I first hiked the East ART, solo out-and-back from the (upper) Sterling Creek Trailhead, soon after the trail opened in 2017. In 2019, after the lower trailhead on Highway 238 was finished, I coxed The LovedOne into a one-way downhill shuttle-supported hike between the two trailheads. The excellent weather we had on both these hikes favored the huge views of the Applegate Valley and the surrounding peaks you get from the upper half of this trail. When today was forecast to be cold (at least at first), clear, and sunny, we decided to reprise my first hike here, only this time out-and-back from the lower trailhead.
The day turned out to be just as forecast – full bluebird with clear skies, a crisp breeze, and lots of sunshine. 😎 We were the only car in the lower lot when we started up and didn’t encounter other hikers until we were a mile from the upper trailhead. Then we passed or were passed by more than a dozen.
All of the hikers we’d passed on the way up turned around within 2 miles (3.2 km) or so of the upper trailhead, leaving the descent to us until we were about a mile from the lower trailhead. Then we passed more than a dozen hikers on their way up.
The lower lot was full when we got back. It’s easy to see why the East ART has quickly become one of the most popular trails around here, what with its well-designed tread, great views, and easy access to those views from the upper trailhead. Ours was a great {10.1 mile (16.3 km), 1,300 feet (396 m) of gain} hike on a perfect day for such a thing. We went home to spend quality time with our new rescue kitty (Sofie). Actually it was so Sofie could train us, her new minions, to meet her exacting requirements. Much meowing ensued. 😀
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
I believe this trail opened while you were away traveling. New trails have also opened in Forest Park, Prescott Park, and above Ashland. They all await your (someday) return. 🙂 Sofie is really cute, soft, and furry. After a few days of shyness, she’s begun to take charge of her new staff. So far we’ve resisted the meows at 4:00AM to fill her food dish… 🙄
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That’s a gorgeous hike! So many fun things to do when we return to the Rogue Valley (someday). Sofie is beautiful! I hope she’s giving you lots of treats as she trains you to do her bidding. 🙂
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Last Sunday was a great day for a hike – no matter where you went in our area. 🙂 I’m also happy to see you added the Gin Lin to your day, as it probably gets less attention than it deserves.
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Always enjoy the E-ART, especially on clear days with amazing views. We followed your route at Applegate Lake on Sunday including a pre-hike hike on the Gin Lin trail. As we hiked at Applegate Lake, we thought about what a great day if would be to hike the E-ART…and we were right!
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It’s a very easy & fun hike, with great views when the weather cooperates. Our new kitty was practically the first one we saw when we visited the county animal shelter (which has been struggling what with the virus restrictions). She had us at the first purr…
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Looks like a nice hike! And your new kitty is very cute 🙂
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Thanks! It was one of those days here where it started really cold (well, not as cold as some places) and then warmed nicely in the afternoon. That said, we could still use more rain (and snow).
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Beautiful photos. I love the frosty leaves!
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