kennedy creek exploration, roots style mtn biking...

A lot of what made mountain biking cool back in the root days, was how you could go out and explore the woods and cover a lot more ground than hiking. No preplanned knowledge of write-ups, trail names or the easiest way to the top and the most bomb way to the bottom - just the woods, a bike and a sense of adventure. The kennedy creek falls lie somewhere in the middle of this image:

A lot of locals have been there, but not many could tell you specific directions.
I’ve been there a few times, so the overall adventure wasn’t pressing on me, but those rides were from the west, through the green diamond resource gated forest road off of hwy 8. It has always been on my ride to-do list however, to get there by riding from the hwy 101 side (just a little further down the hwy past steamboat island road, off of old olympic hwy). I tried last year on a very hot day and tried all of the spur roads that went right towards the creek, to nothing but fails. I was also with a friend who was on a hybrid touring bike who started to lose interest, so we turned back. Today was the day for a solo successful mission.

I found an even further spur road with evidence of old atv usage that went down into the valley,

overgrown as it was I eventually found kennedy creek and a crossing.

The other side was way overgrown slight singletrack as I headed back down stream to find the falls. This is the part of the trip that was the adventure. Many, many downed trees over the trail, yet a persistent path, where the only tracks to be found were from deer hoofs.

Also some very impressive trees.

The obstacles got quite large as I finally discovered forest road blockades, coming from the other direction covering the path.

Yet still the path persisted. Some thimble berries hit the spot as I was getting weary of the on/off hike a bike session(s).

Either way I knew I was on the right track and I indeed soon found the pot of gold.

Couldn't quite get the shot of the bigger falls that I wanted too. A few downed trees obscured the view of this "canyon styled" ravine, though a lunch break by the falls featured plenty of negative ions, that made the rest of my route a joy ride.

I continued onto my westward 'outy route' and caught glimpses of the cap’ over on the other side.

Cool to see those hills from this perspective, as I knew Loki and North rim were somewhere up on that opposing ridge.

A BIG “yahoo!” came out of my mouth as I reached the gate at hwy 8. Adventure conquered, only 15+ or so, smooth asphalt miles back to oly, this was not a chore but a glorified wind down.