There are several hikes in the area that I haven't done yet:
- Sleeping Beauty
- Little Goose Creek Falls
- Bird Creek Meadows
The Trout Lake Ice Caves are not a well-known hike in the area. I learned about it from the Curious Gorge book. It takes about 2 hours to get there from Portland and the majority of the drive is just lovely. You go east on 84 to Hood River and then cross the bridge. Back track a bit west on 14 and take a right onto 141 toward Trout Lake. Continue 4 miles past the Mt Adams Ranger Station and continue onto Forest Road 24. When we went in April, we ran out of driving room as the road was still packed with snow. We parked and walked the short distance to the cave. The caves themselves are small but you will want gloves, headlamps/flashlights and layers of clothing. It is wet and slippery in there. You can make a loop out of the cave. The better part of the cave is to the left of the stair entrance. To make the loop and exit out to the right of the stair entrance, you almost need to get on hands and knees. Take mindful steps, it's very easy to knock over the ice formations (ask Aaron). Best month to visit is May.
There are several hikes in the area that I haven't done yet:
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We did this hike as a part of our "Bend Weekend." We did Smith Rock the day before with friends, Maria and Jake, and ventured here on Sunday. To get here, drive 20 minutes west of bend on Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway (towards Mount Bachelor). Park at Dutchman Flat Snow-Park. We displayed our NW Forest Pass, but I'm not sure that was necessary. Let me preface this by saying the mountain was covered in snow, and we didn't know where we were going. We just followed trails up and passed a few snow-shoers, so we figured we must be onto the right path. It took a few hours to reach the summit, mainly because I am a slow hiker and stop to take lots of pictures. The last push was pretty steep, but all in all this was a fairly easy hike (however, you are gaining elevation the entire time). The Hike:
Smith Rock State Park is a fantastic place to spend the day. If you leave Portland early enough, you can get there before noon and you can be in Bend by dinner time! The drive getting there is nice. There are several choices but we like to take Hwy 26 over Mount Hood which shoots you right out into the high desert on the other side. If you are a Weisinger, you will want to make a quick stop at the Indian Head Casino in Warm Springs! When stopping there with Aaron and his parents, they taught me a good trick: you can get free coffee in casinos. This is a secret I will most definitely use in the future. You'll take a right onto Hwy 97 and, from there, you take a left turn towards Smith Rock State Park (from here, there are signs all the way there). Once you get there, spend a few minutes in the nature center there (it's in a yurt). It is small but very informative about the surrounding geology. The rock is made from volcanic tuff (consolidated ash). The tuff is 30 million years old. There is ash from Mount Mazana (the volcano that is now Crater Lake) there. There are various colors and the rock formation is dynamic on it's own. I would highly recommend hiking up misery ridge to the top of the rock. It takes about 30 minutes and the views are well-worth the climb. On a clear day, you will see the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, Three-fingered Jack, Black Butte, Broken Top Mtn. and Mt Hood. On the backside, you will see Monkey Face. You will know what it is when you see it! It's steep coming down and quite rocky with slippage. You'll then follow the Crooked River around the rock formation until you reach where you started. As far as camping goes, there is a climbers bivouac just outside the park. From what I've been told and looked up, this is not ideal for camping. You can't have fires and it's really for rock climbers that essentially are living there. It's good if you are literally just looking for a place to crash.
A better option is to drive into Bend and get dinner and have a beer. My favorite spot is 10 Barrel Brewery. Good food and good beer with outdoor seating and a fire is almost always going. It is ALWAYS busy, plan on an hour wait to be seated, but it's worth it. The Hike (Misery Ridge Loop):
This may be my favorite hike in the coast thus far. It has it all: old growth forest, views of the ocean and coast line, a mini waterfall and a nice spot to sit and eat lunch at the end. This hike can be muddy! The first time Aaron and I did it, we were not prepared for this and we were in pretty sloppy condition at the end. The potential for it to be muddy is relative to how early it is in the year. We saw a lot of people doing the hike in galoshes. You'll see Neahkanie Mountain to the south (also a great hike and can easily be done same day as Cape Falcon). I have done this hike 3 times and I plan to keep going back! The Hike:
After you're done with Cap Falcon, it's worth the short walk south to the beach. You will see the sign for it on your way in and our from the Falcon hike. Below are pictures from that beach a few hours before sunset.
To start this snow-shoeing adventure, park at the White River West Sno-Park (no fees). This year, there was barely any snow. Typically, you will most definitely need snow-shoes to complete this. Follow the well marked path. You'll pass a lot of people depending on the day. Families go there to sled and they will bring chairs and hang out all day. You will shortly make your way past this chaos. Follow the trail up the hill to the left and through the sparse forest. A little secret is that the birds in the woods will eat out of your hand! It is an exhilarating feeling! After you emerge of the forest, you will have to make your way right down into the valley (pictured below). The more the snow, the easier this will be. Maria, Aaron and I had a rough time completing this part of the hike with the lack of snow present. You'll then climb up the next ridge and you will have the view of the above picture. You can make a loop out of the hike by traveling straight down (south) the mountain slopes until you reach the river. Stay right and on the trail that hugs the river, careful of your footing here (last picture below).
This is a popular hike in the gorge. It is accessible from The Columbia Historic Highway. I've hiked this two times, both of which were a mediocre experience. The first time, we reached the top and found ourselves in a cloud (pretty disappointing since it's a hike you do for the view at the end). The second time, we were hiking it to get that desired view and because Aaron was to write a small paper for a geology class. I'll admit, the top is cool. You can play around on the rocks and really test your fear of heights (if you have one like me). Both times we have been up there it has been insanely windy. To the point where it took the enjoyment out of it and we couldn't spend a lot of time exploring. I am curious if anyone has had a non-windy experience at the top. If it weren't windy or cold, there is a nice flat spot that would fit several groups of hikers to enjoy lunch with substantial views of the Columbia River, Mt Adams and Mt St. Helens. You pass a few waterfalls on the way. I may now have achieved "waterfall snob status" because I don't remember much of the falls (so don't do this hike if you're looking for something awesome like Ramona or Tamanawas). I also think this is a good hike to do if you're just getting your feet wet with hiking. It's worth noting that there are a lot of cool rocks and formations: a geologists dream land. Aaron seemed pretty excited about a few parts. The Hike:
We have driven past this spot several times. We've even hung out at the Pelican Pub & Brewery a few times (this park shares the same parking lot). I think you can get away without a park pass since it is in close proximity to the micro-brewery next door. I put up my state park pass up to be sure. There is a different haystack rock formation that is very similar to the one at Cannon Beach here. Did I mention there is a micro-brewery right on the beach? Serving good beer and okay food? And you can drive right up on the beach? This is a smallish park, but it offers enough room to meander. It's a place where you should take the time to look up close at the rock that you're walking on. Or, of course, watch the crashing waves onto the coastline. We combined our day with Cape Meares. I wasn't impressed with this park. There are minimal trails. I think it's good if you're there with your parents or little kids (paved trails and a visitor center). I don't think I will make the drive here again.
Once in awhile, if you're lucky enough, the gorge will get cold enough for enough consecutive days to create a winter wonderland. This happened last winter, and it was stunning to say the least. To view the waterfalls requires driving with a series of mini-hikes; more like walks down to them. It is very little effort, but it will obviously be cold and windy (it needs to be for these creations to be made).
Saddle Mountain is a treat! It's about halfway between Portland and the coast off of Hwy 26. There are some picnic tables by the trailhead to eat before or after the hike. Pretty quick to the start of this hike, there is a side trail off to the right. It's short and enables you to get a non obstructed view of the mountain that you are about to climb. The hike weaves through woods but gives you break through views of the surrounding landscape. The grade is minimal to moderate until at the end where the last push is quite steep (but you can see the summit in clear view to motivate you). As you ascend, the views of Mt. Rainier and Mt St. Helens improve. At the top there is an outstanding 360 degree view of Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, Mt Hood and the Pacific Ocean. Yeah. Pretty great. A nice option to complete this hike would be to leave Portland early, hike Saddle Mountain, and continue on 26 to the coast to camp. Hike out there the next day! The Hike:
While my dad was visiting in October, we took a drive out to Pendleton to see the underground tour and the town itself. It was good for the one visit but I won't make the trip out there again specifically for Pendleton. It was then the grand plan to make the drive to the John Day Fossil Beds to see the Painted Hills with our end destination in Bend. It's sad to say, that 90% of the drive is dull. However, when you happen upon the start of John Day Fossil Bed, it is even more interesting. This park is huge and we only covered a very small portion. My plan for the next time we explore this area, is to take exit 104 for US 30 East and enter the national monument from the north. It takes 4.5 hours to drive there from Portland, 2.5 hours from Bend. I plan to find a good camping spot in the area so that a second day can be spent there. As for the painted hills, there really aren't any trails. You drive around them, but it is enjoyable to watch them at sunset. There is a trail that you can hike up close and personal to the hills. They look like dry-cracked clay. The reds and yellows really accent each other.
The bottom line is that these are beautiful, unique formations but are a pain in the butt to get to. Make it a trip from Bend or plan to camp in the area, there is no nearby town. |
I moved to the Pacific Northwest in August of 2012. I quickly identified myself as a hiker. I want to document my experiences so that I can refer to them for myself and others to provide the best hiking experience. I also hope to learn more about hiking from others comments and recommendations. Archives
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