarded up, and hope it is only temporary. I did find more than one warning not to venture too far into the mine, especially with children, so please be aware of that precaution. I will update this post when I return to the trail and when I find out any new information.**}
Despite the short length of this hike, it is definitely one of my favorites. If it had been a longer hike, it would have earned a full 4 stars from me, but maybe it's just the perfect length for your family. It ticked several boxes on my priority list: quiet; secluded; rugged trail; dense, green, mossy forest; creek; waterfall; and exploration tangent trails.
Total Distance: 1.6 miles
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Well maintained, rugged, rocky, narrow
Trail Elevation: continuous gradual incline for .8 miles
Atmosphere: Quiet, serene, roaring water near the waterfall
View: Creek, trees, birds, waterfall, mountain
Extras: 1930's silver mine
Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: ****;****;****
I think this will be the first I do when we get back. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely should. It's a great one. You'll love it!
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