North Fork of the Big Wood Trailhead parking lot.
Crossing the North Fork of the Big Wood just beyond the parking lot can be treacherous during spring and early summer runoff.
The first mile of the West Fork of the North Fork Trail is fairly gentle and passes several large old-growth Douglas fir trees.
An overlook near the trail about 1.5 miles out the West Fork of the North Fork Canyon.
From the trail hikers only get a small glimplse of the first waterfall. A little scrambling along the edge of the cliffs, however, leads to this view.
It is a steep scramble to the creek at the base of the falls. A short scramble up the opposite bank affords this beautiful view of the cascade.
A little wet rock bouldering can get you into the base of the falls, which is an inviting shower on a hot summer day.
A second cascade (not visible from the trail) about a half mile above the first, can be visited by following your ears to the falls.
Above the first two falls the canyon begins to open into large, avalanche-swept meadows.
Interesting sedimentary and ingeous cliffs flank the middle canyon.
Mid-summer wildflowers decorate springs that emerge at several spots in the meadows.
More wildflowers and views in the mid-canyon meadows.
The last open meadow above the second falls eventually pinches closed into the densly forested canyon above.
The creek emerges from a narrow gorge at the end of the uppermost meadow. The trail climbs a steep diagonal up the right canyon wall.
Looking onto the third West Fork of the North Fork cascade, which is accessed by walking downhill from the main trail.
The third West Fork of the North Fork waterfall.
Around 8,600 feet the trail emerges from the trees with this view into the headwaters.
Purple sedimentary conglomerate boulders are part of the complex sedimentary and volcanic geology of the Boulder Range.
Above 9,000 feet the trail fades into the landscape. It is an off-trail scramble along the creek, but the stunning wildflower display is worth the challeging hiking.
White bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata).
A smaller fourth waterfall is passed around 9,200 feet.
Looking down the canyon from the top of the fourth waterfall. As you can see, it is possible to follow many different off-trail routes into the alpine basin.
Around 9,600, the terrain flattens into a barren and beautiful alpine basin.
Gray volcanic peaks ring the upper cirque.
Golden buckwheat (Erigonum flavum).
The scramble to the divide with the North Fork of the Big Wood is an exercise in patience up unstable scree slopes.
Looking into the headwaters of the North Fork of the Big Wood from the divide.
Alpine chaenactis (Chaenactis alpina).
Looking north off of the summit of Peak 11,298 into the East Fork of the Big Wood River.
A view of Glassford Peak from the summit of Peak 11,298.