Meriwether Canyon Trail #253

Dogs Unknown

The Meriwether Canyon Trail starts at the Meriwether Picnic Area, which is accessible by trail or by boat. The trail leads from the river, past the picnic area, and into the canyon. For the first couple of miles, the trail mostly sticks close to the bottom of the canyon, occasionally crossing the mostly-dry creek bed. As of spring 2021, this lower section has some deadfall, but is easily navigable, so long as you're feeling spry enough to hop over some logs.
Several miles in, the trail heads out of the creek bed and snakes along the souther slopes before making some big switchbacks up towards the saddle at the top. This middle part of the trail can be very difficult to follow if you're not paying attention. Past fires have burned through this upper section, and amount of deadfall across the trail may be difficult for some. The trail is also faint, making it hard to follow if you're moving quickly.
As you get toward the top of the canyon, the amount of downed trees lessens and the trail becomes a little easier to follow. Eventually it reaches a saddle, which offers expansive views of the surrounding wilderness. The trail then drops down the eastern face, following the ridge line south before meeting up with the Big Log Gulch Trail #252. This part also contains a fair amount of downed trees and can be difficult to follow early in the year when snow is present.