January 19, 2024 Opihi Gorge Trail (Day 114)
An early morning rainbow portended a beautiful day!
We headed out after a late breakfast to explore the opposite end of the Opihi River trail where the river enters a gorge and offers a more challenging hike through the gorge with ladders, bridges and rocky scrambles. We reached the end of the road for us, because of a water crossing, too deep for our little car. We took off our shoes and hobbled over the cobble rocks to the other side, then found we needed to cross a much wider section of the river! We decided we’re too tenderfooted to attempt that crossing and as we donned our shoes back on solid ground a 4 wheel drive cruised past, through the ford and on to we assume the Gorge trailhead! Oh well, we still had a 2.5 mile section of trail along the river to explore.
The ford over a small section of the river that stopped us! At the beginning (or end) of the River Trail the native plantings are doing great! Yesterday we saw 2 volunteers (we assumed) with a small pickup truck, a water tank and a pump, watering the plantings along the trail! About one third of the River Trail is in shady forest.
We were grateful for the shade, as the temperature soared into the high 20’sC, that’s over 80F! We were glad to finish the 5 mile out and back hike and sit in the shade eating our picnic lunch! A short drive to our VRBO, a good wash of our sweat drenched clothes, hang them on the line and relax! After dinner we had a delightful dessert of ice cream, fresh raspberries and chocolate!