I read a trail report on that Eagle Creek stretch last year and the writer said Tunnel Falls alone was worth the whole trip, which tracks with what you're saying about the wildflowers past it. Something about a trail that keeps handing you one more good reason to keep walking makes the plan fall apart in the best way. I've heard the creek crossings out there are no joke though, so 16 miles with soaked feet is a real day. My worst case was a 9 mile loop that turned into 14 because every bend looked better than the last one. You're not alone in that at all.

Sounds like you just traded one boss for another and now you're mad the new boss is boring. Algorithms gonna algorithm either way, the only difference is woodworking videos don't hit the same dopamine. Give it another week, you'll either love it or go back to doomscrolling like the rest of us.