- June 4th [of 1853]. Hunting. On the 4th I spent the day hunting…I. passed through the tide prairies east of camp, through the timber onto a large gravelly prairie. Here I saw abundant signs of bear, deer, elk and moose, but as they could only be found in the timber I proceeded to the southern border, where the ground ascended one of the foothills of the Olympics.
- The air was still and dry, and I was faint for want of water. I did not expect to find any, but by a strange good fortune I came across a cavity in a fallen cedar, burnt out by the fire and shielded from the sun, which had caught and preserved the rain as it seemed for my especial restoration. I spent half an hour in climbing a tree, but I could see nothing except forest to the west and east. Beyond the prairie and strip of wood the Strait of Fuca was partly visible, and to the south mountain after mountain rose, until the furthest ones were white with snow. I did not get into camp until 6 o’clock and I was much exhausted. One of the men brought in a deer.
- Big Tree Creek Falls (waterfallsnorthwest.com)
Big Tree Creek possesses two significant waterfalls as it cascades towards Yacolt and the East Fork Lewis River, this is the most easily accessed. Here, the creek veils over a 58 foot ledge - partly dropping straight down while most of the water funnels down a chute and explodes outward half way down the cliff. When the creek runs lower in the summer, the falls take on a much less impressive appearance. This waterfall is not located on Weyerhaeuser property despite what signs along the road may indicate, but instead is located on private property owned by a local resident. The state of current public access is not entirely clear, but it is suspected to not be accessible to the public at this point. Please respect any No Trespassing or Posted signs are encountered, and do not attempt to visit the falls if they are present. If access is allowed, please be cognizant of any parking restrictions and do not block the gate along the road.