The day after the 4th we had the opportunity to join a friend for her birthday hike at McDonald Dunn Forest near Corvallis, OR. This was a great opportunity to catch up with some friends and meet some new people with a bonus hike thrown in.
We’d done a few hikes in the area (Bald Hill & McCulloch Peak, Chip Ross Park and Dimple Hill, Peavy Arboretum – McDonald Forest, McDonald-Dunn Forest via Sulphur Springs – 10/02/2021, Peavy Arboretum to Dimple Hill – 10/22/2022) but had never begun a hike at the Lewisburg Saddle.
The group of friends and family set off on Patterson Road 600 across Sulphur Springs Road from the trailhead and followed it to Road 650 which leads to Dimple Hill.
Fireweed
Daisies and trefoil
Near this area a bird flew across the road and landed in a tree on the other side. Someone had noticed that it appeared to have a small rodent which seemed odd for such a small bird.
The lighting made it difficult to make much out, but the shape made me think it could be a northern pygmy owl.
After using the camera and phones to try and get a better look we agreed that it was indeed a pygmy owl.
That is the back of its head with the rodent hanging down.
After the little owl flew off we continued on and a little while later I spotted a buck grazing on the hillside below.
Rubbing on the tree trunk.
St. John’s wort on the hillside.
Hedgenettle
Road 650 to the left.
The group turned left onto Road 650 then left the road after a tenth of mile to follow Upper Dan’s Trail to Dimple Hill.
Spotted towhee
Upper Dan’s Trail on the left.
Viewpoint bench on Dimple Hill.
Mary’s Peak (post) from Dimple Hill.
A new addition since my last visit to Dimple Hill was the upper viewpoint bench which had been replaced.
The group gathering at the viewpoint bench.
After a short break at the viewpoint we all headed back the way we came to Lewisburg Saddle.
Chipmunk
Snake
After returning to the trailhead a small group headed to Good Grounds Coffee Shop to do a little more catching up before heading our separate ways. This was a great hike for catching up and meeting new people as the wide gravel road meant we didn’t need to be single file. The weather couldn’t have been much better either.
This out and back was about 5-miles round trip with 600′ of elevation gain.
Orange is the out-and-back from today.
While we don’t often get the chance to hike with others (most are not insane enough to wake up before 3:30am on a day off) it was a lot of fun to get to do so on this day and to help celebrate a friend’s birthday. Happy Trails!
wanderingyuncks 