Lost Creek Lake, Marina to Dam

Monday promised to be a wild and crazy day with late season snow predicted in the area. We collected our adventurers in Ashland and drove up Highway 62 to meet the boys near Viewpoint Mike’s TH. No view today with low thunder clouds threatening snow. So we switched to Plan B and headed up to Joseph Stewart Park for a new hike from 2021. We’d start at Lost Creek Lake Marina parking (not the Boat Launch) and hike the 3.5 mile forest trail down to the dam.

The open parking area featured a heated restroom and a gap in the clouds allowing the sun to warm our start. Temps this day would be in the 30s with a dusting to an inch of snow during our morning by the lake.

The trail is paved in the park, then returns to dirt as we get into the forest. The lake was always insight to the right as we headed down to the dam.
Along the way we saw: a rock sculpture which to some “looks like a duck”; Rumley Falls at the 4th bridge crossing; evidence of drought with wide expanses of dry land heading down to the lake; and, of course, the 1.25 mile long William Jess Dam taking a break during drought as the waterline was below the dam.

Our two camera guys got lots of angles on the dam and Randy got extra credit as he explored the trail that went above the dam and got pics looking down on it.

As we got up on the dam’s walkway the snow began to increase with big flakes and a cross wind blowing it sideways. So we huddled and decided to turn around and look for some shelter back in the forest for lunch. We stopped back at the Rumley Falls bridge for lunch.

On the way back, I broke out my BiMart orange poncho to the delight of our group!

By the time we got back to the cars the sun was out again with smiling faces all around for completing this wild and crazy 6.5 mile hike.

Hike Leader: Rich Stickle

Photos By: Jerry, Randy