Trail Overview
Echo Spur Road (FS 3015600) is accessed from North Thorne River (FS 3015) at about the 5.8-mile mark. Echo Spur turns into Fiddlers Creek, where Echo Road ends with a closed road. This is a one-lane gravel road that has grass growing on the sides, and in the centerline the further down the road you go, as it winds around hills and crosses a wooden bridge over a creek. This road does have gentle hills, and the elevation gain is 240 to 380 feet with a scenic, tree-lined trail that passes a nice meadow. The end of this road brings you to the start of Fiddlers Creek. Echo Spur has a few pull-off areas, but there isn’t a specific turnaround area. There are backup options with the closed road at the end of Echo Spur, as it’s big enough to back into. This is a down-and-back road. You can see Sitka spruce, Western Hemlock, Red cedar, Yellow cedar, poplar, and birch, as well as lichen, moss, ferns, and dense old-growth forests and flowers in this temperate rainforest. There is wildlife in this area. Be safety-minded for Black bears, changing weather conditions, and sudden changes to the road due to rain and landslides. Always plan your trip with basic survival items and local wildlife safety in mind, in case you get stuck in-between roads during a road washout or landslide. There are limited resources here for clearing roads. It is advisable to have a contact and some form of tracker so that your contact can make sure you are on plan and not stuck somewhere. This road connects to other recreational roads and is not a main road for travel. Prince of Wales has Black Bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, Alexander Archipelago Wolves, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Mink, Marten, Beaver, Ermine, and Flying Squirrels, along with a variety of Marine life and Sea Birds. Salmon, Trout, and Steelhead run in the rivers and creeks here. Weather plays a part in the level of difficulty, as this is in a rainforest, and a lot of these roads go through areas of muskeg/wetlands and hills. There are great views of tree-lined, winding roads, hills, and creeks. Tall grass, ferns, a variety of trees, lichens, moss, muskeg, forest, and flowers can be seen, as well as scenic landscapes. Warnings: Keep on the road and watch hillsides for landslides, watch for falling or down trees, and be cautious of water over the roadway. Watch for signs of road deterioration or washouts due to heavy rainfall. No cell service noted. Check weather conditions and be prepared for rain, fog with low visibility, and lower temperatures. It is a rainforest. Suggested best time of year: June - October.
