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Willow Creek - Cottonwood Loop, 1 June, 2025

Twenty hikers and two dogs gathered at the Smith’s Marketplace parking lot at 8 a.m. to carpool to the Right Hand Fork Trailhead on a beautiful sunny late spring morning.

Carpools arrived at the trailhead at about 8:30 a.m. Hikers started on the trail about 8:40 a.m., stopping for a group photo near the trail sign. Hikers continued to the Willow Creek Trail. After about two miles, the group left the trail at a sharp bend/switchback and small stream crossing and headed northwest on an unmarked route.

This path was partly muddy and continued to a small cow pond through abundant wildflowers. From there, the footpath became less well-defined, and the group continued cross-country through a spectacular meadow of full bloom mule-ears (Wyethia amplexicaulis) and then north through a wide-open basin at the head of Maughan Hollow.

This year’s wildflowers included mule-ears, American bistort, mountain dandelion, larkspur, Gray’s biscuitroot, hawthorn & chokecherry shrubs, as well as stands of blue camas (Camassia quamash).

The group proceeded northwest across the basin toward the ridge saddle. The Little Cottonwood jeep road is located just beyond this point. As per tradition, the group stopped for lunch at a shaded rocky spot near some big tooth maples on the ridge near the road at about 11a.m.

Views of Mt Elmer, Beirdneau Peak, Logan Peak, Logan Canyon, and the Cache Valley and Wellsville Mountains are particularly striking at this location. This year, there was some snow remaining on the peaks but not as much as in recent years.
 
Following lunch, the group continued along the jeep road. Similar to last year, not far down the road, the hikers split into two groups. Nine hikers took an overland cutoff that headed west from the jeep trail. Laurel had previously explored this area. Eleven hikers and the two dogs continued travel on the traditional route.

The two groups reconvened below the stock tank in a field of Mule ears to continue the hike. Unfortunately, the large field of normally blooming blue camas was dry with flowers likely having peaked a week or so earlier. The group continued down through Little Cottonwood Canyon to the corral and parking area.  

Trip Summary:
  • Twenty hikers and two dogs: Bree, Brent J., Brent L., Chris, Dave P., Dave W., Deanna & dogs Jasper and Kunie, Henlee (child), Hiro (teen), Jane, Kamren, Kathy, Laurel, Linda, Mitchell (child), Ralph, Stevie, Sue, Susan (trip leader), & Teresa
  • Drove 13 miles to park at the Right Hand Fork Trailhead past Camp Lomia in Right Fork Logan Canyon
  • Started hiking about 8:40 a.m., lunch about 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., back at trailhead about 1:00 p.m. and Logan about 1:30 p.m.
  • Encountered three mountain bikers and a few hikers/dogs near the beginning and end of the hike.
  • Mostly dry trails with a few muddy spots, lush green spring growth, running streams, and abundant wildflowers
  • Full sun, temperatures 80+ degrees F with occasional slight breeze
  • Hiked  About 6.25 miles with 1100 feet of ascent

Thanks to Susan for the narrative and photos, Dave P, Sue and Jane for photos and  Dave W, Bree and Ralph for photos and GPS data.


20 Cache Hikers at the Right Hand Fork trailhead

Ducks and fish swam in pond areas of the Right Fork Logan River

We turned up the Willow Creek Trail, still following the Right Fork 


Soon the Willow Creek Trail turned away from Right Fork Ponderosa pine trees have been planted above the trail

We left the Willow Creek trail and followed a cow path toward Maughan Hollow

Upper Maughan Hollow was a sea of wildflowers (mostly mule ears)

Our route joined the Maughan Hollow trail as we climbed to a shady spot for a lunch break

After lunch we  climbed to the ridge, where we glimpsed the Chicken Creek drainage to the north

About half of the hikers followed the Little Cottonwood Road Others took a shorter route down the Cottonwood Creek drainage before the others rejoined them

This pond marked the last meadow of our hike (we think the beavers who were building this lodge will be left high-and-dry if the water level continues to drop)


Cache Hikers:  The Next Generation
 		Nest


Blue camas, Camassia quamash
 		 A meadow of blue camas, with yet-to-boom mule ears
American bistort, Polygonum bistoroides/Bistorta bistortoides  Blue camas and American bistort,


 Bigleaf balsamroot, Balsamorhiza macrophylla
 Wild hyacinth, Brodiaea douglasii/Triteleia grandiflora

Serviceberry, Amelanchier alnifolia
 Suncups (Camissonia subacaulis/Taraxia subacaulis)


Lewis flax, Linum lewisii
 Pale stickseed, Hackelia patens


Heartleaf arnica, Arnica cordifolia
  Evening primrose, Oenothera caespitosa


Wasatch penstemon, Penstemon cyananthus
 Mule ears, Wyethia amplexicaulis

Our GPS track shows about 6.3 miles and 1100 feet of ascent (some hikers took the shorter (blue) route).
You can look at our route using Google Earth or download our GPS file.