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Spawn Creek Trail Maintenance, 22 June, 2019

Four years ago the Spawn Creek Trail was impassable or indiscernible in many sections. Today Cache Hikers followed an obvious trail as they worked on the entire 4.5 miles.  Absent were huge dead falls, brush thick enough to block passage, and extensive water running down the trail.

Seven hikers left Logan in two cars, arriving at the upper Spawn Creek Trailhead at 9:15. Snowbanks and chilly temperatures did not impede driving or hiking, but did prompt everyone to layer-up and keep moving. Five hikers worked downhill from the upper trailhead. The Daves drove the cars to the lower trailhead at Temple Fork and started working uphill.

Accomplishments of the day included lots of brushing throughout, diverting a spring running down the trail at Temple Aspen Spring, removing a hazard tree, creating an alternate trail around the small beaver pond 1/4 mile west of Temple Aspen Spring, and reinforcing water diversions created in previous years.  The trail west of Temple Aspen spring, and particularly west of the upper beaver pond, still need extensive brushing. Some invasive weeds need to be removed from the lower mile. The beaver pond nearest the lower trailhead is now overflowing and flooding the trail at the foot bridge.

Other visitors included some western tanagers, a Townsend's solitaire, a fisherman, and three horse riders. Glacier lilies and spring beauties carpeted the ground at the highest point, with arrowleaf balsamroot, wild hyacinth, and other beauties at lower elevations. The great mountain views to the west and the trailside impressive rock formations offered additional rewards for hard work.

Summary:

  • Participants:  Brent, Bryan, Jean, Teresa, Dave W., Dave P., Jane (leader)
  • Drove 40 miles to the upper Spawn Creek Trailhead, 7 miles from Hwy 89 on the Sinks Road, marked by a "Temple Peak" sign but nothing indicating the Spawn Creek Trailhead (it starts north of the locked metal gate)
  • Left the upper group there and drove 24 miles to the lower Spawn Creek Trailhead on Temple Fork
  • Upper group started working about 9:30 a.m., arrived at the lower trailhead about 4:10, after a lunch stop and reuniting with lower group along the way
  • Lower group started hiking about 10:30 a.m. and met the other group about 1:40 p.m. near Temple Aspen Spring
  • Temperatures warmed up but not enough to be uncomfortable. Skies were blue with moving clouds
  • 4.5 miles of hiking with 2600 feet of descent from upper Spawn Creek
  • Back in Logan about 4:45

Followup: 
Jane and Dave W. made two more maintenance trips to Spawn Creek.  On September 25 and October 2 they did more brushing and made improvements to a bypass around the beaver-flooded section 1/4 mile west of Temple Aspen Spring.   Both days they hiked from the upper trailhead by the Sinks Road to begin work on the trail near Temple Aspen Spring, then hiked out to the lower trailhead in Temple Fork at the end of the day's work.

Thanks to Jane for the narrative and photos, Brent for photos and Dave W. for photos and the GPS data..

Starting out at Upper Spawn Creek trailhead
Snow on the upper Spawn Creek trail A "lay-down" fence across the upper Spawn Creek trail
Enjoying lunch in a sunny spot along the trail
Diverting water from the trail near Temple Aspen Spring
Making a bypass around a section of beaver-flooded trail 1/4 mile west of Temple Aspen Spring
Pulling down a hazard tree
Before-and-after, clearing brush and a small beaver-cut tree from the trail
Before-and-after, clearing brush from the trail
Before-and-after, clearing brush from the trail
Rocky outcroppings above the trail

Hiking out on the Spawn Creek trail

Stickseed Cast iron stove pieces along the trail
We didn't try to repair this beaver-flooded trail section near the lower trailhead
Before
TrailAfter
Before-and-after improving access to a bypass around the beaver-flooded trail section 1/4 mile west of Temple Aspen Spring, September 25, 2019
BrushingBefore
BrushingAfter
Before-and-after brushing near Temple Aspen Spring, October 2, 2019
Before After
Before-and-after moving tread up from wet soil and stinging nettle at bypass around beaver-flooded section 1/4 mile west of Temple Aspen Spring,Oct. 2, 2019
Map
Our GPS track shows we hiked 4.5 miles with 2600 feet of descent from the top of Spawn Creek

You can look at our route using Google Earth or download our GPS file.