Hiking Index Wall Trail
appreciating the beauty of our own backyard
I often catch myself thinking about the greener grass, particularly in regards to geography. And recently, with the travel bug nagging something awful, I’ve been finding myself increasingly impatient for new experiences. So one thing that helps me remain content in the present moment is to remember that new experiences exist everywhere at all times, and the only thing keeping me from them is myself. And one of my favorite ways to have new experiences is getting out in nature and rediscovering the magic of my home state. Last Friday, that meant finding a new local hike.
In the western foothills of the Cascades lies the small town of Index. Its massive granite cliffs, known as the Index Town Walls, make it a popular destination for climbers. Luckily, us hikers can still enjoy the breathtaking heights and views thanks to a hidden gem of a trail accessible behind the rock face. It’s typically used as an approach for climbers, and we found it not busy at all. Even at our leisurely pace, we managed to get a good sweat in trekking the steep, wooded 2 miles up (it’s about a 1,200ft elevation gain).
I can’t lie— I started off a bit breathless, caught off guard by the immediate switchbacks. But before long my body found its rhythm again. It’s always amazing to me how I can feel reconnected to nature with just a few deep inhales on a trail. I sucked in the damp fragrance of the pine and cedar. I noted the cushy ground beneath my shoes, and let the occasional spots of warm sunlight flickering through the trees put goosebumps on my skin. I pressed my hands against the rocks and logs lining the trail, pushing myself up and up.
Once we reached the clearing at the top (shoutout to that quick adrenalin rush that carried me the last few hundred feet) our jaws nearly dropped at the clearest, almost panoramic view of the mountains and valley below. I could have stayed up there forever; just us, the Violet-Green Swallows, Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (learned some new critters up there), and the wide open horizon. I took my shoes and socks off at one point and curled my toes against the smooth clifftop.
The trek back down felt much faster than the way up (I’m sure my jello-legs slipping and sliding down the trail had something to do with that). Back at the base, we took a moment to watch the train go by before crossing the tracks and getting back to the Dream Wagon. Serotonin was still rushing through me watching the parking lot filled with van-lifers kicking back and eating their lunches and a couple pups running around. We finished off with a left-overs picnic by the river before heading on our way home. I’d call it a perfect day in the books.
This was one of those days where by the end of it, you lay in bed thinking, “How was that real?” I really was in disbelief that I’ve lived here my whole life and never done that trail until now. One of the most stunning views I’ve seen yet, only an hour away.
So much of the beauty and experiences we get to have that don’t cost much money at all and exist right in our backyards. It’s often just a matter of downloading the map, leaving the house, and hitting the trail at your own pace to reconnect to the present moment. I know we don’t always feel like we have the time or energy, and sometimes we need help getting out the door. But I want to encourage and challenge all of you to go somewhere new in your area, or revisit a favorite place this week!
A Couple Extras…
Some good ol’ hiking tunes: Trail Mix
Packed along my trusty half frame film camera loaded with some Portra 400
My Patagonia 8L Atom Sling was the perfect pack on this day hike
I broke in some second-hand Merrell Moab’s and loved them