Saturday, March 30, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Dierkes Lake at Shoshone Falls Park in Twin Falls, Idaho
We started off Spring Break with a visit to Twin Falls, Idaho. While there, we took a day to go rock hounding about and hour past Twin at Rabbit Springs, near the Nevada border {in fact, we overshot Rabbit Springs, and landed in Jackpot, NV, before turning around and finding the right spot}. After a few minutes of searching the frozen landscape, we hit the thunderegg jackpot. We were overexcited, and gathered far more than we were ultimately able to haul home with us. It's a great place to go, if you're ever in the area.
We headed back, filled up with lunch, then piled back into the car to go for a hike. We started at 212 ft. Shoshone Falls, which was just a trickle in comparison to the magnitude of roaring water flowing over last time we were there. From the same parking lot, there is about a 3 mile round trip hike up to the spot where Evel Knievil tried to jump the Snake River Canyon in 1974 {video here, if you're interested; skip to 2:25 to see the actual launch}. Due to the cold and even colder high winds, we opted for the shorter 1.6 mile hike around Dierkes Lake, which starts and ends at the parking lot less than 1/4 of a mile further down the road.
The hike is quite different than anything you'll get in Oregon's Willamette Valley. This area is a dry desert with very little in the way of shrubs or trees, but plentiful in rocks, cliffs, and large boulders for kids to climb. As much as I prefer our greenery, it was nice to experience something different. It was short, easy, and out in the open, allowing for the kids to often wander off the trail to climb a boulder or two, then rush back to the trail to catch up to us. There are several points at which you're able to walk right up to the top of cliffs and take in the view. This was great for us, as well as our kids who were old enough to listen and stay back far enough from the edge. Any smaller children would need an adult close at hand at all times on this hike. The hike never becomes too strenuous. Despite your constant elevation change, it remains fairly easy, because of the stairs built into the landscape anytime you face an uphill climb.
In addition to the rocky landscape, you're also likely to spot a rock chuck or two... or ten. I did this same loop last year and only spotted a couple. This time was going to be about the same, until we neared the end of the trail, and several were suddenly swarming across our path. They're quick little suckers, and I was surprised that once they were up on the rocks above us, they stayed still long enough for us to snap several pictures before concluding our hike and heading back to our car.
Total Distance: 1.6 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Appearance: Dirt/mud trail, gravel last 1/2 mile
Trail Elevation: Easy uphill/downhill climbs
Atmosphere: Quiet, birds, rock chucks
View: River, lake, canyon, cliffs, rocks
Extras: Rock chucks, Shoshone Falls
Difficulty: Easy- Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: N/A;*****;*****
*Awesome "rock chuck peeking over the rock" pic contributed by my brother Eric
We headed back, filled up with lunch, then piled back into the car to go for a hike. We started at 212 ft. Shoshone Falls, which was just a trickle in comparison to the magnitude of roaring water flowing over last time we were there. From the same parking lot, there is about a 3 mile round trip hike up to the spot where Evel Knievil tried to jump the Snake River Canyon in 1974 {video here, if you're interested; skip to 2:25 to see the actual launch}. Due to the cold and even colder high winds, we opted for the shorter 1.6 mile hike around Dierkes Lake, which starts and ends at the parking lot less than 1/4 of a mile further down the road.
The hike is quite different than anything you'll get in Oregon's Willamette Valley. This area is a dry desert with very little in the way of shrubs or trees, but plentiful in rocks, cliffs, and large boulders for kids to climb. As much as I prefer our greenery, it was nice to experience something different. It was short, easy, and out in the open, allowing for the kids to often wander off the trail to climb a boulder or two, then rush back to the trail to catch up to us. There are several points at which you're able to walk right up to the top of cliffs and take in the view. This was great for us, as well as our kids who were old enough to listen and stay back far enough from the edge. Any smaller children would need an adult close at hand at all times on this hike. The hike never becomes too strenuous. Despite your constant elevation change, it remains fairly easy, because of the stairs built into the landscape anytime you face an uphill climb.
In addition to the rocky landscape, you're also likely to spot a rock chuck or two... or ten. I did this same loop last year and only spotted a couple. This time was going to be about the same, until we neared the end of the trail, and several were suddenly swarming across our path. They're quick little suckers, and I was surprised that once they were up on the rocks above us, they stayed still long enough for us to snap several pictures before concluding our hike and heading back to our car.
Total Distance: 1.6 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Appearance: Dirt/mud trail, gravel last 1/2 mile
Trail Elevation: Easy uphill/downhill climbs
Atmosphere: Quiet, birds, rock chucks
View: River, lake, canyon, cliffs, rocks
Extras: Rock chucks, Shoshone Falls
Difficulty: Easy- Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: N/A;*****;*****
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Jawbone Flats at Opal Creek
I've been anxiously anticipating the day that we'd actually have enough time to go on this hike. I was excited when we finally had a totally free Saturday, a real rarity around here. Not only that, but it was even sunny and a little warm {at least in comparison to the weather we'd been having}.
Just like the Henline Trail hike, you'll find this one by following Hwy 22 to mile marker 23, and turning onto North Forth Rd {directly across from Swiss Village restaurant}. After 14 miles of pavement you will enter the Willamette National Forest where the road turns to gravel. You are now on Forest Road 2209.
After approx 1.5 -2 miles you will see a turn-off on the right towards Three Pools. Stay to the left on Forest Road 2209. Continue another 4 miles to the Opal Creek/Jawbone parking area and trail head.
Just like the Henline Trail hike, you'll find this one by following Hwy 22 to mile marker 23, and turning onto North Forth Rd {directly across from Swiss Village restaurant}. After 14 miles of pavement you will enter the Willamette National Forest where the road turns to gravel. You are now on Forest Road 2209.
After approx 1.5 -2 miles you will see a turn-off on the right towards Three Pools. Stay to the left on Forest Road 2209. Continue another 4 miles to the Opal Creek/Jawbone parking area and trail head.
Parking day passes are supposedly available at the trailhead, but there were no envelopes. I assume that they are better stocked during the summer months, when the trails are used more often. Day and annual forest passes can also be purchased at Santiam Sports Store in Mill City.When we started down the path, I realized it wasn't going to be one of my all-time favorite hikes. While the wilderness surrounding us was beautiful, the trail was a gravel road. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that gravel roads are far from the top of my 'ideal trails' list. If you're able to ignore the trail beneath your feet {or perhaps you don't mind gravel road trails}, you'll enjoy being enveloped in the forest beauty surrounding you. It is a mossy, dense forest, interspersed with little streams/waterfalls running down the mountain above you, flowing beneath the trail, and into the creek below you.
Along the way, you'll be gifted with special sights you won't find on most hikes. You'll come across an old mine on your left, and some old mining equipment on your right. A little further past the equipment, there is an old saw mill on the right {there is also a picnic table, perfect for a snack/lunch break}. We took a detour here, and walked through the old saw mill to the water's edge behind it, for a gorgeous view. It's a little bit tricky with little ones, but it's worth the view of the creek. For a safer/easier, but less spectacular view, you can take the small path off to your right just past the sawmill.
The town itself is just over 3 miles up the road from the parking lot. There are a handful of old buildings, one of which has old appliances lining the porch. There are also vintage cars & trucks {including a fire truck} lining the road, and mining equipment scattered throughout the town.
I was so excited to do this hike, that I jumped the gun a bit and didn't think about just how inaccessible things would be in the winter. The small town was completely shut down. It is a cool place to explore, but not on a winter day. It was much colder than I had anticipated, and we had set off a little later than we should have with kiddos. We were losing light and getting colder quickly on the way back to the car. Had we done this hike in the summer, we would have been able to explore the town more and had more of a break before making the kids trek another 3 miles back to the car. As it was, we had to rush back, and everyone was exhausted by the time we reached the parking lot again. You can browse this site for more information on the right times to go, the programs and cabin rentals they offer, and a little history on the town.
Total Distance: 6.5 miles {At least 7, including all of the detours/exploring you'll do}
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Gravel road
Trail Elevation: Continuous gradual incline for 3 miles
Atmosphere: Quiet, serene, birds, flowing water
View: Creek, trees, birds, waterfall, mountain
Extras: Old mining town
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;***;** {7 miles in the cold, with only small breaks was too much for my 6 yr old}
Along the way, you'll be gifted with special sights you won't find on most hikes. You'll come across an old mine on your left, and some old mining equipment on your right. A little further past the equipment, there is an old saw mill on the right {there is also a picnic table, perfect for a snack/lunch break}. We took a detour here, and walked through the old saw mill to the water's edge behind it, for a gorgeous view. It's a little bit tricky with little ones, but it's worth the view of the creek. For a safer/easier, but less spectacular view, you can take the small path off to your right just past the sawmill.
The town itself is just over 3 miles up the road from the parking lot. There are a handful of old buildings, one of which has old appliances lining the porch. There are also vintage cars & trucks {including a fire truck} lining the road, and mining equipment scattered throughout the town.
I was so excited to do this hike, that I jumped the gun a bit and didn't think about just how inaccessible things would be in the winter. The small town was completely shut down. It is a cool place to explore, but not on a winter day. It was much colder than I had anticipated, and we had set off a little later than we should have with kiddos. We were losing light and getting colder quickly on the way back to the car. Had we done this hike in the summer, we would have been able to explore the town more and had more of a break before making the kids trek another 3 miles back to the car. As it was, we had to rush back, and everyone was exhausted by the time we reached the parking lot again. You can browse this site for more information on the right times to go, the programs and cabin rentals they offer, and a little history on the town.
Total Distance: 6.5 miles {At least 7, including all of the detours/exploring you'll do}
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Gravel road
Trail Elevation: Continuous gradual incline for 3 miles
Atmosphere: Quiet, serene, birds, flowing water
View: Creek, trees, birds, waterfall, mountain
Extras: Old mining town
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;***;** {7 miles in the cold, with only small breaks was too much for my 6 yr old}
Monday, March 11, 2013
Shellburg Falls at the Shellburg Falls Recreation Area of the Santiam State Forest
Shellburg Falls was a hike recommended to me by multiple people, and I decided to take up the recommendation with several family members on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
To get there, take Hwy 22 and turn north onto Fern Ridge Road. Just over a mile down the road, you'll come to a gravel parking and day-use area on the right. If the parking area is a little full {as it was on the day we were there}, there is space to pull off to the side of the road if necessary.** Here you will see a gravel road {Shellburg Rd} with a yellow gate across, barring vehicle access. From here, you will hike the gravel road for 1.25 miles. There is no dense forest or running water along your way, but instead you will meander through private property of open fields filled with cattle. The cows are not a nuisance, and the land owners seem not to mind the intrusion of hikers. In fact, we came upon a farmer who was happy to see all of our kids, and invited them over to pet the new baby calf, which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Once you hike your 1.25 miles, you'll cross a short bridge above the lower Shellburg Falls. To your left is where the real trail begins. When you're on the trail, you walk into a denser, greener landscape. Only about 0.2 miles into the trail, you'll come to Shellburg Falls. It is a beauty, as most falls are. Just before you reach it, there is a small trail down to the left framed by beautifully moss-covered arching branches to a vewpoint deck. Continue along the main trail, and it will loop you around the back of the falls, before you hike a very short, but moderately steep switchback section back to high ground. Only about 200 meters past the waterfall, there are a couple of benches, perfectly placed for a snack break. Afterwards, you'll head over a small footbridge, and hike the remaining 0.25 miles to the end of the trail {during the winter, this section is quite muddy, and for us confirmed the need of real waterproof hiking shoes for our kids, instead of the running shoes they've been using}. It appeared as though the trail usually ends at a campground, however we encountered a detour forcing us to end just a little bit early. From what I gather, this is another seasonal thing, and it should be available for use from late spring to early fall. Once the trail ends {all too soon}, and you meet back up with the gravel road, it is about a 2 mile hike back to the car.
While I suppose the open fields and cattle were nice for a different kind of experience, I do not enjoy hiking gravel roads. To me, hiking is about raw nature, and gravel roads take something away from the experience for me. The trail itself was fantastic, albeit far too short. I think we'll return in the summer in order to gain the closer access by car, allowing us to spend more time exploring the different trails in the area.
**From May 2-Oct 1, you can get closer access to the trails by taking Hwy 22 to a left {north} on Wagner Rd. Stay right and drive 2.5 miles. When you come to a 4 way intersection, stay straight onto Ayer's Creek Rd. After 1 mile, take a left onto AC 100 Rd, and drive 2.8 miles further to the orange gate at Shellburg Rd on the left.
Total Distance: 3.75 miles
Trail Type: Out & back with loop
Trail Appearance: Gravel road, dirt/muddy trail
Trail Elevation: continuous gradual incline for 1.25 miles, small rises & valleys for 0.5, gradual decline for 2 miles
Atmosphere: open, animal sounds
View: Open fields, farmers, cows, waterfall, trees
Map: Shellburg Falls Recreation Area
Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;****;***
To get there, take Hwy 22 and turn north onto Fern Ridge Road. Just over a mile down the road, you'll come to a gravel parking and day-use area on the right. If the parking area is a little full {as it was on the day we were there}, there is space to pull off to the side of the road if necessary.** Here you will see a gravel road {Shellburg Rd} with a yellow gate across, barring vehicle access. From here, you will hike the gravel road for 1.25 miles. There is no dense forest or running water along your way, but instead you will meander through private property of open fields filled with cattle. The cows are not a nuisance, and the land owners seem not to mind the intrusion of hikers. In fact, we came upon a farmer who was happy to see all of our kids, and invited them over to pet the new baby calf, which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Once you hike your 1.25 miles, you'll cross a short bridge above the lower Shellburg Falls. To your left is where the real trail begins. When you're on the trail, you walk into a denser, greener landscape. Only about 0.2 miles into the trail, you'll come to Shellburg Falls. It is a beauty, as most falls are. Just before you reach it, there is a small trail down to the left framed by beautifully moss-covered arching branches to a vewpoint deck. Continue along the main trail, and it will loop you around the back of the falls, before you hike a very short, but moderately steep switchback section back to high ground. Only about 200 meters past the waterfall, there are a couple of benches, perfectly placed for a snack break. Afterwards, you'll head over a small footbridge, and hike the remaining 0.25 miles to the end of the trail {during the winter, this section is quite muddy, and for us confirmed the need of real waterproof hiking shoes for our kids, instead of the running shoes they've been using}. It appeared as though the trail usually ends at a campground, however we encountered a detour forcing us to end just a little bit early. From what I gather, this is another seasonal thing, and it should be available for use from late spring to early fall. Once the trail ends {all too soon}, and you meet back up with the gravel road, it is about a 2 mile hike back to the car.
While I suppose the open fields and cattle were nice for a different kind of experience, I do not enjoy hiking gravel roads. To me, hiking is about raw nature, and gravel roads take something away from the experience for me. The trail itself was fantastic, albeit far too short. I think we'll return in the summer in order to gain the closer access by car, allowing us to spend more time exploring the different trails in the area.
**From May 2-Oct 1, you can get closer access to the trails by taking Hwy 22 to a left {north} on Wagner Rd. Stay right and drive 2.5 miles. When you come to a 4 way intersection, stay straight onto Ayer's Creek Rd. After 1 mile, take a left onto AC 100 Rd, and drive 2.8 miles further to the orange gate at Shellburg Rd on the left.
Total Distance: 3.75 miles
Trail Type: Out & back with loop
Trail Appearance: Gravel road, dirt/muddy trail
Trail Elevation: continuous gradual incline for 1.25 miles, small rises & valleys for 0.5, gradual decline for 2 miles
Atmosphere: open, animal sounds
View: Open fields, farmers, cows, waterfall, trees
Map: Shellburg Falls Recreation Area
Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;****;***
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Henline Trail at Opal Creek
This hike is a special little treat. It's like getting the chocolate torte with a drizzle of raspberry sauce for dessert. Yes, it's that good. Trust me.
This is an area close to my home that I hiked often as a kid, but haven't been in about 20 years. My brother was visiting from out of town, and recommended this particular trail, which I don't recall ever being on before. To get there, take Hwy 22 to mile marker 23, and turn onto North Forth Rd {directly accross from Swiss Village restaurant}. From there, you have a beautiful 14 mile winding drive {pack the motion sickness meds if you get queasy easily- we do} before reaching the fork in the road. Stay to the left, toward the Opal Creek park entrance. Drive 3 more miles, just past the Opal Creek junction, to a small 2-3 car parking area on the left. You'll see the trailhead sign to the left {FYI: you'll need a NW Forest Pass. $5/day or $30/year. Purchase online or at Detroit Ranger Station}.
Henline Falls trail is a 1.6 mile round trip hike. This secluded and rugged wilderness trek through the dense trees has a continuous gradual incline to the waterfall at the top. The trail is well maintained, but at times becomes rocky and narrow, making it too difficult and dangerous for toddlers 2-4 years old {even with our 6 year old, my oldest son insisted on holding onto her while hiking the narrow section- must say, I loved that he was taking care of her}. About 0.5 miles into the hike, stay to the left when the trail splits, then stay left again at the next split {you'll see a sign marking the Henline Trail}. From this point, it is only .25 miles farther to the top. The trail will eventually come to a sizable open area, perfect for a snack stop. Afterwards, the trail gets increasingly narrow, until you must walk single file, with a steep drop off to your left. The 90 ft waterfall is beautiful, as well as the water run off the mountain side.
So far, we've experienced only the chocolate torte. Here comes that drizzle of raspberry sauce I talked about. If you're willing to do a little rock climbing, you can maneuver to an old silver mining cave from the 1930's. It is hidden just to the right of the waterfall. Since we did this hike in the winter, my brother quickly climbed over to the cave, and deemed the climb too dangerous for the kids, which unfortunately left us stripped of our raspberry sauce for today. In the summer, the waterfall is only about 1/8 of the size it is in the winter, which means that the rocks next to it are not so wet and slippery and therefore easier for the kids to climb. The smaller waterfall and warmer weather also allow for some swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall, and in the stream below it. Now THAT would be a perfect hike: a wilderness trek, followed by a little rock climbing, cave exploring, and swimming. I can't wait to return in the summer at get my raspberry sauce at last! {**A important note about the mining cave: My brother informed me that when he climbed the rocks to peer into the cave, he saw a barrier blocking further entry after only about 100 ft. After doing some research, I've been unable to find any indication that it has been permanently boarded up, and hope it is only temporary. I did find more than one warning not to venture too far into the mine, especially with children, so please be aware of that precaution. I will update this post when I return to the trail and when I find out any new information.**}
Despite the short length of this hike, it is definitely one of my favorites. If it had been a longer hike, it would have earned a full 4 stars from me, but maybe it's just the perfect length for your family. It ticked several boxes on my priority list: quiet; secluded; rugged trail; dense, green, mossy forest; creek; waterfall; and exploration tangent trails.
Total Distance: 1.6 miles
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Well maintained, rugged, rocky, narrow
Trail Elevation: continuous gradual incline for .8 miles
Atmosphere: Quiet, serene, roaring water near the waterfall
View: Creek, trees, birds, waterfall, mountain
Extras: 1930's silver mine
Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: ****;****;****
This is an area close to my home that I hiked often as a kid, but haven't been in about 20 years. My brother was visiting from out of town, and recommended this particular trail, which I don't recall ever being on before. To get there, take Hwy 22 to mile marker 23, and turn onto North Forth Rd {directly accross from Swiss Village restaurant}. From there, you have a beautiful 14 mile winding drive {pack the motion sickness meds if you get queasy easily- we do} before reaching the fork in the road. Stay to the left, toward the Opal Creek park entrance. Drive 3 more miles, just past the Opal Creek junction, to a small 2-3 car parking area on the left. You'll see the trailhead sign to the left {FYI: you'll need a NW Forest Pass. $5/day or $30/year. Purchase online or at Detroit Ranger Station}.
Henline Falls trail is a 1.6 mile round trip hike. This secluded and rugged wilderness trek through the dense trees has a continuous gradual incline to the waterfall at the top. The trail is well maintained, but at times becomes rocky and narrow, making it too difficult and dangerous for toddlers 2-4 years old {even with our 6 year old, my oldest son insisted on holding onto her while hiking the narrow section- must say, I loved that he was taking care of her}. About 0.5 miles into the hike, stay to the left when the trail splits, then stay left again at the next split {you'll see a sign marking the Henline Trail}. From this point, it is only .25 miles farther to the top. The trail will eventually come to a sizable open area, perfect for a snack stop. Afterwards, the trail gets increasingly narrow, until you must walk single file, with a steep drop off to your left. The 90 ft waterfall is beautiful, as well as the water run off the mountain side.
So far, we've experienced only the chocolate torte. Here comes that drizzle of raspberry sauce I talked about. If you're willing to do a little rock climbing, you can maneuver to an old silver mining cave from the 1930's. It is hidden just to the right of the waterfall. Since we did this hike in the winter, my brother quickly climbed over to the cave, and deemed the climb too dangerous for the kids, which unfortunately left us stripped of our raspberry sauce for today. In the summer, the waterfall is only about 1/8 of the size it is in the winter, which means that the rocks next to it are not so wet and slippery and therefore easier for the kids to climb. The smaller waterfall and warmer weather also allow for some swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall, and in the stream below it. Now THAT would be a perfect hike: a wilderness trek, followed by a little rock climbing, cave exploring, and swimming. I can't wait to return in the summer at get my raspberry sauce at last! {**A important note about the mining cave: My brother informed me that when he climbed the rocks to peer into the cave, he saw a barrier blocking further entry after only about 100 ft. After doing some research, I've been unable to find any indication that it has been permanently boarded up, and hope it is only temporary. I did find more than one warning not to venture too far into the mine, especially with children, so please be aware of that precaution. I will update this post when I return to the trail and when I find out any new information.**}
Despite the short length of this hike, it is definitely one of my favorites. If it had been a longer hike, it would have earned a full 4 stars from me, but maybe it's just the perfect length for your family. It ticked several boxes on my priority list: quiet; secluded; rugged trail; dense, green, mossy forest; creek; waterfall; and exploration tangent trails.
Total Distance: 1.6 miles
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Well maintained, rugged, rocky, narrow
Trail Elevation: continuous gradual incline for .8 miles
Atmosphere: Quiet, serene, roaring water near the waterfall
View: Creek, trees, birds, waterfall, mountain
Extras: 1930's silver mine
Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: ****;****;****
Monday, March 4, 2013
Upper North Falls at Silver Falls State Park
If your kids are little tikes and/or beginners, it doesn't get more perfect that this! I have hiked this short trail many times with my 3 children, especially when they were younger {or when we were short on time & needed a quick hike like today}. This hike is only 0.4 miles round trip to a beautiful waterfall. Start off at the North Falls Trailhead located on Hwy 214 at mile marker 27. From the parking lot, you'll head over a wooden footbridge. The trail immediately branches off, and you'll make a U turn to the right, following under the bridge you just came over. Right off the bat, there is a fun rocky/dirt area under the bridge that one of my sons always insists on climbing. As you follow the trail to the waterfall, there will be 4-5 "baby waterfalls" {as my 6 year old calls them} to your right, and a 10 ft drop to the creek on your left, so you'll obviously want to keep any toddlers to your right {there is plenty of room to walk side-by-side}. The Upper North Falls has always been one of my favorite waterfalls at Silver Falls Park. I am partial to the wide ones. I was incredibly disappointed, however, to find that a trio of fallen trees has blocked a portion of this falls, cutting it's width nearly in half. It is still beautiful, but not the stunner it once was. The main trail will end about 50 yards away from the 65 ft waterfall, but there are stone steps that will take you down to the rocky creek's edge, if you want to get a closer look.
After we returned to the bridge, we had a little time to spare, so we ventured about 0.3 miles down the Canyon Trail to the North Falls viewpoint before turning around and returning to the car. This is a great addition, if you're wanting to hike a little longer. If you choose to continue past the viewpoint, you can make a nice 2.9 mile loop by catching the Winter Falls trail 1.5 miles away on the left, following that for 0.5 miles, then returning 0.9 miles on the Rim Trail. I'll be featuring that loop here on the blog sometime soon.
Total Distance: 0.4 miles
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Well maintained, packed & nature covered gravel
Trail Elevation: Flat
Atmosphere: Birds chirping, water roaring
View: Trees, creek, waterfalls
Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: ****;****;****
After we returned to the bridge, we had a little time to spare, so we ventured about 0.3 miles down the Canyon Trail to the North Falls viewpoint before turning around and returning to the car. This is a great addition, if you're wanting to hike a little longer. If you choose to continue past the viewpoint, you can make a nice 2.9 mile loop by catching the Winter Falls trail 1.5 miles away on the left, following that for 0.5 miles, then returning 0.9 miles on the Rim Trail. I'll be featuring that loop here on the blog sometime soon.
Total Distance: 0.4 miles
Trail Type: Out & back
Trail Appearance: Well maintained, packed & nature covered gravel
Trail Elevation: Flat
Atmosphere: Birds chirping, water roaring
View: Trees, creek, waterfalls
Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: ****;****;****
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Virginia Lake at Wapato Access Greenway
We spent a delicious lunchtime in downtown Portland with family. Since it was a beautiful (or at least dry) day, we decided to find a trail to explore before heading home. We drove about 25 minutes to a trail on Oak Island Road. This is hike #2 featured in the book I mentioned previously, Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon. On the way there, I noticed that this hike was on the book's list of "Best Hikes in Winter." Once we got there, however, we discovered that the trail we were planning on hiking is NOT open year-round. It is only available to hike April-October, therefore it's most definitely NOT a winter hike. To the book's credit, despite this error, if I had looked more closely at the page that features more specifics about the hike, I would have seen the note indicating the correct times it is open for hiking.
Once we jumped back into the car, I was determined to find something else close by so that the afternoon wouldn't be wasted. Luckily, I realized that the very first hike featured in the book was Virginia Lake, which was only a few miles away. This hike can be found just 2.5 miles past the Sauvie Island Bridge, on Sauvie Island Road. The small parking lot will be on your left, marked "Wapato Access Greenway".
This hike begins with a 0.2 mile hike, before coming to a covered picnic area. You can continue along the trail to the right, or veer left. It creates a loop around Virginia Lake, so it doesn't matter which way you go. I prefer the way we went {to the right}, because it allowed us to get most of our hike in before stopping at another picnic table along the Multnomah Channel for a snack. Just over half a mile into the hike, you'll come to a small dip in the trail and cross over the wooden bridge at the far end of the lake. As the hike continues, you'll stray a little farther from the lake, and a little closer to the Multnomah Channel. You'll find a small "exploration trail" or two along the way that will take you up to the water's edge {these special exploration trails are always exciting for kids to discover}. About a mile beyond the wooden bridge, you can detour about 100m off to the right to Hadley's Landing. This is where you'll find the other picnicking area, and likely a few fisherman fishing off the Channel's dock. Shortly thereafter you'll come to a bird blind viewing dock on the left, just before concluding your loop back at the covered picnic area.
Total Distance: 2.2 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Appearance: Wide, well maintained, gravel, rutted vehicle access pathway
Trail Elevation: Relatively flat, a few small rises
Atmosphere: Birds chirping, ducks quacking, dogs barking, distant road noise
View: Lake, trees, birds, neighboring houses, industrial junkyard at Hadley's Landing
Extras: Information plaques and bird identifying markers along the trail
Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;***;****
Once we jumped back into the car, I was determined to find something else close by so that the afternoon wouldn't be wasted. Luckily, I realized that the very first hike featured in the book was Virginia Lake, which was only a few miles away. This hike can be found just 2.5 miles past the Sauvie Island Bridge, on Sauvie Island Road. The small parking lot will be on your left, marked "Wapato Access Greenway".
This hike begins with a 0.2 mile hike, before coming to a covered picnic area. You can continue along the trail to the right, or veer left. It creates a loop around Virginia Lake, so it doesn't matter which way you go. I prefer the way we went {to the right}, because it allowed us to get most of our hike in before stopping at another picnic table along the Multnomah Channel for a snack. Just over half a mile into the hike, you'll come to a small dip in the trail and cross over the wooden bridge at the far end of the lake. As the hike continues, you'll stray a little farther from the lake, and a little closer to the Multnomah Channel. You'll find a small "exploration trail" or two along the way that will take you up to the water's edge {these special exploration trails are always exciting for kids to discover}. About a mile beyond the wooden bridge, you can detour about 100m off to the right to Hadley's Landing. This is where you'll find the other picnicking area, and likely a few fisherman fishing off the Channel's dock. Shortly thereafter you'll come to a bird blind viewing dock on the left, just before concluding your loop back at the covered picnic area.
Total Distance: 2.2 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Appearance: Wide, well maintained, gravel, rutted vehicle access pathway
Trail Elevation: Relatively flat, a few small rises
Atmosphere: Birds chirping, ducks quacking, dogs barking, distant road noise
View: Lake, trees, birds, neighboring houses, industrial junkyard at Hadley's Landing
Extras: Information plaques and bird identifying markers along the trail
Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: ***
Kid Ratings: ****;***;****
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