Category: Willamette Valley

Silver Falls State Park – 10/21/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date October 23, 2026
No Comments on Silver Falls State Park – 10/21/2026

I headed out to Silver Falls State Park for a waterfall Wednesday hike. The volume of water at this time of year can vary greatly depending on how wet the beginning of Fall is. This year has been unseasonably dry (and warm), so I wasn’t expecting much from the falls themselves, but the park always provides good scenery. Given my recent setbacks with my heel and hip sticking close to Salem made sense and if necessary, I could cut the hike short. My plan was to hike the Trail of Ten Falls from the South Falls Trailhead, possibly adding in the paved Bike Path loop which I hadn’t ever explored. I also planned on skipping two of the most seasonal falls, Double and Winter, as they are off spur trails and due to the lack of rain would be running extremely low if at all.

I got a front row parking spot at 8am when the day use area opened and made my way through the South Falls District to the Canyon Trail at South Falls.

I was going to be a couple of minutes early so I stopped at the south entrance viewpoint first.

The cafe.

The nature store.

The chipmunks were out in force.

South Falls

Steller’s jay

I made my way down to and behind South Falls which I had to myself for a couple of minutes for the first time ever.

I continued on the Canyon Trail for a total of 3.7-miles to a junction with the Rim Trail.

Looking down at the stairs leading to Lower South Falls.

Lower South Falls

View from behind Lower South Falls.

It was a bluebird day above the canyon.

Footbridge over North Fork Silver Creek.

Lower North Falls

The spur trail to Double Falls is to the left just before the bridge above.

What little water there was in the creek below Double Falls from the footbridge.

Viewing platform for Drake Falls.

Drake Falls

Storm damage from the prior winter. This section of the Canyon Trail had been closed for a few months earlier in the year.

First view of Middle North Falls, my personal favorite.

Middle North Falls

A short spur trail leads behind this fall and to views from the other side.

The junction with the Winter Falls Trail (on the right). This trail had been closed when Heather visited in September due to a slide but had since reopened.

North Fork Silver Creek from the Winter Falls Trail footbridge.

Twin Falls with only one of the twins flowing.

First view of North Falls.

View from behind North Falls.

Climbing to the Rim Trail from North Falls.

I turned left at the junction with the Rim Trail and detoured on the spur trail to Upper North Falls.

Heading under the highway and footbridge from the North Falls Trailhead.

I had only seen about a half dozen people so far and had all seven of the waterfalls to myself for at least a minute or two. That ended when I arrived at Upper North Falls where a couple were doing multiple poses in front of the waterfall. I had to get a little creative to avoid having them in my pictures.

I used the vegetation to hide them here.

I rock hopped to the middle of the creek for an angle they weren’t in.

Then I zoomed in when they got too close for the angle trick to work.

After getting a few shots I took a break on a bench nearby and had a snack before continuing on. After the break I returned to the Rim Trail and followed it for 1.1-miles before forking left to the Bike Path Loop.

More winter storm damage.

The top of North Falls from the Rim Trail.

Passing the Winter Falls Trailhead.

There didn’t appear to be any running water in the creek above Winter Falls.

Coral fungus

The left fork to the Bike Path. The white line was one of many markings left over from the Silver Falls Trail Runs held Oct 16-18th this year.

I had to cross the highway to reach the Bike Path Loop.

The 1.8-mile loop began a little over 100 yards on the far side of the highway.

I opted to hike the loop counterclockwise. The path climbed gradually, passing a couple of pointers for “Ranches” (Davidsons & Foothill) before descending back down to complete the loop.

The creek that feeds Winter Falls.

The doe paused when she saw me then decided I wasn’t a threat and crossed the trail only to disappear in the vegetation on the far side.

The first trail to the Ranches.

Varied thrush. If you follow the blog, you know this is my nemesis. For me this is a pretty good picture of this elusive forest dweller.

Douglas squirrel

The end of the loop.

I recrossed the highway and stuck to the paved Bike Path for 0.4-miles then forked left when the Rim Trail crossed the path. I then followed the Rim Trail 0.4-miles back to the South Falls District where there was a school field trip in progress. That was a little too much chaos for me, so I hightailed back to the car.

This hike came in at 9.8-miles with approximately 1350′ of elevation gain.

My track from today (cyan) over Heather’s from March (pink).

As always this was an enjoyable hike. The one drawback for me to the park is that it is very popular. Starting early helps and if you aren’t dead set on waterfalls the backcountry trails (post) are never busy. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Silver Falls State Park

Tags Bike Path, Canyon Trail, Drake Falls, hiking, Lower South Falls, Middle North Falls, Oregon, Rim Trail, Silver Falls State Park. North Falls, South Falls, Twin Falls, Upper North Falls. Lower North Falls

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Minto-Brown Island Park (again) – 10/19/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date October 21, 2026
2 Comments on Minto-Brown Island Park (again) – 10/19/2026

My ongoing issues with my back/hips have made it necessary to change the way we normally approach hiking. One of the biggest impacts has been our inability to travel for a vacation where we would typically hike 5 or 6 days out of the 10 days from Sat through Sun. My final week of vacation was going to be more of the same. Instead of a hiking trip I had a couple of appointments scheduled and was working my way back from not being able to hike for a couple of weeks due to heel and hip issues.

An afternoon PT appointment on Monday meant I needed to keep my driving time down and I also wanted to keep my distance options open, so I made the 15-minute drive to Minto-Brown Island Park for the fifth time this year. I parked in Lot 4 along Homestead Road which would give me a chance to check on the otters (post) first thing and on the way back.

The trail from Lot 4.

My plan was to check the slough for otters then proceed to Green Heron Slough where there always seems to be a good deal of wildlife. From there my plan, assuming my heel and hip cooperated, was to hit several of the other bodies of water where wildlife tends to hang out. My body cooperated and I wound up doing a counterclockwise loop past the fishing pond, Willamette Slough, and Oxbow Slough then returned to Lot 4 via Green Heron Slough. Along the way I visited the old cherry orchard and took a new to me path through the center of the orchard.

The new to me section through the orchard is the straight line at the top of the loop. This was a 7.5-mile route.

No otters on this day but there was still plenty of wildlife and excellent scenery. Here are some of the highlights.

One of several great blue herons seen throughout the morning.

Deer on the far side of the slough from Faragate Road. This was the first time I’d seen deer in this area.

While I didn’t see the otters in the slough where we had before, this belted kingfisher was at the far end.

The leaves are really starting to fall now.

Another GBH in Green Heron Slough.

Egret

Mallards

Sparrow

One of at least a dozen rabbits I saw.

Squirrel!

The perpetually flooded trail near the fishing pond. I was able to stay dry by walking on my heels today.

Wood duck in the fishing pond.

They mowed some of the fields.

Red-tailed hawk that was heading down to the field.

It didn’t get whatever it had dove for.

Nutria family

Willamette Slough

Black phoebe

Northern flicker

How many robins do you see?

Heading into the old cherry orchard.

Scrub jay

Spotted towhee

The new to me section of trail.

Cedar waxwing

An egret, mallards, and two greater yellowlegs in Oxbow Slough.

One of the greater yellowlegs.

Geese further out in the slough.

Egret, mallards, and a GBH.

The Willamette River.

A greater yellowlegs and a turtle sharing a log in Green Heron Slough.

Geen winged teal and an American wigeon

Stellar’s jay

Still no otters today.

It was another nice day at the park. There were a number of other species of birds that I saw/heard but couldn’t get a picture of. The amount and variety of wildlife in the park makes every visit unique and provides a reason to keep returning. In addition to all the critters we’ve seen in the park mink, beaver, bobcat, and even cougar have been spotted at times here.

Tags deer, Egret, great blue heron, hiking, minto-brown island park, Oregon, Salem, turtle

Hiking Oregon Portland Willamette Valley

Fernhill Wetlands – 10/12/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date October 16, 2026
1 Comment on Fernhill Wetlands – 10/12/2026

After a successful test of my Achillies and hip on Saturday morning I decided to take advantage of the Monday holiday and give them another easy workout. I’d been seeing quite a few pictures of American bitterns coming from Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove, so I decided to make the 50-minute drive north to see if I could spot one myself.

When I arrived at the parking lot at 7:15am there was only one car, and a bit of fog.

Given the foggy conditions I decided that I would start the morning by hiking the 1.4-mile Dabblers Marsh Loop which loops around some fields to allow the fog some time to burn off. From the lot I headed left on the dirt path along Fernhill Marsh.

The first thing I spotted was a hawk (I believe a Cooper’s hawk).

Next up was a rabbit.

After passing the rabbit I detoured on a short path that led to a view of a part the marsh.

I did not notice the bittern in the foreground near the water at first. Instead, I spotted one to the right across the water.

The first bittern I noticed.

While I was watching the one I’d seen a second bittern flew in and landed to the right of the first.

The second bitter I saw which was actually bittern #3.

I finally noticed the third (first) bittern as I was sending a video to my family.

After watching the bitterns for a while I continued on, stopping at another small opening where I saw several birds in the water.

It was too foggy to get any good shots of the ducks, but then I spotted yet another bittern just to my left next to a log.

Continuing on I passed between Fernhill Lake and the Water Gardens where ducks, geese, and great blue herons were out in numbers.

Fernhill lake on the right.

Looking toward the Water Gardens.

Pied-billed grebe

American coot

Great blue heron in the Water Garden.

Cackling goose

Another great blue heron

Barn swallows

The fog was pretty heavy over Fernhill Lake so I turned left onto the Dabblers Marsh Trail when I reached that junction.

I didn’t expect to see much on this loop, but I did see a rabbit, a couple of squirrels and several birds.

Looping around the field.

Red-tailed hawk

This section at the far end of the loop is always good for at least a couple birds.

Northern flicker

Scrub jay

A crew was doing some work on part of the road/loop around the field, so I used the Return Prairie Path for the first time.

My plan had somewhat worked as there was less fog over the lake when I got back. I could now see several egrets, ducks, geese and a great blue heron on the far bank.

Egret coming in for a landing with two others and a great blue heron on the right.

I made my way around the lake to the gazebo overlooking the Barney Wetlands where there was quite a bit of activity.

Song sparrow

Barney Wetlands

Fernhill Lake from the gazebo.

Long-billed dowitcher

Starling and a bald eagle

A couple of ducks in the weltands.

American goldfinch

I continued on from the gazebo by passing between Cattail Marsh and Fernhill Lake then visiting Eagle Marsh and looping back around Cattail Marsh before heading back to the parking area. It seemed like birds were everywhere I looked. Here are some of the different types I spotted.

A couple of egrets and geese.

Mallards and a heron.

Red-winged blackbird

Another egret

A few ducks.

Gold-crowned sparrow

Cormorant

Gadwal

Northern shoveler doing duck yoga.

Killdeer

Green-winged teals

Cedar waxwing

Finch

Northern pintails

Duck variety pack.

Gadwals

American coots

Northern shoveler

American wigeon

Another bittern

Geese

Northern pintail

Bald eagle

The invasive nutria

Wilson’s snipe patrolling the shore.

The cinnamon teal drake in between the other two was not cooperative when it came to getting a decent picutre.

Black phoebe

Spotted towhee

Bittern heading into the grasses.

Great blue heron

When I got back to the parking area, I decided to take a loop around the Water Gardens before leaving so I followed the paved path over to them and wandered around before looping back.

Junco

Heron on top of the piling.

Robin

Mallards

A talkative pied-billed grebe.

Barn swallow

Chestnut-backed chickadee

I wound up covering 5.6-miles on my wanderings and had no issues with the foot or hip.

All in all, a very successful outing. I had hoped to see a bittern and I saw at least four different birds for sure and up to 6 depending on if either of the latter two were ones I’d seen earlier in the morning. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Fernhill Wetlands

Tags American Bittern, birds, Black Phoebe, Cattail Marsh, Dabblers Marsh, Eagle Marsh, Fernhill Lake, Fernhill marsh, Fernhill Wetlands, hiking, Northern Pintail, Oregon

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Willamette Valley

Willamette Mission State Park – 10/10/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date October 13, 2026
No Comments on Willamette Mission State Park – 10/10/2026

It had been a couple weeks since I’d been able to get out and attempt a hike due to issues with my right hip just as my left Achillies was feeling better. In those two weeks I had visits to massage therapy, physical therapy where I got some new stretches/exercises, and low back x-rays (which came back normal). My discomfort level was finally at a point that I was ready to give an easy short hike a try.

We chose Willamette Mission State Park because it offered loop options of various distances and is only 13 driving miles from home. We parked near the restrooms at the Filbert Grove Day Use Area and planned on hiking a mix of the equestrian loops and paved biking trails.

From the parking lot we picked up the paved bike path and followed it back along the entrance road.

Dark-eyed junco

Common toadflax (invasive)

We stuck to the pave path following it into the woods.

We turned left when we came to a “T” junction and soon emerged from the woods.

Northern flicker

Robin

We veered left on the dirt equestrian path that led us down into a high-water channel near the Windsor Island Slough.

The high-water channel. This area floods in winter and remains so through most if not all of spring.

After crossing the channel, the trail briefly passes along the Windsor Island Slough where we spotted a belted kingfisher, a great blue heron, and several ducks.

Mallards

We continued on the equestrian trail staying straight when we passed the South Hill Trail on our left and then staying left when the trail split at the start of the South Loop.

Sparrow

The start of the South Loop. Last year I had taken the right here and returned via the South Hill Trail (post) so this section of the South Loop would be new to both Heather and I.

The trail quickly arrived at a large field where the South Loop turned left.

There was no discernable trail for this section of the loop.

We looped around the field for 0.9-miles before arriving at the South Hill Trail junction. There were lots of birds and a few squirrels in the trees along the field.

One of many robins.

Steller’s jays were also abundant.

Squirrel

At the South Hill Trail junction I reassessed how my hip and heel were feeling to see if we needed to cut the hike short and head back or if we could continue around the field on the South Loop. Everything was feeling good so we continued on the South Loop and detoured on a short wide path down to Goose Lake.

Wood duck

At the far end of the field the loop arrives at a hazelnut orchard and turns left next to a gravel road.

Whie Crowned sparrow

Primrose

We turned right onto a dirt road following pointers for the loop and soon found ourselves back in the woods.

Hazelnuts on the ground.

The loop soon entered more open lowlands where more birds were spotted (but few were photographed).

Golden-crowned sparrow

We completed the loop and returned to Windsor Island Slough where the number of herons had multiplied.

Great blue heron #1

Great blue herons #2 & 3

The GBHs were joined by a great egret who was perched at the mouth of the slough.

We recrossed the high-water channel and stayed straight on the equestrian trail and followed it along the Willamette River then crossed the paved bike path.

American kestral

Bald eagle

We had not gone unnoticed.

Another northern flicker.

There were dozens of cedar waxwings in the trees along the river.

The equestrian trail crossing the paved path.

We forked left when the equestrian trails split and followed this section of trail to the equestrian trailhead near the Filbert Grove Day Use Area.

Ground squirrel near the day use area.

Fall has arrived at the Filbert Grove Day Use Area.

This was a 6.5-mile hike with minimal elevation gain.

We saw a lot of wildlife and heard even more which made an enjoyable hike. My heel held up really well and my right hip did too. My low back did start to tighten up just a bit in the last third of a mile or so, but after getting home and doing some stretching that felt better too. There’s still definitely something not right and I have more appointments later this month, but it was encouraging to be able to get out again and enjoy nature. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Willamette Mission State Park

Tags Bald Eagle, birds, cedar waxwing, Equestrian trails, Filbert Grove Day Use Area, hiking, Oregon, South Hill Trail, South Loop, Willamette mission State Park, willamette river, Windsor Island Slough

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Otters at Last: Minto-Brown 9/26/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date September 30, 2026
2 Comments on Otters at Last: Minto-Brown 9/26/2026

We had plans to head to Eugene in the afternoon to celebrate our son’s birthday with my parents. My heel was feeling well enough to attempt another short hike prior to meeting up with them, but then I woke up with a stiff right hip making it hard to even walk. We had planned on a short walk at Minto-Brown Island Park to once again try and spot an otter. After my morning PT routine and a round of anti-inflammatory medication, the hip had loosened up enough that walking actually felt better than any sedentary position.

We decided to give Minto-Brown a try and headed out a little before 8:30am to make the 15-minute drive to Parking Lot 4 on Homestead Road.

We checked the slough near the parking area for wildlife and spotted a pair of pied billed grebes.

Pied billed grebe in the fog.

After checking this section of slough we headed out to Homestead Road (which becomes Faragate St S) and followed it along the slough to a gated road where we turned right to cross the slough.

Brown creeper

We spotted this Great Blue Heron from the bridge over the slough. We had also heard some loud splashing in the water and Heather and seen a dark shape in the slough but couldn’t make out what it was.

After crossing the bridge we turned right on the Blue Heron Loop to visit the slough where several otter photos we’d seen had been taken and where I’d seen the Green Heron on my previous visit (post). We checked a number of viewpoints and spotted a lot of wildlife but once again no otters.

Hawk as the fog was burning off.

Great blue heron

Closer look at the GBH.

Wood duck

Mallards and American wigeons

Great egret

Closer look at the egret.

We watched it for several minutes as it moved around in the algae, occasionally sucking in some of the water and expelling it. I had to post a photo and video to the Friends of Minto-Brown Facebook group to figure out this was almost certainly a carp.

Killdeer

Greater yellowlegs

Sandpiper on the far side of the slough.

After striking out on otters here we detoured on the spur trail I’d taken during my previous visit to the backside of Oxbow Slough.

There wasn’t much happening here other than some wood ducks in the distance, but a photographer we’d seen a couple of times already was here and he let us know that there were often otters in the slough next to the bridge we’d heard the splashing from.

With this new information in hand we continued on the Blue Heron Loop and made our way back to the bridge.

Field along the Blue Heron Loop.

Spotted towhee

When we got back to the bridge we scanned the slough where we’d seen the heron earlier but still no otters. At this point we decided to try walking up Faragate St. along the slough to see if there were any other viewpoints of the water. There was really only one obscured view, but just as we were about to turn around a red-tailed hawk landed in a tree above the road.

The hawk was a nice consolation prize, and we headed back toward Lot 4. However, as we were passing an obscured view of the slough I spotted three otters!

They spotted us too and swam off. We went back to the bridge for one last look and this time the otters were visible. There were at least four and possibly a fifth. Two of them were having what I decided was second breakfast.

We could have stayed and watched the otters for a long time, but my hip started hurting again while we were on the bridge, so we tore ourselves away. The good news is my heel felt much better during this 3.1-mile walk and the hip eventually loosened up again allowing me to enjoy the birthday celebration. Happy Trails!

Dotted line is today’s route.

Flickr: Minto-Brown (Otters)

Tags blue heron loop, Blue Heron Trail. Great Egret, hiking, minto-brown island park, Oregon, otter, Parking Lot 4, red tailed hawk, Salem

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Willamette Valley

Minto-Brown: In Search of Otters – 09/21/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date September 23, 2026
4 Comments on Minto-Brown: In Search of Otters – 09/21/2026

It’s been a bit since our last post which is unfortunately due to a new (old) issue that I am now dealing with. While my PT has been seemingly progressing on my back, hip and left leg, my left heel suddenly decided to start giving me issues near the end of our hike to Bobby Lake (post) in August. The peroneal tendon, which I had an issue with back in 2017 (post). My heel stiffened up after that hike then improved through the week only to repeat the cycle over the next two weeks.

Following my outing to Minto-Brown Island Park on Labor Day (post) it flared up enough that I could not walk without a limp so I took some time off and worked on some exercises I was given at PT the day after that hike. While I took a couple of weeks off Heather was on her own and she made the most of it by heading out to Silver Falls State Park on 9/12 and to Duffy Lake on 9/19. I haven’t been able to convince her to write up her trips, and she takes about 1/100 of the photos I do but here are a few notable items from those trips.

Silver Falls 9/12 – She followed our 2025 route from the South Falls Parking Area (post) which was similar to a shorter loop she’d done without me back in March when my left leg issue kept me sidelined. In March she’d had to cut the loop short due to winter storm damage along the Rim Trail and returned via the Winter Falls Trail. This time around the Rim Trail was open but the Winter Falls Trail was closed due to a slide hazard.

South Falls in Sept.

South Falls in March.

Lower South Falls in Sept.

Lower South Falls in March.

Lower North Falls in Sept.

Lower North Falls in March.

Middle North Falls in Sept.

Middle North Falls in March.

North Falls (inaccessible in March)

Upper North Falls (inaccessible in March)

Repairs along the Rim Trail.

Storm damage

Looking down toward the Winter Falls Trail and the landslide.

Duffy Lake 9/19: Heather visited Duffy Lake then headed to Santiam Lake for a 10.8-mile out-and-back.

This was a shortened version of a hike we did in 2010 (post).

Vine maple in the colors of Autumn.

Duffy Butte from Duffy Lake

Three Fingered Jack from Santiam Lake.

California tortoiseshell joining her for a break at Santiam Lake.

Santiam Lake

It took until Thursday 9/18 before I wasn’t limping and a couple more days before I wasn’t feeling any discomfort on the outside of that heel. After a couple of days free from discomfort, I decided to try a short walk between an oil change and a PT appointment I’d scheduled on the first day of a staycation. After the oil change, I headed back to Minto-Brown hoping once again to find the otters that others have been sharing photos of. I parked in Lot 3 which is at the end of the park entrance road and headed left on the paved trail along Oxbow Slough then crossed the slough on a footbridge following pointers for the Blue Heron Trail. I forked right onto a dirt path when the Blue Heron Trail split.

Recent photos online had confirmed that otters had been spotted in the algae filled slough that some maps label the “Green Heron Slough” and this portion of the Blue Heron Trail offers a number of views of that slough. Before reaching those viewpoints though I turned left on a well-established but unsigned trail that appeared to lead into a meadow.

The path ended after a little less than 100 yards at Oxbow Slough.

There wasn’t a lot happening here outside of a log lined with wood ducks.

I headed back to the Blue Heron Trail and started checking out the various viewpoints in search of the otters. The first viewpoint produced nothing while the second provided various ducks, a belted kingfisher, a great blue heron, and a lone turtle.

American wigeons and mallards.

Turtle on a log amid the ducks.

I continued on and after a couple more viewpoints and crossing a dry creek bed spotted another blue heron, a greater yellowlegs, and a turkey vulture from yet another viewpoint.

Turkey vulture

Great blue heron

Geater yellowlegs

American wigeon

Another angle of the turtle.

More wood ducks.

Still no otters and I was running out of slough. I continued on hoping to get a little better view of the wood ducks at the next viewpiont.

Moments after taking this picture something took off from the log that was just out of frame at the bottom of the photo. I instantly recognized it as a green heron, a bird that we had yet to see in person.

The green heron flying away.

I thought I’d missed my chance, but it landed in a snag not far back up the slough. I tried getting a photo, but I was looking toward the sun so the lighting was no good.

I slowly made my way back up the trail hoping not to scare the heron off before I was able to put the sun at my back. I wasn’t entirely successful but in a fortunate turn of events it flew back the way it had come and landed on another snag that actually provided me a better view.

The green heron is on the snag in the slough on the left.

I was able to take a good number of photos of the bird and while doing so a great blue heron landing in the middle of the slough.

No otters but seeing my first green heron was probably more exciting as we have seen otters before. After watching the heron for a good while I continued on leaving the slough behind but not the wildlife.

Downy woodpecker

Northern flicker

Rabbit

I turned right when I reached a paved path sticking briefly to the Blue Heron Trail. I stayed on pavement when the Blue Heron Trail turned left. While seeing the green heron was exciting what wasn’t exciting was that I was starting to feel a little pain on the outside of my left heel again. I took a look at the park map looking for the shortest path back to the parking lot. I wound up taking a left back onto the Blue Heron Trail when the paved trail curved right then made my way to the Brown Island Landfill where I had been on my previous visit. This time I turned right instead of left on the gravel roadbed then took a right when I reached the signed Orange Turtle Loop.

There weren’t as many small birds near the landfill as there had been on the weekend. I suspect the noise from the nearby heavy machinery had something to do with that.

Juncos

Scrub jay

Spotted towhee

Sparrow

Orange Turtle Loop

I followed Orange Turtle Loop and Shelter Parking Lot #3 pointers back to the parking area.

Trail signs and map near the Willamette River.

Willamette River

The hike wound up being 3.3-miles due to the combination of side trips to viewpoints and backtracking to get photos of the green heron.

The “Green Heron” slough is the water north of my track near the bottom with Oxbow Slough to the south.

I went home showered, had lunch, and changed for my PT appointment where I got another set of exercises to try and help with the heel. As I am typing this up the next day it’s a little sore but hasn’t stiffened up. It’s clear though that I’ll need to be patient with it so the trip reports may be sparse for a while. I do have a couple of ideas for non-trip report posts and maybe a forced hiatus from the trail will bring one or two of those to fruition. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Minto-Brown

Tags blue heron loop, Duffy Lake, great blue heron, Green Heron, hiking, minto-brown island park, orange turtle loop, Oregon, oxbow slough, Salem, Santiam Lake, Silver Falls State Park, turtle

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Minto-Brown Island Park 07/11/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 15, 2026
2 Comments on Minto-Brown Island Park 07/11/2026

My brother and his families last full day visiting from Missouri was Saturday, so we wanted a nearby hike for the morning to give us more time to visit later in the day. We turned to nearby Minto-Brown Island Park where a family of otters had recently been seen. We were excited to have our niece join us for the outing.

We began our hike from Parking Lot #1 (closest to the park entrance).

Map at the parking lot.

We took the paved path from the parking lot across Willamette Slough then turned right along the slough on the Brown Squirrel Loop.

Willamette Slough

As we were passing between the slough on our right and a field on our left, we spotted a buck.

The otters had been seen in the slough, so we detoured to a couple of viewpoints where the slough widened. We failed to spot any otters but did see a number of ducks, birds, and a family of nutria.

When I first spotted something in the water, I got excited, but I quickly realized it was nutria and not the otters.

Unfortunately, the nutria are highly invasive, regardless the family was kind of cute.

The silhouette of a cedar waxwing.

Swallows

Great blue heron

Ducks

We took a paved spur to the right when the trail forked to get a couple more views of the slough.

This spur spends much of the year submerged.

I’m not sure when/if this viewpoint is accessible on dry ground.

More ducks but no otters.

We returned to the main path and turned right when we reached the Osprey Loop and followed this loop to the Willamette River.

Oregon grape with perennial peavine behind.

One of many rabbits we would see during our hike.

Hardhack

Common madia

Robin

The Willamette River

A heron and ducks on the far side of the river.

We continued along the river and stuck to the paved path when it turned away from the river.

Shortly after leaving the river we spotted not one but two does.

The first doe was coming up the trail toward us.

The second doe was in the brush to the right of the trail.

The second doe.

Yarrow and chicory

The path brought us to the Shelter Parking Lot (lot #3) where we left the Osprey Loop in favor of the Blue Heron Loop. We followed the paved path across Oxbow Slough and continued to a split in the trail where the Blue Heron Loop continued on a dirt path to the left.

Female wood duck and ducklings in Oxbow Slough.

Coming up on the split in the trail.

Woodpecker

Wasp nest

Oxbow Slough

Goose and ducks at Oxbow Slough.

Great blue heron

When the Blue Heron Loop came within sight of the paved Purple Rabbit Loop we cut over to that path and turned left.

This trail brought us to Homedale Road which it briefly followed before veering away to complete a loop around Oxbow Slough.

Bindweed

We were slowed a bit on this stretch by the presence of ripe thimbleberries.

Old abandoned car along the path.

Squirrel

Self-heal

We turned right on the Yellow Duck Loop then took a left on a paved path along the western end of the dog park which brought us to the entrance road where we turned right.

An upside-down cedar waxwing.

We followed the entrance road back toward the entrance to cross the road on the Brown Squirrel Loop and returned to our car. This hike was 6.8-miles with minimal elevation gain.

Despite not seeing the otters we all had a good time. There was plenty of other wildlife to see and some tasty ripe berries to snack on. We were back home before 10am which gave us plenty of time to visit before we had to say goodbye to my brother’s family. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Minto-Brown Island Park

Tags blue heron loop, Brown Squirrel loop, hiking, minto-brown island park, Oregon, Osprey Loop, purple rabbit loop, Salem, willamette river, Yellow Duck Loop

Eugene Hiking Oregon Trip report Willamette Valley

Meadowlark Prairie – 07/07/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 13, 2026
No Comments on Meadowlark Prairie – 07/07/2026

Our son Dominique had stayed with over the July 4th weekend and joined us on a hike to Marion Lake with my brother and his family from Missouri (post). He had to head back to Eugene the next day and Heather had to work so I drove him home. Before dropping him off though we stopped at Meadowlark Prairie Overlook for a short outing at the West Eugene Wetlands.

The Paved Fern Ridge Bike Path leads north from the overlook before turning east at Royal Avenue. The path extends about 7-miles to W 15th Avenue, but for this outing we turned back at a bridge after approximately 1.5-miles.

We spotted a very pretty lazuli bunting shortly after setting off, but my pictures were all of the grass in the foreground with a blue blob behind.

Bench near the Royal Avenue intersection. I was familiar with Royal Avenue having parked at its western end on our first visit to the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area (post).

Common madia

Amazon Creek.

Madrone

All of the waterfowl were quite a way out on the creek. There is a swallow, pie-billed grebe and I think a couple of mallards with ducklings.

I noticed a powerline corridor in the distance (right side of the hill) and recognized it as the one that Heather and I had hiked under earlier this year on the Wild Iris Ridge Trail (post).

Red-winged blackbirds

The Fern Ridge Path forks right here following the pointer for “Downtown”.

The path continuing beyond the bridge where we turned around.

A pair of swallows photobombed the bottom of this photo.

As we headed back we could see some of the Coast Range under blue sky in the distance.

More ducks and ducklings

Great blue heron

This was a nice easy leg stretcher and a good introduction to the area. I had seen it on maps before and had added it to our to-do list and this short outing helped convince me the area was worthy of a longer visit. Either a winter or spring outing would provide better birding so that will be the timeframe we target for the longer hike. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Meadowlark Prairie

Tags Eugene, Fern Ridge Bike Path, hiking, Meadowlark Prairie, Meadowlark Prairie Overlook, Oregon, West Eugene Wetlands

Hiking Oregon Portland Trip report Willamette Valley

Forest Park via Springville Rd. – 06/28/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date June 29, 2026
No Comments on Forest Park via Springville Rd. – 06/28/2026

A much-needed damp weather system arrived just in time for the weekend which had us looking for a good overcast day hike. We landed on a visit to Portland’s Forest Park. We had visited the 5,200 acre park five previous times (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024).

Over those five visits we had hiked 46.4 of the more than 80-miles of trails, fire lanes and roads within the park, but our tracks weren’t all connected. Our 2018 and 2024 hikes both began at the Germantown Road Trailhead and the routes shared 0.6 miles of trail. Our 2020 and 2022 routes began at different trailheads but shared a 0.6-mile stretch of the 30.2-mile Wildwood National Recreation Trail. That left our 2019 Maple Trail hike on an island. Today’s planned hike would connect that track to the 2018 track while also including over 6.5-miles of trails we’d yet to hike.

I’d mapped out the route starting from the Springville Road Trailhead.

We were the second car in the lot upon our arrival just before 6am.

The hike started at a gate on Springville Road/Firelane 7 just past an outhouse.

When Springville Road split from Firelane 7 we stayed right on the fire lane.

Approximately 0.3-miles from the trailhead we turned right off of Firelane 7 onto the Trillium Trail.

We passed the Hardesty Trail on our left.

Signs at the junction with the Trillium Trail.

We followed the Trillium Trail downhill 0.2-miles to the Wildwood Trail where we turned right.

Tiger lilies

Selfheal

The Wildwood Trail at the junction.

We stayed on the Wildwood Trail for 2.6 fairly level miles to a junction with Saltzman Road.

Thimbleberry, we found a few ripe ones to taste test.

Red huckleberries

Yarrow and selfheal

Creeping buttercup

Coastal hedgenettle

As always, the junctions were well signed with large maps at several of them.

Saltzman Road

We turned left onto Saltzman Road and followed it downhill for half a mile to Leif Erickson Drive where we again turned left.

We stayed on Leif Erickson Drive for 1.8-miles before turning steeply uphill on Firelane 7A.

Snail

Columbine

Mourning dove giving us the “side eye”.

More tiger lilies.

Firelane 7A.

After a stiff 0.2-mile climb we turned left back onto the Wildwood Trail.

A tall aster or fleabane along the firelane.

The junction with the Wildwood Trail.

We followed the Wildwood Trail half a mile to a junction with Firelane 7.

Mushrooms

Both CalTopo and Gaia GPS label this Northwest Oil-Line Road.

We climbed up the firelane for just under a mile to the Hardesty Trail which we had passed earlier.

Red clover

Passing the Trillium Trail on the left where we turned off Firelane 7 that morning.

The Hardesty Trail. We were just a tenth of a mile from the trailhead at this point, but since we hadn’t been on this trail before we turned right.

The Hardesty Trail dropped steeply downhill to the Wildwood Trail.

The Wildwood Trail below to the left.

The junction with the Wildwood Trail.

We turned left and hiked another 0.8-miles on the Wildwood Trail to reach a junction with Springville Road.

Salal

Blackberries

Red elderberry

The junction with Springville Road.

We turned left on Springville Road and followed it uphill 0.4-miles back to Firelane 7A and the Springville Road Trailhead.

Oregon grape

Invasive Species kiosk at the Springville Road/Fireland 7 junction.

Today’s hike came in at 8.6-miles with approximately 1100′ of elevation gain.

It was a great choice for an overcast morning. The early mornings in Forest Park are generally quiet and today was no different. It started getting busier around 10am but with so many miles of trail they never feel crowded.

This now leaves one final gap in our tracks to not only connect our Forest Park hikes but also our visit to Washington Park (post) and Marquam Park (post).

I have a feeling that as long as my back and leg, which have been feeling quite a bit better, cooperate that gap will be filled before the end of the year. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Forest Park vis Springville Road

Tags Firelane 7, Forest Park, Hardesty Trail, hiking, Leif Erikson Drive, Oregon, Portland, Saltzman Road, Springville Road Trailhead, Trillium Trail, Wildwood Trail

Coastal Range Corvallis Hiking Oregon Trip report

Mary’s Peak – 06/21/2026

Following our hikes at Coffin & Bachelor Mountain we both wound up sick with a nasty head cold. Heather’s lasted almost two weeks and was almost feeling back to normal on the Sunday of Juneteenth weekend. I was fortunate to not get hit as severely and was starting to feel quite a bit better on Juneteenth. After resting for one more day I had planned to head to Mary’s Peak on Saturday the 20th however my left hip had other ideas. When I woke up it was hurting pretty bad so instead of hiking in the morning before heading to my cousin’s daughter’s graduation party, I spent the morning trying to loosen things up. By the time we left the party that afternoon it was back to feeling normal, so I decided to give it another try Sunday morning. Things were still okay in the morning, so the hike was on.

Heather decided that she wasn’t quite feeling well enough for a strenuous hike so headed out solo to the East Ridge Trail on Mary’s Peak starting from the Connor’s Camp Trailhead.

I had left my route open not knowing how my hip, or any of the other back and lower body issues I’ve been in physical therapy for, would react to hiking. My plan was to take the East Ridge Trail up to the Summit Loop Trail to visit the summit of the highest peak in the Coast Range. My route back was open with a couple of possible loop combinations or simply heading straight back down the East Ridge Trail.

Faded trail maps at the information board at Connor’s Camp.

I hadn’t started from this trailhead since 2014 (post) but the forest was as pretty as I had remembered.

Columbine and iris

Rattan’s beardtongue (Penstemon rattanii)

Pink pyrola

Little prince’s pine

Just over a mile from the trailhead, near a bench, the trail arrives at a junction with the Tie Trail.

At the junction the East Ridge Trail made a switchback and began a fairly steep 1.2-mile climb to the Summit Loop Trail.

The number of wildflowers that I was seeing in the forest increased as I climbed.

Vanilla leaf

Fringecup

Anemones

Small-flowered alumroot

Lupine

Chickweed

Inside-out flower

Arrowleaf groundsel starting to bloom with thimbleberry and columbine blossoms lining the trail.

Monkeyflower

A layer of clouds was covering the valley below.

Trail sign at the junction with the Summit Loop Trail.

In another tenth of a mile I came to a new unsigned junction. A steep trail switchbacked up to the right that hadn’t been there on our previous visits. This is a 2025 reroute created by the Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) to move a portion of the trail out of sensitive habitat.

This is a photo from later in the morning as I came down to the junction on the new section.

I opted to stay left on the more gradual portion of the loop and soon left the trees.

Queen’s cup

Chipmunk

The trail climbed through the meadow to Mary’s Peak Road.

Penstemon along the trail.

The summit of Mary’s Peak ahead.

Mary’s Peak Road

Beargrass

I turned left onto the road and followed it up and around to the summit in 0.4-miles. While the flowers were past peak there were still a few left and for the first time, I could see the Cascade Mountains. On previous visits clouds had always been in the way.

Paintbrush

One of two grouse that were on the road.

Penstemon and chickweed

Mt. Jefferson to the left of the dead tree and the Three Sisters to the right.

The Three Sisters

Towers on the summit.

Oregon sunshine and bluehead gilia

Paintbrush, Oregon sunshine and bluehead gilia

Catchfly

Cascade desert parsley

Wallflower

Blue head gilia

Olympic onions

The Mary’s Peak West Ridge

The last of the larkspur.

What was left of the phlox.

At the summit.

I took a short break at the summit to take in the views and then took a clear trail downhill to the NE.

Mt. Hood in the distance to the NE.

Tiger lily

Looking back up at the summit.

The trail veered to the NW toward the west ridge of Mary’s Peak before turning east and leaving the meadows.

Shortly after entering the forest I forked left at junction on the Meadows Edge Trail (trail 1325). While on the summit I had decided to do this 1.6-mile loop before heading back.

The Summit Loop Trail I’d come down to the left and the Meadows Edge Trail to the right.

Fifty yards later I stayed left again to hike the loop clockwise. The loop stays primarily in the forest with a couple of forays along the edge of meadows. The forest along this trail might be my favorite in the area.

Map at the start of the loop.

Queen’s cup

The summit towers from the loop.

Moth

Bleeding heart

Footbridge over Parker Creek.

Avens, foam flower, and youth-on-age.

Columbine

Junction with a spur to Mary’s Peak Campground.

An almost ripe salmonberry.

False starry solomon’s seal and a violet.

Beargrass

Nearing the end of the loop.

After completing the loop I turned left and headed back to the Summit Loop then completed that loop.

Mary’s Peak Road on the other side of the trees.

I hiked a short distance down Mary’s Peak Road to check out the beargrass display then walked back and turned uphill (left) on a clear trail that headed NE.

Looking back down at Mary’s Peak Road.

This is the section of the Summit Loop that was realigned by TKO in 2025. The trail leads to some barriers at the top of the hill where the reroute begins.

Butterfly

Mt. Hood in the distance above the clouds.

The Three Sisters

The old alignment went directly over the hill and down to the day use parking area.

The new alignment.

The new section of trail entered the forest on the NE side of the hill and steeply descended via switchback to the junction at the start/end of the Summit Loop (pictured above).

Looking down the switchbacks.

I turned left and hiked downhill to the next junction where I decided to take the longer route back to the trailhead by taking the North Ridge Trail to the Tie Trail and follow that back to the East Ridge Trail.

I headed left here.

This trail led up to the day use area.

California figwort

The day use area.

White crowned sparrow

Looking back toward the summit.

The North Ridge Trail began at the far end of the parking area.

I followed this trail downhill for three quarters of a mile to the junction with the Tie Trail.

Daisies along the trail near the day use area.

Star flowers

Bench at the junction.

I turned right onto the Tie Trail and followed it 1.2 fairly level miles to the East Ridge Trail.

Stripped coralroot

Pacific coralroot

Monkeyflower

Twinflower

Honeysuckle

I was delayed while I battled my nemesis, the varied thrush, in an attempt to get a picture.

The Tie Trail was in good shape, just a bit overgrown near the junction with the East Ridge Trail.

After completing the Tie Trail I followed the East Ridge Trail back downhill to the trailhead.

Thimbleberry and vetch

The trailhead through the trees.

Today’s route came in at 8.6-miles with approximately 1750′ of elevation gain.

This was the longest hike I’d done since my leg/back issues began in February, and it was the best I’d felt after a hike since then as well. I’m still having some issues, but this was encouraging. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Mary’s Peak

Tags Connor's Camp, Corvallis, East Ridge Trail, hiking, mary's peak, Meadows Edge Trail, North Ridge Trail, Oregon, Tie Trail, TKO, wildflowers