Hawk Ridge loop
Trails
Nine miles on the Hawk Ridge loop
The Hawk Ridge loop starts at the gravel lot past the second bridge. There is room for about a dozen cars, and on a clear Saturday it is full by eight. The first mile climbs through pine on old switchbacks that the trail crew rebuilt two summers ago, and they hold up well in the wet.
At the top the trail runs along the ridge for almost three miles. It is open and mostly flat, with the valley on one side and the reservoir on the other. Most people stop at the rock outcrop halfway along, which is the only real shade on this stretch.
The ridge is the easy part. The last two miles drop through the creek bed, and that is where the day gets long.
The descent leaves the ridge at a cairn and follows the creek down. The footing is loose rock for most of it, and after rain there are three places where you will cross the water. Poles help. Plan on the second half taking longer than the first.
Bring more water than you think. There is none on the ridge, and the creek should be filtered. The lot has a pit toilet and a trail map on the board, but no trash cans, so carry out what you bring.