it was a salamander newt, not a gecko!

Red-spotted Newt, Eft Stage (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)

Most newts are aquatic, but some species, including the red-spotted newt, have a juvenile terrestrial stage (the “Eft” stage) where they hang out on land for a few years, before they transform into sensible adults and go back to the water. The reason the red-spotted newt comes in pretty colours is to warn predators about the toxic mucus its skin produces (nice – isn’t that always the way). And apparently “the efts are found on the forest floor after rains”, which would explain why we kept nearly walking on them on our way down.