Kid Perspective:

• Running Wild – Feel free to let them eat up the trail but use some caution near the falls, as the rocks can get quite slippery.
• The Trail – Starts on a road, without a marked trailhead. The trail runs through private property and past an old rock quarry before heading in to the forest and following the Sweathouse Creek. The trail was mostly dirt packed until you get closer to the falls, then you have tons of rocks to contend with.
• Trail Conditions – No issues, some downed trees but they had all been cleared so it was easy going.
• Bugs and Pests – No issues.
• Plants – Lots of massive trees!
• Bathrooms – Nada, practice Leave No Trace.
• Cell Service – Decent enough, better once you get to the top/end.

Trail Information:

• Length – 5 miles
• Elevation Gain – 1,500 feet
• Difficulty – Easy

Highlights:

• Combo – Swimming at Lake Como!
• Biff – Catching the butterfly!
• Blaze – The views, the waterfall, and looking down at the valley of the mountain.
• Ripper – Having lunch next to the falls, laying down and staring at the mountains.

We slept in because we chose a shorter and easier hike, which was only 25 minutes from our rented house. Biff slept through the night and seemed to be feeling much better. We made it to the trailhead just before 8:00 am and boy oh boy was it chilly!

As we were walking the parking area looking for the trail, we came across a deer bone…and then another and another. Eventually we found two nearly whole dear skeletons! The kids thought this was really cool and Mom and Dad wondered how the skeletons came to be in this area and if any critters remained behind to find new prey…

Telling ourselves that the more we moved, the warmer we would be, we hit the trail. We followed a gravel road for a good distance, doing everything in our power to warm up.

In the distance we could make out a large metal vault and as we drew closer we noted that it had “Explosives” posted on it. Dad told us that people blow things up in that box. The kids and I gave the vault a wide berth.

Moving along we soon encountered a rock quarry site that still had equipment, which was awesome. Dad told us all about how they used the equipment before we moved on.

Here the trail entered the forest and we caught our first glimpses of Sweathouse Creek.

The kids were delighted to find that someone had placed three walking sticks at the entrance to the forest. We warned the kids that they would have to walk with the stick the whole way but Combo still chose to grab one…

Eventually we found a fallen tree that would make a perfect walking stick for Biff. Dad had to modify the stick so he wouldn’t get poked by the protruding branches.

Biff enjoyed pointing out treasures along the way, as we continues to get glimpses of the creek.

We found a stream crossing that did not have any water but we still chose to cross the plank over “the ravine”.

Moving deeper into the forest, the kids were both happy with the chosen trail and continued along without any complaints! Biff especially liked looking at bark that looked like puzzle pieces.

The massive trees that towered above us throughout our entire journey were impressive and continued to demand our attention.

We traveled through tree covered tunnels to the first of the rocks on the trail. The rocks helped provide variety on the trail which is something that we really appreciate. The more that the terrain changes, the better for the kids. It helps to keep them interested and motivated to find out what is in store next.

As stated previously, the trail had several downed trees but someone had gone through the trail and cut and moved the trees that were blocking the path – trail angels for sure!

Evidence of Woodpeckers was abundant on the trail and the kids really liked looking into the holes that the Woodpeckers had so ferociously created, in search of food.

Climbing boulders and rocks has always been a favorite activity for our family and this hike was no different. Dad dashed on ahead and stealthily climbed atop a massive rock – of course the kids had to follow.

Soon we caught our first glimpses of the waterfall and we could hear the water rushing ahead of us. This seemed to really motivate the kids and get them in the mood to conquer the trail.

My favorite part of the trail was next. We climbed through fields of boulders and rocky sections to the first waterfall. It was majestic and peaceful – the kids delighted in throwing sticks into the water and watching them go over the edge.

With a quick uphill pull, we heard the water growing ever closer and were itching to find the falls themselves.

And in no time we found them!

Moving on we left the water for more tunnels and fields of rock, in between two towering mountains – very impressive!

Eventually we came to the 2nd waterfall and stopped to take in the views and throw sticks in the water before moving on.

We had a short portion of trail left to reach the end of the trail, which was marked by a large log across the trail and wilderness beyond the log.

We did not spend much time at the end of the trail before turning around. The kids were absolutely thrilled that the hardest part was over and both agreed that this trail had been a piece of cake! This definitely is a good thing because we had much more in store for them before our trip would be over:) At the second waterfall we stopped and took a break near the falls, enjoying the solitude and beauty of everything around us.

Taking off again, renewed with energy and a slight sugar high, we chatted about going into our favorite town – Darby, Montana to stop at the candy store and the Little Blue Joint (our favorite diner). The kids were thrilled to go to the candy store and pick out whatever treats they wanted. We use these treats for trail snacks for upcoming hikes to motivate them further.

While stopped for one last look at the falls, Dad decided to cross the narrow portion of the creek to check out what was on the other side. Combo was a bit bummed that she could not follow but the rocks were just too slippery this time. Biff on the other hand, took this time to play in the water just a little bit longer, throwing sticks in and again watching them race over the edge. The kid could seriously be entertained with this type of activity for hours.

For the remainder of the trek the kids were flying high! Biff pretended to be The Flash and raced along the trail with Dad. Combo was extremely interested in pointing our rocks and flowers with Mom, while informing Mom that “Dad would be the big turd and Mom would be the small one”. Seriously, where do they get this stuff? Biff caught a white butterfly and was super excited. Of course both kids had to try to catch butterflies for the remainder of our journey – but hey that works because the butterflies kept moving and kept the kids hiking. Win – win!

In the car we had a light lunch and when I opened the lunchbox I let out a loud screech, slammed the lunchbox shut and threw it to the floor – there was a MASSIVE spider in our lunchbox!! Dad pulled over to let the spider out on the road and discovered that the spider was not that big – I still do not buy this fact. The of the car ride to the candy store I was a bit jumpy, imagining spiders crawling everywhere.

After hitting up the candy store and getting our fill of a Meat Lover’s pizza we made our way to Lake Como. This year the water was not nearly as cold, thankfully! Combo made a new friend and happily swam around. Biff got out into the water a little too far and began bobbing up and down, gasping for air, and struggling to stay afloat. I ran out, grabbed him, and lifted him to shallower water. Biff and I decided to sit on the beach where it was warmer, while Dad and Combo splashed around. Eventually Dad made his way to shore and used a rock for a pillow to rest on.

Biff had a rough time when a bee plunged it’s stinger into his back. The poor guy wailed in pain and we decided to head home before any further misfortune could befall Little Dude.

Despite the bee sting tragedy, we had a wonderful day! We hope you enjoyed reading as much as we did hiking and swimming! As always, please let us know if there is anything more that you would like us to report on or if there is a particular adventure we should check out and review. Happy Trails!