Tag: Oregon

Twin Rocks & Hoquarton Slough – 09/06/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date September 8, 2025
1 Comment on Twin Rocks & Hoquarton Slough – 09/06/2025

The arrival of a weather system bringing showers along with the chance of thunderstorms in many areas led us to choose a beach hike for our second outing of September. We headed to the city of Rockaway Beach and parked at the Rockaway Beach Trailhead.

This was our second visit to the city of Rockaway Beach but the first to the actual beach having visited the Old Growth Cedar Preserve on the previous visit (post). It was overcast but no showers and more importantly no lightening. (Which we’d seen on our drive through the coast range.) We headed down to the beach and faced a choice, we could head north to the Nehalem River or south to Tillamook Bay where the Tillamook River empties into the Pacific Ocean. The distance to the two rivers is roughly the same from the trailhead so we made our choice based on the presence of Twin Rocks along the way to Tillamook Bay.

Twin Rocks in the distance.

We followed the beach south just over three miles to the north jetty of the bay. The tide was just starting to come back in, so we were able to head out a bit on the beach.

There were two small creeks to cross on the way past Twin Rocks. The first was Saltair Creek which was easily crossed dry footed.

Semipalmated plover

Heitmiller Creek was a bit wider but not particularly deep. Even my trail runners were able to keep the water from seeping in the mesh of the toe boxes.

Lions mane jellyfish

Brown pelicans

Just a bit of blue sky.

Looking back toward Twin Rocks.

Whimbrel

Coast Guard tower on the north jetty.

North Jetty

Bayocean Spit (post) across the Tillamook River.

The Barview Jetty Trailhead is located next to the Coast Guard tower and we stopped there to use the facilities. It’s possible to hike inland between the jetty and some wetlands to the Barview County Park Trailhead. We opted not to hike the half mile to that trailhead (parking is $10 at both of these trailheads) and instead turned around and headed back to the Rockaway Beach Trailhead.

Sentry making sure people stay out of the wetlands near the Barview Jetty Trailhead.

Oregon Coast Trail pointer near the Barview Jetty Trailhead.

Yarrow

Dry stream bed.

This raven was staring intently at our car.

Our hike ended up being 6.4-miles with minimal elevation gain. This is a popular beach on sunny weekends so this was a perfect day for a less crowded visit.

It was a fairly quick hike for us given the level walking was primarily on compact sand, and because of that we were in danger of violating our self-imposed rule of not spending more time driving than hiking. Since it was still before 9:30am we decided to add a second stop for the day at the Hoquarton Slough Trail. It was about a 20-minute drive to Hoquarton Park in Tillamook.

Here the Hoquaton Interpretive Trail starts at some signboards and passes several observation decks of Hoquaton Slough.

Rose

Bindweed

After 0.2-miles this path reaches the end of the park and curves up to meet a former railroad that is now a paved path.

After approximately a third of a mile the old railroad grade trail passes the Misty Meadow Dairy on a gravel road. There were a lot of cute barn cats in this area, but there was also the distinctive smell of a working dairy. I grew up around dairies in Central Oregon and although I wouldn’t call it pleasant there is something nostalgic about the smell. Heather on the other hand was not a fan.

We were being watched.

The paved path resumed on the far side of the dairy entrance.

A tenth of a mile beyond the dairy the trail crosses over Highway 6 and then turns right into Goodspeed Park.

Goodspeed/Tillamook Skate Park

Redwood in Goodspeed Park.

We turned around at Goodspeed Park and made our way back to our car.

Great blue heron in Hoquarton Slough.

Back at Hoquarton Park.

This was an odd little trail coming in at 1.3-miles roundtrip.

We saw one other walker and what we’re pretty sure was a drug deal. As with pretty much every other trail in a town these days there were some homeless camps back in the vegetation near Hoquarton Park as well. It probably isn’t one we’d revisit but it was an interesting experience. We will be heading back to Rockaway Beach at some point to make the hike north to the Nehalem River though. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Twin Rocks and Hoquarton Slough

Tags Barview Jetty Trailhead, Goodspeed Park, hiking, Hoquarton Slough, Hoquarton Slough Interpretive Trail, Lions mane jellyfish, Oregon, Rockaway Beach, Rockaway Beach Trailhead, Tillamook, Tillamook Bay, Twin Rocks

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Willamette Mission State Park – 09/01/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date September 4, 2025
1 Comment on Willamette Mission State Park – 09/01/2025

After two days of challenging hikes we opted for a recovery outing on Labor Day. We chose Willamette Mission State Park for the short hike since it is less than 30 minutes from Salem, and we could use the annual State Park pass we purchased earlier this year.

Our only other visit to the park was back in 2019. Our hike that day started from the overflow parking area and was just over 7-miles long which was more than we were looking to do today. This time we parked at the Filbert Grove Day Use Area.

There are quite a few trails packed into the park, both paved and natural surface.

We took a paved path past the restrooms and through the disc golf course to the Bike Path.

We turned right on the Bike Path which we had hiked on our previous visit.

Dove and possibly a woodpecker.

Moth mullein

Willamette River

Rabbit on the side of the trail.

Rabbit

We turned off the Bike Path onto the natural surface Mission Trail when it joined from the right.

Orange jewelweed

Barred owl

Viewpoint of the former Willamette Mission site.

The former mission site across Mission Lake.

Female wood duck

After 0.4-miles on the Mission Trail we came to an unsigned fork.

We took the right fork which was a short connector to the Jogging Trail. We quickly took another right onto a fainter path which went to the right of the Mission Lake B picnic shelter.

The trail became more obvious here.

After just a tenth of a mile we turned left at a “T” junction.

The righthand fork is a little longer loop and rejoins the lefthand fork 0.2-miles from this junction.

There were a lot of active squirrels and birds in the park.

Squirrel

Spotted towhee

Egrets

The other end of the loop on the right.

The Jogging Trail passed a horse and group camp on the left and a hiker/biker camp on the right before arriving at the Filbert Grove Day Use Area.

Hiker/Biker Camp

Filbert Grove Day Use Area

We crossed the day use area to return to the car completing the short 2.2-mile loop.

There was almost no elevation gain for this hike.

The hike was exactly what we needed to help keep our muscles from stiffening up too much from the previous day’s hikes without being too strenuous. The Jogging Trail was new to us and there are still a number of trails here that we’ve yet to explore. Given its proximity to Salem, a return trip or two is in order. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Willamette Mission State Park

Tags Barred Owl, Filbert Grove Day Use Area, hiking, Mission Lake, Oregon, Willamette mission, Willamette mission State Park, willamette river

High Cascades Hiking Mt. Hood Area Oregon Trip report

Silcox Hut and Paradise Park – 08/31/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date September 3, 2025
No Comments on Silcox Hut and Paradise Park – 08/31/2025

For our second hike of Labor Day Weekend we decided to head to Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge and hike up to the Silcox Hut.

The hike to the hut was one of the options Sullivan described in his Timberline Lodge Trails entry of “100 Hikes/Travel Guide Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington”. We had done the longer options to meet our goal of hiking at least part of all 100 featured hikes in the book (post) so this was a chance to put a bow on this hike.

We parked at Timberline Lodge and hiked past the lodge on the Mountain Access Road.

Sunrise from Timberline Lodge.

We followed the access road to a junction with the Timberline Trail/Pacific Crest Trail.

We angled to the right on a use trail looking for the Mountaineer Trail

The Mountaineer Trail heads uphill along the small ridge ahead.

We turned left when we reached the small ridgetop and began the mile long, nearly 1000′ climb to the Silcox Hut.

The trails are braided and there was also a dirt road that we followed for a bit, but as long as you head up along the ridge toward the buildings, you’re on track.

Aster

The Palmer Lift to the left of the Palmer Glacier.

The Magic Mile and Palmer Lifts to the left with the Silcox Hut to their right (a white van is parked in front).

Timberline Lodge below. The haze is from the numerous wildfires currently burning.

Silcox Hut and Illumination Rock

Mountain bluebird

There was a private event going on at the hut but there was a picnic table nearby where we took a break.

Mt. Hood from the Silcox Hut.

After our break we followed a road over to the ski lifts where we faced two options. Sullivan’s entry has you follow this road down below the Magic Mile Lift back to Timberline Lodge, but since we were going to head toward Paradise Park we picked up the Mountaineer Loop Trail which would drop us onto the Timberline Trail nearly three quarters of mile from the lodge.

The Magic Mile Lift runs during the summer allowing for a less strenuous climb to the Silcox Hut.

The Mountaineer Loop continues from the end of the first turn in the road below the Magic Mile Lift.

We should have stayed on the road between the two lifts but instead we went up and around them and wound up looking down at the curve where the Mountain Loop continued. We followed a use trail down to the curve.

Tundra aster

Pussy paws

The large cairn ahead marks the trail.

Heather had decided that she was not going go all the way to Paradise Park and would instead turn around at the Zigzag River and return to the lodge to wait for me. Since I would be doing over 5.5 more miles than she we split up and I went ahead and reached the Timberline Trail first.

Illumination Rock

Looking down toward Timberline Lodge

Golden-mantled ground squirrel

I turned right onto the Timberline Trail and followed it for two and a half miles to the crossing of the Zigzag River.

Wilderness information along the Timberline Trail.

Mt. Hood Wilderness signs at Sand Canyon West Branch.

The Timberline Trail on the far side of the Little Zigzag Canyon.

Mt. Hood from the Little Zigzag River.

Junction with the Hidden Lake Trail (post).

Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain (post)

One and a half miles from the Mountaineer Trail the Timberline Trail arrives at viewpoint above the Zigzag River Canyon.

From the viewpoint it is a mile and 600′ down to the river.

There was a lot of beargrass earlier in the year.

Big mushroom

Sickletop lousewort

Beardtongue

Grass-of-parnassus

Paintbrush

Arnica

The trail crosses near the left of this photo. I was able to rock hop across and keep my feet dry.

Zigzag Falls

Zoomed in photo.

Heather went up to the falls when she got to the river.

A half mile climb gaining 250′ led up from the river to a junction with the Paradise Park Loop Trail where I turned right.

Another mile of climbing brought me to a junction with the Paradise Park Trail (post) in the middle of a wildflower meadow.

Pearly everlasting and paintbrush

Aster along the trail.

Trail sign at the junction ahead.

Fritillary butterfly.

The trail leveled out as it passed through the meadow and after a quarter mile I passed the ruins of the former Paradise Park Shelter.

Western pasque flower

Valerian

Monkeyflower

Pink and yellow monkeyflower and paintbrush near Lost Creek.

The shelter ruins.

I continued along the trail crossing another branch of Lost Creek and passing through wildflower meadows with views of Mt. Hood.

Fireweed

The iconic (and crowded) split rock on the hillside to the left.

Gentians

Bistort, lupine, and groundsel

Part of the crowd at Split Rock.

Yocum Ridge (post) in the distance.

The trail eventually descended back into the forest and arrived back at the Timberline Trail a little over a mile from the shelter ruins.

The Timberline Trail/PCT junction.

I turned left on the Timberline Trail and started back toward the lodge. It was roughly 2.2-miles back to where I had turned up the Paradise Park Loop Trail and another 3.7 back to Timberline Lodge. I kept a good pace as I made my way back to the Zigzag River.

Monkeyflower

Heading down to Rushing Water Creek.

I heard several pikas in the rocks here but failed to spot any of them.

A barely flowing waterfall on Rushing Water Creek.

Looking back as I passed the Paradise Park Loop Trail.

My pace slowed considerably as I made the mile climb out of the Zigzag Canyon. In hindsight I should have stopped for water from the river, but I didn’t and wound up having to ration what I had left in order to make it back to the lodge. (The Little Zigzag River had no visible water this late in summer.)

Canada jay

Mt. Hood from the Zigzag Canyon overlook.

There was a lot of sneaky uphill on the way back to the lodge and I was dragging by the time I reached the Magic Mile chairlift which is where the last of my water was sipped.

The Palmer and Magic Mile Lifts on the hillside ahead.

The top of Timberline Lodge from beneath the Magic Mile Lift.

Heather had texted me and let me know she had gotten a table upstairs at the Ram’s Head Bar & Restaurant.

I made my way through the crowds, and after calling out a family for allowing their kids to throw rocks at a ground squirrel (sigh), I found her table. Heather got a Strawberry Spinach Salad which was refreshing, and I ordered the Maple Bourbon Bacon Meatballs. The food hit the spot and so did the couple of glasses of water I downed before we headed home.

My hike came in at 14.2-miles with approximately 3300′ of cumulative elevation gain. It was a challenging hike which I made more difficult by not stopping for water when I had the chance.

Happy Trails!

Flickr: Silcox Hut to Paradise Park

Tags hidden lake trail, hiking, Little Zigzag River, Lost Creek, Magic Mile Lift, Mountaineer Loop Trail, Mt. Hood, Oregon, Pacific Crest Trail, Palmer Lift, paradise park loop trail, Rushing Water Creek, Silcox Hut. Paradise Park, Timberline Lodge, timberline trail, zigzag river

Hiking Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Silver Falls State Park – 08/16/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date August 18, 2025
4 Comments on Silver Falls State Park – 08/16/2025

A rare August atmospheric river was forecast to hit the NW with a potential to drop 1-3 inches of rain in the mountains and an inch or more in the northern Willamette Valley. By Sunday the system was projected to be moving on and giving way to sunny skies. We adjusted our plans accordingly and had decided to visit Silver Falls State Park on Sunday after the rains subsided to see how the waterfalls looked with the additional rainwater.

We got a little rain on Friday, and more overnight, but by early Saturday morning it became apparent that the river had stayed to the north and mostly missed the Salem area. Around 9am we decided that there was no reason to wait an additional day and quickly packed up and were on our way to Silver Fall by 10am.

We parked in the busy South Falls Day Use Area and hung our State Park Day Use Parking Permit. (Parking is $10.00 for one day.)

Our plan was to hike the Trail of Ten Falls in a clockwise direction starting with South Falls.

South Falls Lodge and Cafe

South Falls

For the loop you can either hike behind South Falls or continue to a footbridge over South Fork Silver Creek below the falls. The majority of people go behind the falls which is normally the route we take as well, but it looked pretty busy behind the falls so we headed for the bridge.

South Falls from the bridge.

After crossing the bridge we turned right to continue on the Canyon Trail along the creek.

Hedgenettle

Largeleaf avens

The next waterfall up was Lower South Falls, approximately a mile from South Falls.

Like South Falls the trail goes behind Lower South Falls.

Lower South Falls wound up being our favorite today.

We continued on the Canyon Trail past a junction with the Maple Ridge Trail which provides an option for a shorter loop back to the South Falls Day Use Area.

It was nearly another mile on the Canyon Trail to the third waterfall, Lower North Falls on the North Fork Silver Creek.

Self-heal

Footbridge over the North Fork Silver Creek.

The recent rain was most obvious with this waterfall. We’ve visited the waterfall twice in July when it typically looks like this.

Just after passing Lower North Falls we detoured left on the short spur to Double Falls.

Double Falls

Back on the Canyon Trail the next waterfall up was Drake Falls followed shortly by Middle North Falls.

Drake Falls

Middle North Falls

Middle North Falls is another waterfall that you can hike behind, but unlike South and Lower South Falls it is not part of the loop. We detoured on the spur trail that led downhill behind the falls.

We returned to the Canyon Trail and continued on to a junction with the Winter Trail. Winter Falls all but disappears in the Summer and even with the recent rain we didn’t expect that there would be enough flow to make the half mile roundtrip detour worth it.

The Winter Trail footbridge through the trees.

A third of a mile beyond the Winter Trail we passed Twin Falls which is the most difficult of the waterfalls to get a good view of.

After the leaves fall off the trees there is a decent view of Twin Falls from the trail as you are coming from the Winter Trail junction, but today this was the best view we had.

Near Twin Falls the Twin Falls Trail split off to the left which led uphill to the new North Canyon District (post). If you found the need for a restroom while you were on the loop the only one outside of the South Falls Day Use Area is located at this new trailhead.

We opted not to make the climb up to the new North Rim Trail and stuck to the Canyon Trail for another mile to North Falls.

Required picture of these large boulders in the creek.

North Falls

North Falls is the other waterfall that you can hike behind and we followed the Canyon Trail underneath.

Rainbow below North Falls.

Scouler’s corydalis

We climbed the steps on the far side of North Falls to the junction with the Rim Trail, but before continuing the loop we detoured to Upper North Falls. It’s approximately four tenths of a mile from the junction with the Rim Trail to Upper North Falls.

To reach Upper North Falls you pass under a footbridge coming from the North Falls Trailhead and Highway 214.

Bleeding Heart

Upper North Falls

After visiting Upper North Falls we returned to the Rim Trail and followed it nearly 2-miles back to the South Falls Day Use Area where we had another half miles back to our parked car.

North Falls from the Rim Trail.

Salal berries. These were the only ripe edible berries that we came across. They aren’t the best trail berries, but these were fairly juicy and sweet prompting me to have a couple.

Winter Creek at the top of Winter Falls. Our suspicion of low water flow was confirmed.

Given where we parked and various detours our GPS showed an 8-mile hike with approximately 600′ of elevation gain.

Despite the atmospheric river being more of a seasonal creek in our part of Oregon there had been enough rain to make a noticeable impact on the falls which was fun to see. It was another reminder that Silver Falls State Park is worthy of a visit anytime of the year. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Silver Falls 2025

Tags Canyon Trail, Double Falls, Drake Falls, hiking, Lower South Falls. South Falls, Middle North Falls, North Falls, Oregon, Rim Trail, Silver Falls State Park, South Falls Day Use Area, Twin Falls, Upper North Falls

Oregon Salem/Albany Trip report Willamette Valley

Enchanted Forest – 07/26/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 28, 2025
3 Comments on Enchanted Forest – 07/26/2025

Instead of going out on a typical hike this week we had the chance to a join a small group of my co-workers at the Enchanted Forest theme park. The family-owned park opened in 1971 is located just south of Salem along Interstate 5. Enchanted Forest has been a part of countless Oregonians childhoods, and the nostalgia felt for the park makes it fun to revisit as adults.

The park is open seasonally, generally starting with Spring Break and running through the last weekend in September. At both the beginning of their season and in September the park is only open on weekends. An entrance fee allows guests to explore the park including several interactive attractions and shows. Other rides require tickets which can be purchased when entering or at booths around the park.

Upon entering Enchanted Forest the first attraction is Storybook Lane which begins at a castle to the left of the entrance.

To the right are restrooms, food options, and gift shops.

Storybook Lane is a series of fairy tale themed exhibits, many of which are interactive such as a rabbit hole based on Alice in Wonderland, a crooked house, and a slide based on the Old Lady Who Lived in The Shoe.

The rabbit hole exit.

Inside the dwarves mine.

Entrance to the slide which we all went down.

Outside of the Crooked House. Inside the floors are indeed crooked.

After winding up the through Storybook Lane the next area is the western themed Tofteville.

To the left (north) of Tofteville is the Haunted House which requires tickets.

Before we headed into the Haunted House we headed for the Comedy Theatre which is just a little past the Haunted House. Since 1973 Enchanted Forest has put on musical comedies which provide some good laughs and a good chance to rest tired feet.

This year’s performance is Jack and the Beanstalk.

There is an area of kiddy rides just beyond the theatre including a little train, bumper boats, a small Ferris wheel, and frog hopper. There is also a bumper car ride in that area with a 42″ height requirement. All of these rides require tickets.

We didn’t have any kiddos with us so after the performance we went through the Haunted House then back through Tofteville to the Old European Village area.

One of the displays inside the Haunted House.

The entrance to the Challange of Mondor, another ticket ride. This ride is similar to Buzz Lightyear in Disney Land where a car takes you through the ride while you try and hit targets with a laser gun. Heather and I were outdone by Elizabeth in our car while Mary Ann took top honors in the other car.

After making our way through the Old European Village we stopped into the Fantasy Fountains Water-light Show.

Inside Pinocchio’s Playhouse.

This free show repeats every 15 minutes inside the Jolly Roger Inn where guests can get pizza, popcorn, PB&J Sandwiches, other snacks, and drinks.

The water show is actually pretty relaxing, and another good excuse for a break from walking. After our break here we headed back uphill (the park is located on a forested hillside) to the Big Timber Log Ride. The log ride is the most thrilling ride in the park and there was about an hour wait time. (I didn’t actually check the time, but it seemed to go pretty quickly.)

Waiting in line. There are a number of warnings that riders will get wet on this ride. Ponchos are available for purchase at ticket booths and gift shops for those who want to avoid this.

The final drop.

This is the main source of soaking although there is a smaller drop before this where some water will likely hit you.

Heading up.

Members of our group in the flume below us.

I’m pretty sure I wound up the wettest of our group with Heather a close second. The good news was that we were wearing hiking clothes which are designed to dry quickly. After the log ride my coworkers headed out, but Heather and I stuck around for the Ice Mountain Bobsled Roller Coaster.

The Ice Mountain Bobsled is the runner up to the log ride for thrill factor. It was a 40-minute (or so) wait for the bobsleds.

I’m old enough to remember when the bobsleds were introduced in 1983 (I was 10). The ride is still fun as an adult however there are a couple of sudden stops/slowdowns that can be a bit jarring.

We had both gotten hungry standing in the bobsled line so after the ride we headed back down through the Old European Village to Gretel’s Grill and grabbed a bite to eat. After eating we debated on sticking around a little longer or heading home to our cats. The cats won out and home we went. We’d had a lot of fun as we always do anytime we have an excuse to visit this local treasure. Happy Enchanted Trails!

Flickr: Enchanted Forest

Tags Big Timber Log Ride, Challenge of Mondor, Comedy Theatre, Enchanted Forest, Haunted House, Ice Mountain Bobsled, Oregon, Salem, Tofteville

High Cascades Hiking Mt. Washington Area Oregon Trip report

Patjens Lakes – 07/19/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 21, 2025
2 Comments on Patjens Lakes – 07/19/2025

Heather was able to join me for the last hike of my July vacation. I chose the Patjens Lake Loop in the Mount Washington Wilderness to wrap up the five hikes. It seemed fitting since we had hiked on Mt. Hood (post) to kick off my vacation then I had visited Mt. Jefferson area (post), the Three Sisters area (post), and the Three Fingered Jack area (post). That left Mt. Washington as the only major Oregon Cascade Mountain north of the Three Sisters I hadn’t hiked near during the week.

The Patjens Lakes loop was my pick for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted a relatively easy hike following some longer, more challenging hikes during the week. and at 7 to 8 miles with just a little over 600′ or so of elevation gain this loop fit the bill. The second reason was it had been almost 13 years since we’d done the loop (post).

We parked at the Patjens Lakes Trailhead and after filling out a self-issued wilderness permit set off on the trail.

The majority of the route passes through the 2011 Shadow Lake Fire scar. In the 13 years since our first visit many of the burned trees have fallen and some new trees have begun replacing them. As a result, the views were much more open.

Mt. Washington beyond Big Lake.

Patjens Butte

Pearly everlasting

Fireweed

The trail makes a brief descent to pass around an unnamed lake and long meadow.

At the 0.3-mile mark the loop begins.

Scarlet gilia and milk kelloggia

Closer look at the milk kelloggia.

The unnamed lake below Patjens Butte.

Goldenrod, scarlet gilia, and penstemon

Tent caterpillars

Thistle

Cardwell’s penstemon

The long meadow on the left.

There were a bunch of birds near the meadow including northern flickers, lazuli buntings, juncos and sparrows.

A lazuli bunting in the foreground and a northern flicker further down the log.

Northern flicker

Lazuli bunting

Sparrow

Beyond the meadow the trail climbed to a saddle between Peak 5026 and Peak 5164.

Aster

Twinberry

Ragwort

Butterfly on lupine.

Sickle top lousewort

Sub-alpine fleabane

Scouler’s bluebells

Twinflower

Chipping sparrow with a snack.

Sand Mountain (post)

Maxwell Butte (post), the top of Mt. Jefferson, Hoodoo Butte, and Hayrick Butte.

Strawberries

Huckleberries

It had been a good year for beargrass blooms, but they had all gone to seed.

Woodland beardtongue

The top of Mt. Jefferson.

The only Washington lily left that was still kind of in bloom.

Entering the Mt. Washington Wilderness.

Shortly after entering the wilderness the trail arrived at the saddle between the peaks where it began a mile long descent. It was on this descent that the difference in views was most evident.

The Three Sisters, The Husband, and Scott Mountain (post).

The Three Sisters from the trail in 2012.

Mt. Washington, Belknap Crater (post), the Three Sisters, and The Husband.

We could even see Diamond Peak (post) over the right shoulder of Scott Mountain.

Diamond Peak

Wildflowers along the hillside.

Lupine and scarlet gilia

The trail entered a section of forest that escaped the Shadow Lake Fire.

Moth on vanilla leaf.

Scarlet gilia

White-veined wintergreen and prince’s pine

Foam flower

Shortly after the trail emerged from the unburnt forest we arrived at what some, ourselves included, consider the first of the Patjens Lakes on the right.

Whether or not this first lake counts as a “Patjens” lake is debatable, but we like to include it as a fourth member of the group.

Hardhack

The trail entered another section of unburned forest where we detoured down a short trail to the next Patjens Lake.

This lake escaped the 2011 fire leaving it the only lake surrounded by green trees.

Bufflehead family

Beyond the second lake the trail reentered the fire scar where it would stay for the remainder of the hike. A third of a mile from the second lake we arrived at the third lake where we left the trail in order to loop around it.

Peak 5164 on the left and Patjens Butte on the right.

Almost synchronized ducks.

Cinquefoil

Duck family

Tree frog

We hadn’t looped around this lake in 2012 but wanted to see what the view of Mt. Washington was like this time.

There was a rough user trail to follow at times.

Field crescent

Form the northern end of the lake we headed cross country to the final Patjens Lake.

Aster

The fourth Patjens Lake.

On our first trip it was this lake that we looped around.

This time we headed along the western end of the lake to return to the official trail.

Dragonflies

Peak 5164 and Patjens Butte

The Patjens Lake Loop just ahead.

We turned left onto the trail and gradually climbed for a mile and a half to a view of Big Lake.

Western sulphur

Looking back after leaving the Mt. Washington Wilderness.

Hoodoo Butte, Hayrick Butte, and Three Fingered Jack

Hoodoo and Hayrick Buttes across Big Lake.

For the next 0.6-miles the trail followed the hillside above Big Lake providing nice views across the lake and back to Mt. Washington.

Big Lake Youth Camp on the eastern side of the lake.

Swallow

Rosy spirea

Stellar’s jay

Thimbleberry

This right-hand fork leads down to the Big Lake Campground. We stayed left.

Nice view of Mt. Washington.

The view in 2012.

The ridge on the left of Mt. Washington is the North Ridge (post) which is used by mountain climbers.

From the final viewpoint the trail turned away from the lake and descended to the junction where the loop had started.

Heading west toward Sand Mountain.

We turned right after completing the loop and returned to our car.

One last look back.

Lupine

Today’s hike came in at 7.4 miles with a little over 600′ of elevation gain.

Despite the area around Big Lake being full of people we saw very few people on the hike itself. Mosquitos were a bit of a nuisance at times, particularly for Heather who assisted me by keeping them occupied. If you don’t care about wildflowers Autumn would probably be a great time to visit. The distance between the lakes and the trailhead and lack of steep climbs makes this a good option for younger hikers/backpackers too. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Patjens Lakes

Tags Big Lake, hiking, Mt. Washington Wilderness, Oregon, Patjens Lakes, Patjens Lakes Trail, Patjens Lakes Trailhead, Shadow Lake Fire

High Cascades Hiking Mt. Jefferson Area Oregon Trip report

Craig Lake – 07/17/2025

Disclaimer – This hike requires map and navigational skills due to portions of the route using abandoned trails and some off-trail travel.

For the final outing of my solo vacation I decided to attempt a visit to Craig Lake in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. This is one of Hike Oregon’s “Members Only” hikes. I decided to combine that described hike with a visit to the Berley Lakes, which Heather and I had visited in 2021 (post).

At one time there had been official trails to all these lakes but at some point, possibly after the 2003 B&B Fire, the trails were abandoned by the Forest Service. The old trails aren’t shown on my GPS map, but I found them on CalTopo and made sure I had a copy of them with me. The hike starts at the Santiam Pass Pacific Crest Trailhead which requires a NW Forest Pass to park, but not a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for day hikes (you do need a permit for overnight stays).

A short connector trail leads from the trailhead to the PCT where I turned left.

Water left for thru hikers.

The PCT climbs gradually through the 2003 fire scar with increasingly good views to the south of Mt. Washington, the Three Sisters and Broken Top.

After 0.2-miles on the PCT the Old Summit Trail heads off to the right (post).

Broken Top, North Sister, Middle Sister, and Mt. Washington (L to R).

It was a good beargrass year, but the bloom had happened a few weeks before my visit.

The lupine however was near peak bloom.

Tent caterpillars

Scarlet gilia and lupine.

Three Fingered Jack

Penstemon

At the 1.3-mile mark I arrived a junction with the Santiam Lake Trail which I turned left onto.

The Santiam Lake Trail descends gradually providing some decent views of Three Fingered Jack.

Thistle

The trail passes this unnamed lake shortly after splitting from the PCT.

Scarlet gilia

Buckwheat

Sub-alpine mariposa lily

Lupine along the trail.

Scarlet gilia and lupine

Broken Top, North Sister, Middle Sister, Mt. Washington, Hayrick Butte, and Hoodoo Butte.

Penstemon lining the trail.

I followed the Santiam Lake Trail for a mile and a half before I spotted the former Berley Lakes Trail splitting off to the left.

Even with the wood over it the tread was obvious at the junction.

The Berley Lakes Trail sees just enough use for the tread to be reasonably visible, but the lack of maintenance requires some effort to stick to the path.

Beargrass at the dry bed of Lost Creek Lake.

Plume moth on arnica

Columbine

According to the CalTopo map it was 0.4-miles between junction with the Santiam Lake Trail and the old Craig Lake Trail. It also showed it was just on the other side of another seasonal branch of Lost Creek. Unlike the Berley Lake Trail juction with the Santiam Lake Trail the Craig Lake Trail wasn’t obvious. Without the trails being on the GPS map as well I was forced to try and compare the CalTopo map to the GPS. I could tell by comparing the maps that I had gone too far so I decided to simply turn off the Berley Lakes Trail and head in the general direction of the missing trail in hopes of picking up the tread along the way. I discovered later that I missed the Craig Lake Trail by less than 100 yards, but I didn’t manage to find the tread on the way up to Craig Lake.

I needed to get up this butte to find the lake which was some 250′ above the Berley Lakes Trail.

I angled through the forest, but I didn’t angle far enough SW to find the Craig Lake Trail. This was partly due to needing to find a passable route up and partly due to not matching my route closely enough to the alignment shown on the CalTopo map.

Forest at the base of the butte.

Starting up the butte.

Hummingbird

Three Fingered Jack

I was hoping this was going to be the trail when I spotted it from a distance, but it was nothing more than a steep game trail.

I eventually gave up on trying to find the trail and instead focused on getting up to some flat terrain. I knew that if I could reach the lake then I would more than likely find the trail there and be able to follow it down.

I headed more or less straight up here.

Finally some level terrain.

My adventure wasn’t over just because I’d reached the plateau where the lake was. I had come up north of the lake and still needed to make my way there. In a classic lost person move my initial attempt resulted in a 0.2-mile loop as I over corrected while picking my way through the trees. I paid closer attention to the GPS on my next attempt to reach Craig Lake and was successful however this time I hadn’t drifted far enough east to reach the trail and instead found myself on a rock peninsula.

North Sister and Mt. Washington from the peninsula.

Craig Lake

Penstemon

After regathering myself I headed back off the peninsula and worked my way east to find the Craig Lake Trail which I was able to do.

The peninsula from the Craig Lake Trail.

At times the Craig Lake Trail was fairly obvious.

My next mistake came after following the Craig Lake Trail for a tenth of a mile. I lost the tread in some blowdown and vegetation. The trail had turned right to climb up some rocks, but I stayed straight and wound up on some cliffs with a view to the south.

From the viewpoint I scrambled up the rocks and wound up picking up the trail again near a campsite.

Where I went up the rocks.

Woodland beardtongue

One of the campsites on the east end of Craig Lake.

Three Fingered Jack from Craig Lake

Craig Lake

I took a break at one of the campsites and had some food while enjoying the view.

My break spot.

Aster

The view from the campsite. The mosquitos were an issue at the lake shore but they weren’t too bad up here.

When it was time to continue on I followed the Craig Lake Trail around the lake to where I would have come up had I been able to find the trail earlier.

Bunchberry

View across Craig Lake.

The Craig Trail heading down from the plateau.

The upper portion of the trail was obvious but after 0.2-miles of descending I lost the tread in a meadow.

The meadow where I lost the trail.

View of the Craig Lake Trail entering the meadow.

Here again I used the GPS to head for the Berley Lakes Trail which I arrived at in another tenth of a mile, just a few yards from where CalTopo Map showed the junction.

The old trail veered further right (south) in the meadow than I did.

Orange agoseris

Phacelia

Butterfly

The Berley Lakes Trail.

I turned left on the Berley Lakes Trail planning on visiting Lower Berley then Upper Berley Lakes. In hindsight I should have saved our 2021 track to the GPS because after just a third of a mile I made yet another mistake. I came to a fork and incorrectly chose to stay left on what was an obvious path but not the old alignment of the Berley Lakes Trail. I figured out my mistake pretty quickly and the tread petered out leaving me to follow game trails and any other route I could find while I used my GPS to get me to Upper Berley Lake. (I’d passed Lower Berley and didn’t want to back track to the trail, so I just skipped visiting that lake today.)

Checkerspot on an alpine false dandelion.

Stellar’s jay

Still on the trail.

The trail passed through a number of flowering meadows.

At this point I was off trail just trying to get over a rise to be able to drop down to Upper Berley Lake.

I wound up following a draw that was lined with lingering snow patches and full of mosquitos.

Witch’s butter

Looking back up the draw.

Pussypaws

I finally located the Berley Lakes Trail between the two lakes and turned left to reach Upper Berley Lake.

Shooting stars

Mountain heather

Three Fingered Jack from Upper Berley Lake.

I followed the old trail to the east side of the lake to its historic end. From there it was a 0.6-mile cross country hike through meadows to reach the Santiam Lake Trail.

Paintbrush

Sub-alpine mariposa lilies and pentstmon

From here I could see the Santiam Lake Trail.

The Santiam Lake Trail, a welcome sight.

I turned right onto the trail and followed it 2.7-miles back to the Pacific Crest Trail.

Dwarf lupine

Alpine wild buckwheat

Lost Creek

There were a lot of nice wildflower meadows, but this was the best one of the day.

Buckwheat, lupine and scarlet gilia.

Pond along the trail.

Fritillary on an orange agoseris.

Clodius parnassian on penstemon.

Looking back at Three Fingered Jack.

Maxwell Butte (post)

The Pacific Crest Trail junction.

From the junction it was mostly downhill for the 1.3-miles back to my car.

Woodpecker

Leaving the wilderness.

I wound up hiking 10.8-miles and climbed a cumulative 1500′. The hike was challenging due to the abandoned trails compounded by my mistakes leading me cross country a couple of times.

The orange portion marks the Craig Trail alignment.

The blue is my track overlaid on the CalTopo map showing the historical trail alignments for Berley and Craig Lakes.

It was a fun, and at times, frustrating morning but I was glad to have been able to visit another of the lakes in the Cascades. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Craig Lake

Tags Berley Lakes Trail, Craig Lake, Craig Lake Trail, Hike Oregon, hiking, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon, Pacific Crest Trail, PCT, Santiam Pass Trailhead, Three Fingered Jack. Santiam Lake Trail, Upper Berley Lake, wildflowers

High Cascades Hiking Oregon Three Sisters Area Trip report

Obsidian Loop – 07/15/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 18, 2025
2 Comments on Obsidian Loop – 07/15/2025

Following a great visit to Jefferson Park on Monday (post) I continued my solo vacation by revisiting a hike that we refer to as “The hike that shall not be named.” On October 14th, 2012, we (including our Son) had set off from the Obsidian Trail for what I thought was going to be 15-mile loop with epic views. A combination of me misunderstanding the route described in the guidebook and cloudy conditions it wound up being a largely viewless 18.6-mile trudge (post). Heather and I revisited a portion of that hike by visiting Four-in-One Cone in 2019 (post), but we had not been back to the Obsidian Trail.

I had my Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for the Obsidian Trailhead and set off ridiculously early (3am) to make the 2:30 hour drive.

The trailhead at 5:30am.

In addition to the Central Cascades Wilderness Permit a NW Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead.

I set off on the trail which began in the trees before briefly passing through the 2017 Separation Fire scar.

A connector trail joins from the left shortly after leaving the hiker trailhead. This trail connects to the equestrian trailhead, and it theoretically connects to the Scott Trail. We had used this connecter for the hike that shall not be named, and I was planning on using it again today but more on that later.

Most of the beargrass was past but there were a few still in bloom.

Entering the Three Sisters Wilderness.

The initial section of the trail climbs gradually.

Entering the fire scar.

Sims Butte

The Middle Sister on the left and South Sister (post) to the right.

There had been some recent trail work done on the Obsidian Trail.

Just under 3.5-miles from the trailhead I arrived at a lava flow which the Obsidian Trail climbs over providing the loop’s first set of great views.

Partridgefoot

North and Middle Sister

Scott Mountain (post) on the left.

Belknap Crater (post), Mt. Washington, and Mt. Jefferson

Belknap Crater, Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, and Little Belknap Crater

Buckwheat

North and Middle Sister as the trail began to descend to the White Branch.

White Branch crossing. I was able to rock hop and keep my feet dry.

On the far side of the White Branch is a junction with the Glacier Way Trail.

Lupine and a patch of snow on the far side of the White Branch.

Both of the trails lead to the Pacific Crest Trail 1.4-miles apart The Glacier Way meets the PCT near Sunshine, a large meadow, in 0.7-miles and the Obsidian Trail meets the PCT near Obsidian Falls in 1.7-miles. This allows for a nearly 12-mile lollipop loop. It is also where the hike that shall not be named went awry. Sullivan described a 15-mile loop using the PCT and Scott Trails, but I failed to pick up on needing to use the Glacier Way Trail in order to keep the milage to fifteen. Just as we’d done in 2012, I stuck to the Obsidian Trail only this time I knew what I was signing up for. The only thing I wasn’t sure of was how much snow might still be lingering in the area. I was carrying micro spikes and prepared to either turn back or bail on the Glacier Way Trail if need be.

Beyond the junction the Obsidian Trail climbed more steeply before reaching a series of meadows along the South Fork White Branch.

There was a lot of lupine in bloom along the trail.

There were quite a few patches of snow starting at 5800′ but most were easy to cross without needing the spikes.

More trail work.

I did put the spikes on to cross this patch since it was on a fairly steep hillside.

When the trail leveled out near the meadows start looking for obsidian in and along the trail.

Middle Sister from one of the meadows.

The same meadow in 2012.

Alpine false dandelion

Sub-alpine mariposa lily

Alpine wild buckwheat

Cobwebby paintbrush

South Fork White Branch

More patchy snow.

Second crossing of the South Fork White Branch in the meadows.

Western pasque flowers going to seed.

Western pasque flower still in bloom.

Heading back to the trees near Obsidian Creek.

The trail descended to a crossing of Obsidian Creek below Obsidian Falls then climbed to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.

Obsidian Creek

The top of The Husband sticking up above the trees.

Jacob’s ladder

Junction with the PCT.

I turned left onto the PCT which switchbacked up above Obsidian Falls. I made the short detour down to the viewpoint below the waterfall.

Spur to the base of the falls on the left.

Obsidian Falls

Obsidian Falls from the PCT.

Above the waterfall the PCT levels out on a wide plateau with a view of the Middle Sister.

Looking back down Obsidian Creek.

The headwaters of Obsidian Creek.

Spring feeding the creek.

There were two large snowfields still covering the PCT along this section but given the terrain was flat and there were well established footprints they were fairly easy to cross.

The first snowfield passed one of several ponds on the plateau, this one being frozen.

Frozen Pond.

The same pond in October 2012.

The second snowfield crossing.

Roughly the same spot in 2012, note the small pond ahead.

The small pond today.

Obsidian

Little Brother ahead.

North Sister

At the northern end of the plateau the trail begins a descent into Sunshine, a large meadow along Glacier Creek.

User trail leading down to Glacier Creek. I did see one person down at the creek gathering water.

View from the junction with the user trail. If you look closely, you can see the person who was getting water near the trail crossing of the creek below.

There were more patches of snow to navigate as I made my way down to Sunshine on the PCT but nothing had been too bad, so I decided not to bail when I passed the Glacier Way Trail junction and continued down to Glacier Creek.

Belknap Crater and Mt. Washington were once again visible.

I ended up going around this one.

Sign at the junction.

A closed user trail that has been replaced by the one up above.

The PCT crossing Glacier Creek.

Paintbrush

Beyond Glacier Creek the Pacific Crest Trail did some ups and downs before arriving at Sawyer Bar, a crossing of the White Branch at a lava flow.

Leaving the Obsidian area.

I’d also left the maintained trail area. This was probably the worst obstacle of the day but there were a number of downed trees along this section of the PCT and later on the Scott Trail.

Lots of lupine again.

The PCT made a hard right turn to the east at the lava flow.

Belknap Crater, Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson

It had been a little hazy to the north all morning, and I had started getting a faint whiff of smoke every once in a while, after crossing Glacier Creek. Looking at the sky as I neared Sawyer Bar it was obvious that smoke from the Cram Fire over 60 miles away just NE of Madras was being blown into the area by the NE winds.

North Sister and Little Brother

Dropping down to Sawyer Bar. There was still a snowfield over the White Branch.

My arrival at Sawyer Bar was loudly announced by a resident yellow-bellied marmot.

After a brief stint in some sparse trees the trail entered the lava flow and headed for a narrow chute where it switched back relentlessly in the loose volcanic rock.

Collier Cone poking up ahead.

Paintbrush

Heading into the chute with the Sun above.

Penstemon

Sorrel

Looking back down from near the top.

Goldenrod

I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to climb up onto the rim of Collier Cone as we had in 2012 due to the presence of snow, but after reaching the top of the chute and seeing the use trail into the cone I could tell that it would be possible.

The high point of Collier Cone from the PCT.

Catchfly

North and Middle Sister from inside the cone. I was following use trails toward the low point along the rim to save myself some effort.

Looking back at the smoke from the Cram Fire flowing through Santiam Pass.

The opposite side of the cone.

North and Middle Sister from the rim. The glacial lake at the bottom is from melting snow and the shrinking Collier Glacier.

Middle Sister and Little Brother

The view was a little different in 2012.

The wind was whipping pretty strongly but I took advantage of a couple of large cinder rocks to take a seat, have some food, and change my socks before continuing.

Silvery raillardella

Dwarf alpinegold

Heading down to the PCT.

On last look back from the PCT.

I continued north on the PCT rounding Collier Cone’s ridge and then descending for almost a mile and a half to Scott Meadow.

I passed a hiker and her dog just before rounding the ridge here, the first I’d seen other than the person getting water from Glacier Creek.

After rounding the ridge I spotted the sketchiest snowfield of the entire hike, but having just seen the hiker and dog coming from that direction helped boost my confidence.

I put my micro spikes on for the second time today and carefully made my way across the soft melting snowfield. That was the last time the spikes felt necessary, but not the end of the snow patches.

Collier Cone, North Sister and Little Brother from the far side of another snow patch.

There was evidence of some glissading down this patch to the PCT below. I was able to avoid most of the snow by looping around it.

I just had to cross this short section in order to loop around the rest.

The creek along the trail here is not named on maps and is shown as seasonal.

The final snow patch along the PCT before Scott Meadow.

Almost to the meadow.

This would mark my fourth visit to this meadow. The first was of course in October 2012 and the third was in August 2019 on our Four-in-One Cone hike. In between those two hikes was a July 29th visit during our Matthieu Lakes hike (post). The 2013 hike had been the only one where there were any flowers to speak of blooming in the meadow. At that time it was primarily lupine with some scattered paintbrush, and a host of mosquitos. I had been expecting mosquitos all day, but whether it was timing, the breeze, or the DEET I had applied before setting off there had been almost no sign of them all morning and it was the same at the meadow.

I’m not sure my timing could have been much better for the flowers this year. It took me a bit to cover the 0.2-miles between the start of the meadow and the Scott Trail junction.

Paintbrush and cinquefoil

Western pasque flowers

Alpine speedwell

Lupine

Alpine false dandelions, speedwell, cinquefoil and possibly some pussytoes.

California tortoiseshell

Bog laurel

The meadow through the years.

October 14,2012

July 29, 2013

August 14, 2019

Today

The junction with the Scott Trail.

I turned left onto the Scott Trail and followed it up an open hillside.

Yapoah Crater to the left.

After making the climb the trail gradually descended to a cinder field near Four-in-One Cone.

Pussy paws

Four-in-One Cone

A user trail leads up the cone and despite the lack of views we had made the 0.4-mile detour along the top. That detour had been the last straw for our son who didn’t realize that it wasn’t part of the loop needed to get back to the car. When he got to the top and found out it was just an out-and-back side trail he was not at all happy with me. I didn’t make the side trip this time given the increasing smoke on the horizon and the fact that Heather and I had gotten to enjoy the view in 2019.

Looking back at the side trail after passing it.

The view from the trail below Four-in-One Cone isn’t too bad.

Beyond Four-in-One Cone the Scott Trail briefly continues through the cinder field before skirting the tree line next to a lava flow.

North Sister and an increasingly hazy sky.

The Scott Trail eventually crosses over the lava flow then enters the forest as it descends toward the McKenzie Highway.

Sign reminding visitors there are no campfires allowed above 5700′.

There were more snow patches in the forest but nothing much on the trail itself. A bigger issue was the amount of blowdown along the trail; however, I did pass a trail crew working their way up the trail.

Fritillary on valerian

Queen’s cup

Lousewort

Rosy spirea

Fading Washington lilies.

Strawberry blossoms

Larkspur

I had been watching for the connector trail and keeping my eye on the GPS, but somehow I completely missed it. I did pass a decommissioned trail with a closed for rehabilitation sign. In 2012 there had been a sign at the junction but by 2019 the sign was missing but the trail was obvious.

The connector trail on the right coming from the opposite direction that I was headed.

The Forest Service page for the Obsidian Trailhead still lists the Obsidian Tie Trail and as providing access to the Scott Trail which leads me to believe I just didn’t notice it, but it’s also possible that it has been decommissioned and the trail that I had passed after just setting off is now just a connector to the Obsidian Equestrian Trailhead.

Missing the connector wasn’t the end of the world as the Scott Trail crosses the McKenzie Highway a little over a quarter mile from the tie trail (or former tie trail).

It was when I reached this meadow that I knew I’d missed the turn.

Looking across the meadow.

Shooting stars

The highway from the wilderness sign.

I popped out onto the highway and turned left for a 0.6-mile road walk to the Obsidian Trailhead.

Historical marker for the 1862 Scott Road.

It was another third of a mile to my car along the gravel road to the trailhead.

I saved myself a little over a mile by not retracing our side trip across Four-in-One Cone, but missing the connector trail added almost a third of a mile so instead of an 18.6-mile loop like 2012 my GPS came in at 17.8-miles. Skipping Four-in-One-Cone also shaved off a little over 100′ of elevation gain leaving today just under 3400′ of cumulative gain.

Not sure why the Garmin map shows the PCT going along the rim of Collier Cone. It looks as though there is a use trail around the rim, but it certainly is not the PCT.

This was an excellent hike with spectacular views and some nice wildflowers. I was pushing the timing as far as snow goes, but this year has been warm and dry enough that it was passable (with micro spikes) this early. The lack of mosquitos was a huge blessing.

The only bummer was the arrival of the smoke from what has become a very serious fire. As of my writing this on July 16, 2025, the fire is over 64,000 acres with zero containment. Many people have had to evacuate, and many others are on standby to do so. Our prayers go out to them and to the responders doing everything they can to get the blaze under control.

Flickr: Obsidian Loop

Tags Collier Cone, Glacier Creek, Glacier Way, hiking, Little Brother, Obsidian Falls, Obsidian Trailhead, Opie Dilldock Pass, Oregon, Pacific Crest Trail, Sawyer Bar, Scott Meadow, Scott Trail, Sunshine, three sister, Three Sisters Wilderness, White Branch, wildflowers

High Cascades Hiking Mt. Jefferson Area Oregon Trip report

Whitewater Trail to Jefferson Park – 07/14/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 17, 2025
3 Comments on Whitewater Trail to Jefferson Park – 07/14/2025

I had another solo week of vacation while Heather had to work (boo), and I kicked it off with a visit to the recently reopened Whitewater Trailhead. The trailhead had been closed after the Labor Day fires in 2020 and remained so until late Autumn 2024. The Whitewater Trail was the trail we used the time we visited Jefferson Park in 2011 as well as 2014 and 2015.

In all this would be my 9th visit to Jefferson Park which is the arguably my favorite spot in the Oregon Cascades outside of Crater Lake. Our most recent visit was last September via the Woodpecker Ridge Trail (post). The earliest date of any of the previous visits had been the 2015 visit on August 8th. That was a dry year leaving the flowers and other vegetation looking more like September than early August. We had always avoided July to avoid the mosquitos that follow the snow melt. They tend to be very attracted to Heather and will harass her unforgivingly. With her having to sit this one out I thought it would be a good time to finally try a July visit. I secured my Central Cascades Wilderness Permit and got an extra early start to avoid the heat of the day.

There were about a half dozen cars parked at the trailhead when I arrived at 5:30am.

The trail is in good shape and did not need to be rerouted due to the fire. Regardless it was a different experience due to the lack of trees along the route which created new views nearly the entire 4.2-miles to its end at the Pacific Crest Trail.

Northwestern rabbit-tobacco

Entering the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness

Pearly everlasting

Mt. Jefferson

White-veined and one-sided wintergreen

The Three Pyramids (post) on the left and Bachelor & Coffin Mountain (post) on the right.

Penstemon along the trail with Mt. Jefferson in the distance.

Lousewort

Fading Washington lily.

Thimbleberry

Mt. Jefferson, the Three Sisters, and Three Fingered Jack

The Three Sisters and Three Fingered Jack

Boca Cave (post) below Triangulation Peak.

Boca Cave

Pika! It was great to see several of these “rock rabbits” scurrying about the rock fields along the trails today.

Lewis’ monkeyflower

Woodpecker

Aster

Yarrow and penstemon

Whitewater Falls

Scarlet gilia

Stonecrop

Scouler’s bluebells

Oregon sunshine

Bleeding heart

Phacelia and rosy spirea

Aster?

Looking for pikas….

Found one!

Valerian, ragwort and bleeding heart

Whitewater Creek crossing.

Yellow monkeyflower

Marsh marigolds

Junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.

The mosquito activity had picked up near the Whitewater Creek crossing and they remained a bit of a nuisance throughout Jefferson Park, but they weren’t too bad unless I stopped for an extended period of time.

Arnica

Lupine with Mt. Jeferson in the background.

Junco

Sign announcing Jefferson Park.

Wildflowers at the entrance to Jefferson Park.

More wildflowers near the entrance.

Lupine along Whitewater Creek

We almost always see a pika in the rocks along this stretch.

Cinquefoil

Park Butte

I stuck to the PCT through Jefferson Park with the plan being to start visiting the lakes from the northern end with Russell Lake. There were many pauses to look back over my shoulder at Mt. Jefferson.

Snowmelt pond along the PCT.

Shooting stars and pink mountain heather.

Field of paintbrush and mountain heather on the far side of Jefferson Park.

Paintbrush lining the PCT heading toward Park Butte.

The only patch of snow still covering the PCT along this section was on a north facing hill prior to descending to the South Breitenbush River.

South Breitenbush River

Mt. Jefferson from Russell Lake.

Marsh marigolds

Park Butte from Russell Lake.

Bog laurel

I took a short break at Russell Lake before being prompted to continue by the host of mosquitos that were beginning to congregate around me.
I followed one of the trails around the lake through an unoccupied campsite and back to the PCT above the snow covered portion.

Campsite with a “No Fires” reminder post.

Moth

Heading south on the PCT near its junction with the South Breitenbush Trail.

I turned right on the South Breitenbush Trail which would lead me down to a junction with a side trail to Park Lake.

South Breitenbush Trail

Another snowmelt pond.

There was a little more snow remaining along this stretch of trail.

Heading down toward the junction.

Lewis’ monkeyflower

South Breitenbush River from the trail.

I turned uphill on the obvious trail and climb over a hill then dropped down to Park Lake.

Going up!

Park Lake

Sandwort

After tagging Park Lake I headed toward Rock Lake with a quick detour to Scout Lake first.

Alpine false dandelion

Looking back at Park Lake and Park Butte.

Either an aster or fleabane.

Mt. Jefferson from Scout Lake. One of the advantages of visiting earlier in the year was the location of the Sun overhead. Later in the Summer it has moved far enough south to make getting a good photo from this angle hard. The disadvantage of course was not being able to sit longer and enjoy the view sans mosquitos.

After getting a couple of shots of Scout Lake I made my way over to Rock Lake.

I wanted to get a view of Mt. Jefferson from this lake as well so I made my way around the lake counterclockwise.

At the SE side of the lake I followed a trail up a small hill and made my way to Bays Lake.

Rock Lake and Park Butte from the hill.

Bays Lake

I again headed counterclockwise around this lake on what began as a good trail.

Clodius parnassian

Mt. Jefferson from the outlet of Bays Lake.

Frog hanging out at the outlet.

Park Butte from Bays Lake.

The trail I was following led to an occupied camp site (the only one that I encountered this day) so I followed a fainter path to swing around them. I rejoined the original path I’d been following but I wound up losing it along the rocky shore of Bays Lake. Looking at my 2015 track the “good” trail was above the rocks, but I didn’t have that track handy, so I picked my way along the rocks until things got really rough and I bailed straight uphill.

Small pond above Bays Lake.

Climbing above the rocks.

Park Butte and Bays Lake

Pond above Bays Lake.

I found clear trails above the rocks and followed them for 0.2-miles. At that point I was back on my 2015 route, but I knew that trail curved back ENE to pass near Scout Lake before intersecting the PCT. The PCT wasn’t too far below where I was and when I saw a fairly clear path heading in that direction I decided to follow it. Long story short this path got very faint as it passed through an area that had been impacted by one of the fires. I was debating whether to turn back or try and continue downhill when I spotted a couple of hikers heading into the park. The PCT was close enough that I decided to pick my way down to the trail. I wouldn’t recommend this route, but it worked out.

Looking up at where I came down.

Back on the PCT I headed for the Whitewater Trail and my car.

No pika sightings on the way back but I did hear a few “meeps”.

Beetles on beargrass

The meadow at the entrance of Jefferson Park was now in full sunlight.

Lupine

I believe this is an arnica.

It was heating up fast on the exposed Whitewater Trail. The lack of tree cover does allow for some epic views, but it also means there is no escaping the sun.

Penstemon

Bee visiting stonecrop.

I don’t recall this rock formation from our previous hikes, another thing revealed by the fires.

There were at least five checkerspot butterflies on this clump of aster.

Nowhere to hide from the heat.

Mt. Jefferson, the Three Sisters and Three Fingered Jack

Fireweed

Black-backed woodpecker

There were copious amounts of trailing blackberries along the lower portion of the Whitewater Trail, some of which were ripe (and eaten).

This patch of spreading dogbane was being visited by over a half dozen butterflies of different varieties as well as some other pollinators.

Arriving back at the trailhead.

Today’s route around Jefferson Park came in at 13.3 miles with just under 2350′ of elevation gain.

It was bittersweet to revisit the Whitewater Trail. It was tough to see how intensely the fires had burned the area, but the trail was in good shape and the hike was very enjoyable. I had passed a number of people heading up on my way out including a Forest Service Ranger. We talked for a bit, and he asked if I’d seen any fire rings or trash, which I hadn’t. He eventually got around to asking to see my Cascade Wilderness Permit which I had ready on my phone (and a paper copy in my pack). It was actually exciting to be asked to show the permit since we always make sure we have the required permits whether it be California Campfire, National Park Entry, Central Cascades, or a county park, but we almost never are asked for proof that we have them. I know that there are some out there that remain vehemently opposed to the permit system, but there are no easy answers to overcrowding and overuse. It’s the system in place and we’ll continue to respect that. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Jefferson Park 2025

Tags bays lake, Central Cascade Wilderness Permit, hiking, Jefferson Park, Mount Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon, Pacific Crest Trail, Park lake, PCT, rock lake, Russell Lake, scout lake, whitewater trail, Whitewater Trailhead, wildflowers

High Cascades Hiking Mt. Hood Area Oregon Trip report

Wizard Way (Mt. Hood Meadows) – 07/12/2025

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date July 14, 2025
1 Comment on Wizard Way (Mt. Hood Meadows) – 07/12/2025

In 2021 the Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area opened a new collection of summer trails to the public. We had passed through the area clear back in 2013 (post) so it was past time for us to revisit and check out some of those new trails.

We used an entry in the OregonHikers Field Guide as inspiration for our planned route which included the Bear Grass, Bear Grass Cutoff, Stadium Loop, Lower Wizard Way, Middle Wizard Way, and Picnic Rock Spur trails. Our planned route got extended immediately upon our arrival at the entrance to the main parking lot at Mt. Hood Meadows. The lot is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and the amenities at the lodge (restaurant and restrooms) don’t open until 10am however it was our understanding that the lot was available to park in prior to 10am. This was true; however we failed to notice that the left side of the entrance gate was open.

Something about the ribbon, cones, and equipment in the background tricked my eyes into seeing a gate across both sides, green on the right and pink on the left so we parked in a small pullout on the side of the road.

You’d think I would have noticed that there wasn’t actually a gate on the left when I took this photo.

Parking here meant walking through the parking lot which took us right past the Umbrella Falls Trail.

It was just under a quarter of a mile down to Umbrella Falls from the parking lot and given we had not been to the falls in almost 12 years we detoured down the trail.

Valerian and false hellebore

Mountain bluebells

Aster

Mt. Hood from the Umbrella Falls Trail.

Umbrella Falls

After visiting the waterfall we climbed back up to the parking lot and continued on to the Mt. Hood Meadows Lodge.

Trail map at the lodge.

From the lodge we angled left on a roped gravel path passing several interpretive signs to a large “Blue Chair Lift” sign. The signed Bear Grass Trail began to the right of that sign.

Spirea

We followed this trail for a half mile through wildflower meadows to a junction with the Bear Grass Cutoff Trail.

An aster or fleabane

Elephants head

Penstemon, cat’s ear lilies, and spirea.

Beargrass on the hillside.

Beargrass and clumps of lupine on a hillside.

Arnica and valerian

The Bear Grass Trail crossing a service road.

Coiled lousewort

Jacob’s ladder

A short section of trees between meadows/ski runs.

Bear Grass Cutoff Trail on the left.

We turned left onto the cutoff trail which climbed roughly 350′ in 0.8-miles before rejoining the Bear Grass Trail. The climb was well graded and crossed several ski runs which provided views and more flowers.

Pink monkeyflower

One-sided wintergreen and dwarf bramble

Pacific coralroot

Sub-alpine mariposa lily (cat’s ear lily)

Coming up on another ski run covered in beargrass.

Partridgefoot

Bonney Butte (post) on the far right.

Hood River Express chairlift.

Back at the Bear Grass Trail we turned left to continue up the mountain.

Another half mile of views and wildflowers brought us to a fork where the Stadium Loop Trail split off to the left.

Mt. Jefferson to the south.

Broken Top, the Three Sisters, and Mt. Jefferson.

Cinquefoil

Mountain heather

Stadium Loop left and Bear Grass Trail to the right.

Mt. Hood Meadows Lodge from the junction.

We took the Stadium Loop Trail uphill and rejoined the Bear Grass Trail in less than a quarter mile.

The Stadium Express lift in front of Mt. Hood.

Goldenrod

Buckwheat

Yarrow

Penstemon

Subalpine fleabane

Trail signs below the Stadium Express at the upper junction with the Bear Grass Trail.

From the upper junction the Bear Grass Trail briefly followed a service road uphill to the top of the Stadium Express chairlift and a couple more interpretive signs.

The trail signage had been very good up to this point but there weren’t any signs at the top of the lift. The Bear Grass Trail was obvious though as it headed into a stand of trees.

In less than a tenth of a mile we arrived a the Timberline Trail where the Bear Grass Trail ended. The Lower Wizard Way Trail continued on the opposite side of Timberline Trail.

We crossed the Timberline Trail and began a mile long, 600′ climb, to the top of the Mt. Hood Express chairlift. This trail was a bit steeper than any of the lower trails, but it was still reasonably graded.

Sub-alpine mariposa lily and an orange agoseris

Paintbrush and cinquefoil

The trail crossing another service road.

Broken Top and the Three Sisters in the distance.

Jacob’s ladder

Townsend’s solitare

Pussypaws

Ragwort

Checkerspot on cinquefoil

Mountain heather and Jacob’s ladder

The trail got lost in the rocks here, but we simply walked under the lift to a service road and a ski patrol hut.

Penstemon

Mt. Hood from the top of the Mt. Hood Express lift.

That’s the blue lift to the right.

The ski patrol hut.

We followed the road past the ski patrol hut to the signed Middle Wizard Way Trail.

The Middle Wizard Way Trail is much rougher and steeper than any of the other trails. The route was flagged which helped us stay on course as we climbed over rocks and snowfields. Heather and I had split up on this portion and I made it a little over three quarters of a mile up to an old structure where I declared victory.

Stripped flagging marking the trail.

Paintbrush

Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sister from the trail.

The trail heading into a snowfield.

Penstemon, yarrow, buckwheat and pussypaws.

The lupine bloom was going strong.

Clark’s nutcracker

Mt. Jefferson from my turnaround point.

Broken Top, the Three Sisters and Mt. Jefferson

Looking down the Clark Creek Canyon. The Timberline Trail is visible near the bottom of the grey hillside on opposite canyon wall.

The Clark and Newton Glaciers.

The trail had gained 600′ from the service road and the remaining length of the trail gained at least 600′ more. On a cooler day I might have been tempted, but it was warm enough today to make me think twice.

The trail heads up the left side of this rock formation. It is reportedly possible to continue to the moraine behind and climb to 9000′ in elevation (which would be an additional 1300’+ climb from the top of the rock formation).

After a brief rest I started back down to find Heather was waiting for me part way up the trail near one of the snow fields.

Crossing one of the snow fields on the way down.

Jacob’s ladder and lupine

Aster

The view from Heather’s turnaround point.

We headed back down together retracing our steps back to the upper junction with the Stadium Loop where this time we stuck to the Bear Grass Trail.

Western white?

Mt. Jefferson and the ski patrol hut.

Checkerspot and aster

Cinquefoil

Stadium Loop Trail on the right.

It was just a tenth of mile before we arrived at the lower junction with Stadium Loop Trail and we were back on our earlier route.

Cat’s ear lilies along the trail.

The lower junction.

We followed the Bear Grass Trail downhill to the junction with the Bear Grass Cutoff Trail where we again left our earlier route and stayed on the Bear Grass Trail.

We followed the Bear Grass Trail down through the forest. This section of trail did not cross any ski runs and there were several patches of snow remaining in the trees.

Snow patch covering the Bear Grass Trail.

Shooting stars and cinquefoil

Violets

Four tenths of a mile from the Bear Grass Cutoff Trail we ignored the Jack Woods Trail joining from the left. This trail connects with the Timberline Trail along the ridge above the Clark Creek Canyon.

View across the Clark Creek Canyon.

Avalanche lilies

A little over 1.25-miles from the Bear Grass Cutoff Trail we came to a junction with the Picnic Rock Spur. This 0.3-mile spur led out to a rocky viewpoint above the Clark Creek Canyon.

Elk Mountain in the foreground with Lookout Mountain (post) behind to the right.

Arrowleaf buckwheat

Heather skipped the spur so after checking out the view I returned to the Bear Grass trail and followed it another 1.2-miles back to Mt. Hood Meadows Lodge.

The Umbrella Falls Cutoff Trail split off from the Bear Grass Trail and would have taken us back to Umbrella Falls, but we had agreed to meet up back at the lodge so we stuck to the Bear Grass Trail.

Trail sign at the junction with the Bear Grass Cutoff.

Pink monkeyflower

California tortoiseshell

Speedwell

It took a minute to locate Heather but once we’d reunited we headed back through the parking lot and returned to our car.

My mileage was 11.1 with a full mile of that attributed to parking at the gate and visiting Umbrella Falls. Total elevation gain was close to 2300′.

The green track is from our 2013 hike.

We were impressed with the trail system that Mt. Hood Meadows has developed and really enjoyed our hike here. There are a number of potential loops using the various trails and we look forward to returning and checking out more of them. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Wizard Way

Tags Bear Grass Cutoff, Bear Grass Trail, hiking, Lower Wizard Way, Middle Wizard Way, Mt. Hood, Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood Meadows Lodge, Oregon, Picnic Rocks Spur, Stadium Loop Trail, timberline trail, Umbrella Falls, Umbrella Falls Trail, wildflowers