Fall Creek and Margaret McKenny Horse Camps, Capitol State Forest, Washington

80+ degrees in October...I'll take it!

I was finally able to leave home for more than a week, so I headed over to Washington for a 10 day trip to three different camps.

On the Greenline Trail, from Fall Creek Trailhead.

I started at Margaret McKenny, outside of Olympia. When I arrived I saw that there were two other people campground loops and then the B Loop, which is the horse camp. No one was there and it stayed empty the entire four nights, including over the weekend, except for one non horse person who had not registered, and got booted out by the camp hosts.

One of the camp hosts came by that evening, she was very friendly and wanted to make sure I was clear on certain things, and was happy to answer any questions. She also mentioned that I should tell all my friends, ( little did she know! ), and that she really hoped more horse people would use the camp, because they are vigilant about making sure no one breaks the rules, and that they keep the spots free for horse people.

I told her I was going to trailer out the next day to ride at Fall Creek, and she had no problem with me stringing up a baling twine "gate" so that no one would potentially take my spot while I was gone. She also did not bat an eye at the fact that my horse was meandering around loose!

Fall Creek Trailhead is not too far of a drive from Margaret McKenny but it is on a slightly washboard gravel road that climbs up a hill, and then back down the other side. It has a very large parking area, a mounting block, a bathroom, a picnic pavilion with an oversized fire ring, a ping pong table, of all things, and a map of the trails. Off to the side is another smaller parking area with a picnic table, 5 sets of highline poles, and a mounting ramp. BUT there is a separate campground just before you get to the trailhead with corrals and supposedly stock water. Unfortunately while I was there, there was no signage or indication that that was a horse camp, and I could not see it from the road or the trailhead, so I assumed it was a regular people campground and I did not go over and check it out.

 I did not have cell service at this trailhead.

Fall Creek Trailhead.

The start of the Greenline Trail.

On the Greenline Trail.

I started out on the Greenline Trail which is popular with cyclists, one of the reasons I decided to ride it on a week day, and looped back down the Wedekind Trail. I saw no cyclists on the way up, but on my way down I almost had a head on collision with one. In my opinion it's the bikers wearing earbuds that bother me, I have literally yelled at people at the top of my lungs, and they still don't hear me. After the ride, back at the trailhead, a trail runner guy came over and asked me whether I thought all the cyclists should at least have bells, and I agreed that would help significantly.

A lot of bridges on this trail system.

Riding in the fog, on the Greenline Trail.

The old man in the tree!

One of the only views on the Wedekind Trail.

Margaret McKenny has 6 spots with a single corral except for #4 and #6 which have a double corral.

There is also a 7th spot without a corral, it is obviously a recent addition, and it is numbered.

The corrals have a concrete floor, which is good as far as lack of mud, but is not awesome for your horse. Bringing bags of shavings would be a good strategy.

There is a bathroom, and each spot has it's own individual manure bin. Most of the spots are long enough for big- ish rigs, (the sign says the max trailer length is 34') but it's a small camp loop, and trying to get maneuvered in can be tricky. # 3 has the most room for manuevering because it is across from the bathroom, and # 1 is the smallest site. This camp is on DNR land and so it is free, with a Discover Pass. They want you to register when you arrive, just fill out a form with your info, at the entrance to the camp loops. The B Loop has a gate across it stating that M-F this camp is reserved for horse people until 7:00 pm. There is no garbage service, so pack it in and pack it out. There is great cell service, at least with Verizon. 

Spot B4 at Margaret McKenny Horse Camp.

The large paved day use area has it's own mounting block, manure bin and a map of the trails. You can also get maps on the DNR website for Fall Creek, and Mima Falls, which has Margaret McKenny on it. There is a frost free pump that you can attach a hose to, but be prepared to haul water into the camp loop. Site #6 is the closest to the water source. 

The large day use area at Margaret McKenny.

The next day I did a big 18 ish mile loop, along the McKenny Trail, which heads all the way back uphill to the Fall Creek Trailhead where I was the day before. I added in the Lost Valley Loop Trail, and lastly I headed back down the West Mima Falls Trail. While I was still on the McKenny Trail I heard a strange high pitched noise that sounded like it was about to come right at me from around a corner. I finally realized it was a drone, it had a different sound than ones I've heard before, but there are logging roads interspersed throughout this area, and the drone flyer must have been on a road not too far above the trail.

Starting off on the McKenny Trail, the first of many bridges.

Views of Capitol Peak from the McKenny Trail.

On the Lost Valley Trail.

Lots of horse friendly signage.

The final day was a shorter mish mash of a few loops on the remaining trails, closer to camp. I started on the Equine Loop which is the only trail in this area not shared with bikes, then I got onto the East Mima Falls Trail. This time I actually rode over to Mima Falls as well, since the day before I had passed it, but didn't actually stop to look. Then I took the Mima Falls Tie Trail to the Campground Trail and back along the rest of the Equine Loop. This was about 8 miles. While I was on the Campground Trail, a cyclist snuck right up on me from behind, startling my horse. He was apologetic, and most of them that I encountered were used to seeing horses, and asked me what I wanted them to do, as far as passing, getting out of the way, etc.

At the Mima Falls day use area.

Mima Falls, not much to it, but probably has more water in the spring.

The majority of this trail system is open to hikers all year, but closed to bikes and horses during the winter, and the campgrounds are closed from Nov.1st to April. 30th.

There are a few areas, especially on part of the McKenny Trail and the East Mima Falls Trail where you will hear gunshots, that is because there are two shooting ranges nearby. I could also hear the shooting, while in camp, although it's not close, it echoes off the hills and periodically disturbs the peace and quiet.

The next day I packed up and drove over to Sahara Creek, pretty much a straight shot due east over by Mt. Rainier.... but it shall have it's own separate blog!

GPS COORDINATES TO FALL CREEK

GPS COORDINATES TO MARGARET MCKENNY