We’d rushed past Teshio-gawa Onsen with great regret on our mad dash down the Teshio River in our canoe, about three days prior. We were trying to make the most of a favourable weather window to complete the full trip to the sea, and in the end this paid off – we completed the trip in four days instead of six.
This did, however, give us two days at the end of the trip to explore some of the spots we’d missed out on when we were travelling the river in the canoe. So we set up our tent at the free Teshio-gawa Onsen campground, and spent a morning exploring the canoe port down by the river, and trails behind the campground.
By the looks of the trail map signs at the bottom of the network of trails above the campground, we weren’t really expecting any issues with the trails. Indeed, the first few hundred meters of trail was actually quite pleasant, with wide, hardly-trodden trails through sparse forest. There wasn’t really any worn path, just cleared undergrowth.
This didn’t last long, however. By hook or by crook we were going to make it to the upper end of the trails marked on the trail signs, but this entailed a fair bit of under-growth-bashing. The only footprints we encountered were those of deer.
In places with better canopy cover, there was a faint foot trail. But such sections were few and far between.
We weren’t really complaining too much though. We were enjoying the use of our legs after four days on the river.
In places, there were views across the valley and down to the river.
We eventually made it to the upper end of the trail. It finished abruptly at a knob surrounded by trees. We gobbled down some snacks and promptly began the descent.
Overall it was a good blat in the hills, and it made the lunch-time hot spring soak all the better.
