Palisades Creek

First hike this summer and it was a doozey, 4.6 miles out and 4.6 miles back!  The prize at the farthest point out was Lower Palisades Lake, a picturesque mountain lake.  This trail was established and is maintained by the National Forest Service.  The trail was easy to moderate with an elevation change of only 807 feet over the 4.6 miles that we walked.  If the elevation change had been twice that we probably would not have made it to the lake.

Steve crosses the very first bridge which was right at the trail head, and he points to the magnificent creek and rock formations.

The trail is well worn and starts out on the right side of Palisades Creek.  Immediately we begin to see majestic rock canyon walls.

The creek is very high with snow melt water.  It would be no joke to fall into this c-c-coooold creek!

First opportunity to get closer to the creek, Steve carefully edges out on a big rock hanging over the creek.

Mighty rocks of Palisades Idaho

We spy a bit of snow remaining not too far from our location on the creek.

The second bridge below; there were a total of five bridges crossing the creek, including the first one at the trail head.  These other four bridges were built to last; held up by twin steel I-beams over a foot tall.  The Forest Service must have used a heavy lift helicopter to get these massive steel members all the way back here in this remote spot.

 Beautiful Palisades Creek.

Gari thinks so too, and memorializes the view.

Gari leads the way through a rock slide area along the trail.

This shot is looking almost straight up!  The rocks almost seem to be hanging over top of us on the trail in several spots.

Another magnificent cliff along the creek bed.

Trees find any spot they can to germinate and grow.

The trees in the background grow as far up the mountain as they can, but soon the terrain becomes too steep and the soil too rocky.

A bend in the creek below.

Gari checks the GPS and confirms that we are smack dab in the middle of nowhere!

A big rock in the middle of the creek, no doubt it came down from above.

Lower Palisades Lake 4.6 miles out.  The question is do we have enough steam to make it all the way back?

Standing on the bridge at the mouth of Lower Palisades Lake; keep going and you reach Upper Palisades Lake in another 2 or 3 miles.  Upper Palisades is even larger.

Steve comes to the bent tree over the trail.

An entire tiny island in the middle of the creek.

A beautiful view over one of the fine Forest Service bridges.

Where's Waldo?

A meadow of wild Daises going up the slope.

A group camping with horses passed us on our return trek.

Gari hangs out with the hanging rock.

Since we were already in the Swan Valley, Idaho vicinity we decided to stop by the Fall Creek Falls.

Fall Creek empties into the Snake River here.

Of course Curious Steve had to climb down for a closer look.

Steve notices a cave under the falls.

The cave doesn't go too far back and it looks like some plants are growing in the void.

The Snake River below.

Another wider view.