While eating breakfast, I realized I had already done mostly everything I wanted on this trip and decided it was a good time to pack it in. The hike back to the parking lot that day was shorter than the last couple days, but a lot harder. I took a steeper return route and was paying back the downhill debt from day one, spending most of my efforts scrambling up and down loose rock, mostly up.
As with most summer hikes through a forest, there was a wide assortment of wildflowers. The one in the middle is Orange Hawkweed, and it is actually considered an invasive species in many North American areas.
I encountered a couple of White-tailed deer during the hike. One actually grazed its way into my first campsite. I didn't hear or notice it until it was already about 15 feet close, and it scared the crap out of me.
They never seemed to be too concerned or interested with me. They just milled about and munched on food, vigilantly keeping an eye or ear on me and everything else while doing so.
I had gone a little over 42 miles in 3 days, which was about twice as fast as I was anticipating. Next time I'll have to visit the Little Carp Trail that the weather forced me to skip out on.
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