East Lake Creek Out and Back

From the trailhead, you hike up and down fairly steeply at first. Pass an intersection with Dead Dog Trail #2220 then head down to the creek bed. The trail passes through dense aspen, fir, and spruce forests and feels much cooler and wetter than most of the surrounding trails. This is a great place to escape the summer heat without going super high in altitude. Huge moss-covered boulders line the trail and you occasionally get close to the creek. At mile 3.6 there's a particularly nice setting next to the creek and is a good place to soak your feet or enjoy lunch. Just a hair further, at mile 3.65, there's a small cascade/waterfall. You can hear it from the trail but you can't see it.