Hike: South Cottonwood (to the 3rd bridge)
Meeting Time and Place: Wednesday, Aug. 23rd at 8:30 at the trailhead’s large parking lot. (From Huffine, go south on Cottonwood Road to the intersection with Cottonwood Canyon Road. Go left and drive 2 miles till the road ends at the trailhead.)
Difficulty: Easy
Total distance: 5 miles
Estimated time: 2 hrs 25 minutes (including stops), so we should be back at the trailhead by 11:00
Elevation gain: 500’ to 597’
Misc info: 95% shade; well-maintained path which follows South Cottonwood Creek through a dense old-growth forest with lush riparian areas and meadows
Longer option: After the 3rd bridge (the normal turn-around point), the trail continues for another 2 miles before becoming difficult. Total hiking distance is miles and estimated time is 4 hours.