WHERE:  From Portland take I-205 South to highway 224 east to forest road 46 south (near Ripplebrook campground) to forest service road 63 (following south, you will take a right to get onto this road) to forest road 6340 which is in relatively good condition for a forest road going into wilderness.  The trailhead is at the end of the road.

THE TRAIL:  This trail has the highest starting point going into the Wilderness at 4600 feet and passes north and south Dickey peaks during a gradual climb before reaching the Bull of the Woods lookout at over 5300 feet elevation.  The lookout is under reconstruction but offers panorama views from Rainier to the north and The Sisters to the south.  Bull of the woods trail is trail # 550 which you follow past the lookout to trail #554 where you will follow to a junction to Welcome Lakes.  High Welcome Lake is just below 4400 feet elevation and is smaller than the lower lake which is several hundred feet lower and about a 1/2 mile hike down trail #444 to a splinter trail.  There are many huckleberries along this whole loop and especially near the trail head as well as the Welcome Lakes trail.