Goodbye Picnic Area

An often-overlooked stop in the park is Goodbye Picnic Area. Goodbye Picnic Area is perfect for a picnic but also consider it for birding, and an observation point for small mammals with the hope for a bear to stroll through the forest on its way to the creek. It rests beneath a forest composed of a variety of mature tree species including Shasta red fir, lodgepole pine, and mountain hemlock. Mostly inaccessible to the eyes but very audible to the ears is Goodbye Creek which flows in a deep canyon that separates these two picnic areas.The road noise from passing vehicles becomes inconsequential especially after snow melt when the creek is roaring. There is no trail into the canyon through which Goodbye Creek cascades downstream. This is one place where the towering trees, calls of the red breasted nuthatch, and the antics of Douglas squirrels begs visitors to put aside the hiking poles and just relax.