The trail climbs steeply from the trailhead, offering views of Highway 6 and the Wilson River below.
Looking out Highway 6 and the Wilson River on the climb up Elk Mountain.
Looking up at Elk Mountain's summit with Kings Mountain behind it.
The trail is maintained by the Mazamas with a ledger at the summit where people can enter notes from their hike.
Looking across at Kings Mountain from the hard-earned Elk Mountain summit.
Looking southwest across the Coast Range from the summit of Elk Mountain.
Flowering stonecrop.
The trail from the summit follows the ridge and continues with steep ups and downs.
A lone and hard-earned backcountry campsite on the ridge between Elk Mountain and Kings Mountain.
Beargrass gone to seed along the ridge with Kings Mountain in the distance.
Explorer's gentian.
The junction from Elk Mountain with Kings Mountain to the left and the Elk Creek Trail to the right.
The Elk Creek Trail turns to lush alder with a dense fern understory.
Unidentified species (help us identify it by providing feedback).
A pale beauty moth on a maidenhair fern.