For 2018, Chris and I made a pact to hike more. January proved to be both a stressful and busy month so Chris and I weren’t able to so. However, two weeks into February, we decided it was time for our second hike of the year. After seeing several photos of the Camp Nelson Trail on Instagram, Chris and I decided to check it out.
The drive to the trail took approximately an hour and a half. It didn’t seem long, but when we were on the last leg of the drive, it proved to be rather difficult. The roads were narrow and winding up a steep mountain. Eventually, Chris got really carsick and we had to pull over so he could get some air.
When we arrived at the trailhead, we actually weren’t too sure if were in the right spot because we were surrounded by abandoned cabins for the winter and a really tiny corner to park the car. Regardless, we parked and followed some rather sketchy orange arrows painted on some trees.
You’re probably thinking – “who follows arrows left on trees?! That’s a horror movie waiting to happen!“. Sorry to disappoint but half a mile in and we were greeted by the most beautiful little creek. Chris and I got off the path, climbed a few rocks, took some photos and enjoyed the view. Afterwards, we returned to the marked trail and continued our hike.
I think the highlights of this hike were definitely the unsteady bridges over water and the creek. We came across so many that it was enough to make the hike really enjoyable. Unfortunately, we didn’t finish the trail because I felt my blood sugars drop and we didn’t really carry enough protein-filled snacks with us. We turned around and made our way back to the car.
Despite that little convenience, we were still able to put in a good three miles for the day. On our drive back down, we actually stumbled upon a staircase that led to a pretty and quiet swimming hole where you could spend the day and have a picnic on some jumbo rocks! It’s definitely something Chris and I are planning to do in the spring or maybe fall.
Camp Nelson Trail
Distance: 5.2 mile (out and back)
Elevation Gain: 958 feet
Trailhead & parking: Follow Nelson Road as it winds through Camp Nelson; continue past the campground and park at the end of the road.
Question for our readers, do you enjoy hiking? Gone any hikes recently? Also, what do you think of the new blog look?
