Summit Trail & Meadowedge Trail at Mary's Peak

Four years ago, we bought the book Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon, and the first hike to catch our interest was Mary's Peak. At 4097 ft elevation, this is the highest peak in the coastal range. To get there from I-5, take Hwy 34 exit toward Corvallis. Just before crossing the Willamette River into Corvallis, turn left onto Hwy 34/Hwy 20. Drive through Philomath, and turn left to continue on Hwy 34. After 10 miles, take a right onto Mary's Peak Rd. Drive about 9 miles {there is a beautiful viewpoint off to the right about 4 miles in} to the parking lot at the very end of the road. If you get motion sick, be aware that there are about 15 miles of windy roads.

There are several trails here. The first time we went, we started by hiking up to the summit {1.4 mile round trip}, and were deeply disappointed to see nothing but a white wall, thanks to the foggy day we were having. We knew that was a possibility when we checked the forecast that morning, but since clouds were supposed to disperse later on, we hoped it would clear up a little before we left. We continued on into the forest on the 1.6 mile Meadow Edge Trail Loop, and were treated with the most spectacular hike we've ever been on. The swirling fog, dense trees, ultra green landscape, and condensation soaked foliage combined to create a beautifully majestic wonderland. Once we reached the end of our hike, the clouds had parted, and we were able to enjoy a small portion the view the peak had to offer as well. 

We have been itching to return ever since, and were expecting to have a similar, but sunnier experience this time around. We couldn't have been more wrong. To start with, because there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, we could spot several mountain peaks in the Cascade Range just from the parking lot. Despite the sun and warmth, there was still a fair amount of snow covering the area, some of which we were required to hike through to reach the summit. There are two ways to get there. One way is to follow the gravel service road straight up. The other option is to start off with a detour on a smaller dirt trail off to the left of the gravel road. You have to look closely, but you can see it head up the hill, around a tree, and over another hill before connecting with the gravel road. Which ever way you go, you will want to stop and take in the sight at the top of this hill. It is a beautiful panoramic view. from the dirt trail/gravel road junction, continue on up to the 4097 ft summit, where you'll be greeted with a view of those Cascade Range Peaks in one direction and the Pacific Ocean in the other direction. 

To get to the Meadowedge Trail Loop, hike about 2/3 of the way back down to the parking lot, and the trailhead will be off to your left, about 30 meters from the gravel road. This is where things got interesting for us. It appeared as though the trail had not been cleared since the previous fall, so there was everything from small sticks to larger branches to entire fallen trees blocking our path. And where last time, the path was a clearly visible narrow dirt trail flanked by grass and ferns, this time the path was nearly impossible to distinguish. We managed to stay on it most of the time, I think, but we were clearly missing something, because we became very confused at the junctions. For this reason, I don't feel I can give an adequate description of the trail, so I'm going to include an excerpt from Hiking with Kids: Oregon.

"To walk the 1.6 mile loop clockwise, go straight at the first junction. For the first few minutes you'll be walking just inside the forests edge, until the trail enters a... meadow. It loops back into the woods.... Wind down through the airy old-growth forest to a little bridge crossing Parker Creek, marking the loop's halfway point. Just beyond is the spur to Mary's Peak Campground, on the left. The main trail climbs just inside the forest until it completes the loop; bear left to return to the summit trail."

It was a little frustrating to find the trail so poorly maintained this time around, although I assume they were waiting until all signs of snow had cleared before tackling the job. Plus, in the end, it just made for another unique experience.

Easily, the best part of the hike this time was the glorious view everywhere we looked. We will be returning, and hope to have another unique experience with this trail.

Park Fee: $5/day; $30/year

Total Distance: 3 miles
Trail Type: Out & back, Loop
Trail Appearance: Summit- gravel road; Meadowedge- dirt, difficult to distinguish
Trail Elevation: Hilly; 660 elevation gain
Atmosphere: Bird & animal sounds; Clear, fresh air
View: Mountains, ocean, trees
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
My Rating: ****
Kid Ratings: *****; *****; ***