Fairy Forest

(Mirror Lake Hwy)

We heard rumors of a “fairy forest” along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, but we couldn’t find anything about it on the Internet or anywhere else. Finally, we found some sloppy directions and set out to see if we could find it. After stumbling around in the woods for awhile, we did.
The Fairy Forest is a rather large area near a campground that has painted rocks, a few wind chimes, and some wood sculptures that are arranged to look like fairies had a hand in it. Of course, visitors have painted and stacked the rocks. It’s a really nice walk– hardly a “hike” at all, but our kids loved it. Below are some of the pictures (we took A LOT more). You’ll find very specific directions about how to get find Fairy Forest below. You might want to take your own painted rock to add to the forest, or bring paint to decorate one of the rocks there.

To get to Fairy Forest, head up to Kamas. Take the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway (Hwy 150). You’ll have to pay the $6 entrance fee, but the National Forests had their budgets cut again, so you’ll be happy to pay. Drive to mile marker 17 just past Shady Dell campground. There is a pullout right at the mile marker. Park and follow the trail that goes to the right (as you face the forest). You’ll cut through the campground, and find yourself in a dry creek bed with huge river rocks. Be careful– some of them roll. After you cross the river, bear right. Trails head off in front of you, and that’s where we got lost and ended up all the way down by the river, but Fairy Forest is within 30 yards of this creek, so don’t go too far. If you go right (and down) about 30 feet after crossing the dry creek bed, you’ll find yourself at the entrance of the forest. Good Luck!