Arcata Ridge Trail

Arcata Community Forest

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NOAA was promising a high chance of rain getting higher throughout the day, but I decided to head out to the north end of the community forest once again to wander the Arcata Ridge Trail for however far I might get. There's a bit of parking area marked for 4 hours only. Other than that, signs aren't particularly visible from the street although the trail is signed and has an information kiosk a little way along. The map in it implies the land needed to complete this trail has been obtained, but I still can't just walk it end to end. It was nice listening to the creek as I walked along until I noticed the biting mosquitoes. They're not even thick yet, but they were quite more than enough.

There's well trod area west of the lot area that becomes signed trail.

It closes into a green tunnel quickly.

The salmonberries are ripening while the thimbleberries are still blooming. Someone has already had one of these.

The creek flowing by skunk cabbage and ferns. Ripples form in the mud along the bottom.

I didn't see any stumps until starting to leave the creek, where there are some giant ones. So many of them are giant. The new ones look big compared to a lot of trees, but they're dinky compared to what was there. I turned for the South Fork (Janes Creek) when the trail split.

Janes Creek is a little more active along here.

The shadows of giant trees lurk in the hillside shadowed by numerous thin young trees.

The inside-out flowers are new to me.

Watching how the ferns unfurl and catching a spider.

Once more to watch the flow of Janes Creek.

This hedgenettle looks like it might be a showier invasive rather than a native one.

Much of the trail is actually wide road, but it narrowed down to a proper trail for a little bit before meeting back up with the Arcata Ridge Trail.

Always fun to find a big beetle, even if not too fancy.

I was ready to check out irises again when I got back to the ridge, which was good because there were lots to be seen. There's a few clearings along the way and each was quite full of blooming irises in about three distinct shades of purple.

The irises are some very strongly colored ones. Western blue flag?

I headed left at the next junction, wandering from the ridge once again to loop some more. The trails are numbered, but I paid little attention. I was just heading up, around, and back, and could always consult my map for clues on which way was back if needed. The trails were all mostly road again, with a brief moment down under the power lines where the forest is opened up to sunshine.

A horse and rider came by, so I waited a little before grabbing the snake skin, turned perfectly inside out, from the grass.

These were just leaves and buds when I found similar along the Rhododendron Trail.

Looking much closer, they are full of life.

A tall, natural stump has collected many levels of growth.

I turned back a little further than I expected to because a trail was missing. It didn't matter, I had plenty of time anyway.

A little bit of the trail that actually is trail like. Still nice and wide and with bridges for the flowing streams.

Further on, there was lots more of the clintonia with possible pollinators.

There was even a patch, as much as any of it seemed to be a patch.

No trillium flowers remained and only a few seemed to be ripening into seeds.

Once back on the ridge, I made my way down finding plenty more irises blooming. Some looked done in by recent rain, some just looked happy and wet. I noticed ribbons marking spots along the route, too. Some below had labeled a truck trail and the ones I saw at the top were for skid trails. Perhaps someone is doing a little study of the history.

The clearings along Arcata Ridge Trail look a little like they were made but the irises like them just the same.

Three clusters of the three colors of irises.

A skid trail is where redwoods were dragged down the hill to other transport methods. These are just as wide as the truck trails.

It started to rain as I came down. It actually rained very shortly on the way up, too, but this seemed to be settling in. I got to deploy the umbrella I brought and then listen to the rain patter on it and the trees. It was quite nice, although drops seemed to come through the umbrella fabric becoming mist underneath. No mosquitoes came after me on the return, which was extra nice.

©2020 Valerie Norton
Written 23 May 2020