Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area (Blog Hike #864)

Trails: Quarry Cove, Lighthouse, and Salal Trails

Hike Location: Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area
Geographic Location: north of Newport, OR (44.67434, -124.06872)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An exploration of the hills and coastlines around Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
Area Information: https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880454
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 101 and US 20 in downtown Newport, drive US 101 north 2.8 miles to the signed entrance for Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area on the left.  Turn left to enter the area.  Pay the entrance fee, then turn left at the first intersection to reach the Quarry Cove parking area, where this hike begins.

The hike: Located on a headland that juts a full mile out into the Pacific Ocean and towers over the nearby town of Newport, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse has been guiding ships along the Oregon coast since August 20, 1873.  The lighthouse stands 93 feet tall, and visitors willing to climb the 114 steep steps that wind up the inside of the lighthouse get close-up views of the light and far-flung views of the surrounding coast.  The lighthouse is only accessible by tours, and there were no lighthouse tours being offered on the Thursday that I came here in mid-July.  Nevertheless, I still had a fantastic time hiking around the Area and admiring the lighthouse from the outside.

            The lighthouse is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area, which is owned and maintained by the federal Bureau of Land Management.  While you can drive to a parking lot that sits just feet from the lighthouse, there are other interesting things to see in the Area, plus it is just more fun to hike to the lighthouse than to drive to it.  The hike described here explores the lighthouse, the hilltops, and the seaside areas, thus sampling all Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area has to offer.

Steps at start of Quarry Cove Trail

            From the Quarry Cove parking area, pick up the Quarry Cove Trail as it climbs some concrete steps to quickly gain elevation.  Soon a nice southward view over Agate Beach and the City of Newport appears over the pine tree tops.  After only a few hundred feet, you come alongside the main park road and reach the highest point on the Quarry Cove Trail.  If you look across the park road to the right, you will notice the start of the Communications Hill Trail, which follows a gated gravel road.  The Communications Hill Trail climbs a hill that is topped with communication towers, but there are better views elsewhere in the Scenic Area.  Thus, I recommend continuing straight to remain on the Quarry Cove Trail.

Agate Beach

            A quick descent brings you to a trail intersection where the Quarry Cove Trail ends.  The trail to the Interpretive Center goes under the park road to the right, and the Interpretive Center is worth a quick detour if it is open, which it was not when I came here.  Therefore, I continued straight to begin the Lighthouse Trail.

First view of Yaquina Head Lighthouse

            The Lighthouse Trail descends on a gradual grade with the park road close on the right.  More nice views of Agate Beach open up behind you to the left, and soon your first views of Yaquina Head Lighthouse appear in front of you.  At 0.5 miles, a spur trail exits left to descend to Cobble Beach via many wooden steps.  If the tide is out as it was on my visit, then Cobble Beach is a worthy diversion: its tidepools may contain sea stars, anemones, urchins, and more.  While I did not see anything unusual at the tidepools, I saw many sea lions and birds sunning on rocks in this area.

Tidepools at Cobble Beach

Seals on the rocks

            0.7 miles into the hike, you reach Yaquina Head Lighthouse.  A short concrete loop takes you around the lighthouse, allowing you to see the lighthouse from every angle as well as the rocks and ocean that surround Yaquina Head.  After circling the lighthouse, walk around the left side of the parking lot and find the signed trailhead for the Salal Hill Trail, which takes you up to Yaquina Head's best view.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Climbing Salal Hill

            The Salal Hill Trail switchbacks up its namesake hill, the summit of which is 262 feet above the nearby ocean.  As you climb the hill, the view of the lighthouse gets better, and views of the desolate-looking Oregon coast to the north start to open up.  Some benches and interpretive signs greet you at the top of the hill.  The interpretive signs tell you that Yaquina Head's basalt cliffs were quarried for gravel during the construction of US 101: basalt is solid rock that is easy to crush, hence perfect for road-building.  Yaquina Head's seaside location makes Salal Hill an exposed windy summit most of the time, but the scenery encourages you to extend your visit here.

Old quarry basalt cliffs

View north from Salal Hill

            There is only one trail up Salal Hill, so next you need to retrace your steps first down the Salal Hill Trail and then back along the Lighthouse and Quarry Cove Trails to the Quarry Cove parking area.  Before you hop in your car and leave, one additional place is worth seeing: walk around the vehicle gate and descend the blacktop road that leads down to Quarry Cove.  As its name suggests, Quarry Cove is another old gravel quarry, and the stark black basalt cliffs that remain are an excellent site that rounds out your visit to Yaquina Head.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area: Multnomah Falls (Blog Hike #863)

Trail: Larch Mountain Trail (Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Trail #441)
Hike Location: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Geographic Location: east of Troutdale, OR (45.57859, -122.11673)
Length: 0.9 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An out-and-back on paved trail to impressive but touristy Multnomah Falls.
Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/crgnsa/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=30026&actid=50
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880368
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In the Columbia River Gorge, the parking lot for Multnomah Falls is located in the median of I-84; it is accessed by taking exit 31.  The parking lot is large, but it fills quickly during the summer and on weekends.

The hike: For my introduction to the Columbia River Gorge, see my previous hike to Wahclella Falls.  By all accounts Multnomah Falls is the largest and most famous waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge.  As such, the falls are quite a tourist attraction complete with entrance fee, jam-packed parking lot, souvenir/refreshment stand, and traffic as heavy as downtown Portland.  Yet the falls have earned this status: you have not really seen the Columbia River Gorge unless you have seen Multnomah Falls.  The hike described here takes you to two classic viewpoints of Multnomah Falls, and although some climbing is involved, it is short and easy enough that most people can do this hike.

Trailhead at I-84 rest area

            From the interstate rest area, head south, first passing under the eastbound lanes of I-84 and then under the Union Pacific railroad tracks.  Gently flowing Multnomah Creek passes under the railroad beside the trail, and next the concrete trail curves right to cross the creek and reach another large parking lot.  Turn left to cross the Historic Columbia River Highway and reach historic Multnomah Falls Lodge, which is complete with exhibits, a snack stand, and a restaurant.

Hiking along Multnomah Creek

            Keep going up the concrete trail to the left of the lodge and soon reach the base of Multnomah Falls.  Dropping 620 feet in two main drops, Multnomah Falls is a show-stopper.  The iconic Multnomah Falls Bridge stands over 100 feet above you, and it seems to separate the two drops of the waterfall.  The waterfall tumbles down the gorge's south wall, so best photography conditions occur in the morning or evening.  When I came here in the middle of the day, I had to take photos directly into the sun, and much of the waterfall was in the shadows.  Despite the sun and the myriad of people I shared this spot with, I still appreciated the size and beauty of this waterfall.

Multnomah Falls, lower viewpoint

            Some people stop at this viewpoint, but you have probably noticed people standing on Multnomah Falls Bridge, and they seem to have a better view of the falls' upper portion than you do.  To join them, head up the signed Larch Mountain Trail, an asphalt trail that climbs via switchbacks for 0.2 miles to reach the bridge.  Not only does the bridge give a great view of the waterfall's upper drop, but the view across the Columbia River to the north is not bad either.

Multnomah Falls, upper portion

View across gorge from Multnomah Bridge

            The Larch Mountain Trail continues past the bridge and ultimately leads to a viewpoint near the top of the falls.  The climb to the highest viewpoint is long and steep, and the views of the waterfall do not get any better.  Thus, I turned around at the bridge and retraced my steps to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area: Wahclella Falls (Blog Hike #862)

Trail: Wahclella Falls Trail (Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Trail #436)
Hike Location: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Geographic Location: west of Hood River, OR (45.63136, -121.95388)
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A lollipop loop passing horsetail-shaped Wahclella Falls.
Trail Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/crgnsa/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=29992&actid=50
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880366
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In the Columbia River Gorge, take I-84 to the Bonneville Dam exit (exit 40).  Exit, turn to go south, and then angle right on the first road south of I-84, which leads to the parking loop for the Wahclella Falls Trail.  Be sure to pay the parking fee before heading out on the trail.

The hike: Formed during the last Ice Age by repeated massive floods from melting ice, the Columbia River Gorge is an 80-mile east-west canyon that runs along part of the Oregon/Washington border.  The gorge is the largest water gap in the Cascades Mountain range, and runoff from eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, most of Idaho, and southern British Columbia flows through the gorge via the Columbia River.  The gorge forms a major transportation corridor used by US 30, I-84, and railroads on either side of the river.

            The Columbia River Gorge is also the premier recreation destination in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.  Although many Oregon and Washington state parks exist in the gorge, the largest park in the gorge is the 292,500-acre Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.  The Scenic Area is managed and maintained by the United States Forest Service in partnership with the Columbia River Gorge Commission, which consists of representatives from the states of Oregon and Washington.

            Waterfalls are among the gorge's main attractions, and over 90 waterfalls exist on the Oregon side of the gorge alone.  The next 2 hikes take you to two of the gorge's most famous waterfalls: Wahclella Falls and Multnomah Falls.  When I planned my summer 2021 Oregon hiking trip, I allocated only 1 day for the Columbia River Gorge, and I when I got here I realized I should have allocated at least 2 or 3 days: there are that many fabulous places to visit in the gorge.

Trailhead: Wahclella Falls Trail

            From the signed trailhead at the rear of the parking lot, the Wahclella Falls Trail starts as a two-track gravel road, but soon the road ends and you find yourself on single-track dirt trail.  Tanner Creek flows against you to the right, and small cascades give hints of things to come.  At 0.3 miles, you pass another foretaste of what is to come: Munra Falls, a tall cascading waterfall that is more of a near-vertical waterslide than a waterfall.  Munra Falls is located on a small tributary to Tanner Creek, so the water volume is rather low.

Munra Falls

            Soon you enter the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness Area, and the trail begins climbing up the left wall of Tanner Creek's steep ravine.  Basalt cliffs tower over the trail, and the big pine trees that live here still have burn marks from the wildfires that ravaged the gorge a few years ago.  Some wooden steps built into the ground aid the climb, and this section of trail treads some 50 feet above the creek to the right.

Trail splits to form loop

            At 0.6 miles, the trail splits to form its loop.  For no particular reason, I chose to turn right on the lower trail and use the higher trail going left as my return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  The trail descends via a pair of switchbacks and crosses Tanner Creek on a long wooden footbridge.  The creek here is very bouldery, but it still has a large volume of water.

Tanner Creek

            After passing through a rocky area and crossing back over Tanner Creek on another bridge, you reach the main viewpoint for Wahclella Falls.  This waterfall has an unusual shape: water flows through a narrow chasm before making its final drop into a large plunge pool.  When I came here on a Wednesday morning in mid-July, I passed several people on the trail, but only 1 other person was at this viewpoint.  Take a few minutes to enjoy this spectacular area.

Wahclella Falls, from a distance

Wahclella Falls

New wooden bridge at landslide area

            Past the waterfall, you climb some stone steps to reach the highest elevation on this hike, which is about 250 vertical feet above the trailhead.  This last section of the loop has been reconstructed after the aforementioned wildfires, and it features a fantastic new wooden bridge over a landslide area.  At 1.4 miles, you close the loop.  Retrace your steps downhill along Tanner Creek to return to the parking lot and complete the hike.  While you are in this area, nearby Horsetail Falls is also worth a visit.  Horsetail Falls is similar in shape and size to Wahclella Falls, but its roadside location ensures you will be sharing it with a much larger number of visitors.

Columbia Hills Historical State Park: Vista/Military Road Loop (Blog Hike #861)

Trails: Entry Road, Vista Loop, and Military Road Trails

Hike Location: Columbia Hills Historical State Park
Geographic Location: across the Columbia River from The Dalles, OR (45.65692, -121.08662)
Length: 4.7 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A lollipop loop offering fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge.
Park Information: https://parks.state.wa.us/489/Columbia-Hills
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880187
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at Columbia Hills Historical State Park's Crawford Oaks Trailhead, which is located on the north side of Washington SR 14 11.2 miles east of Lyle, WA.  Pay the park entrance fee and park in the only asphalt parking lot.

The hike: Though you would hardly guess it from the barren, rocky, tallgrass scenery that dominates this area today, 100 years ago the land that forms Columbia Hills Historical State Park was occupied by homesteads and ranches.  The land claims for those homesteads dated to the Oregon Trail period in the mid 1800's.  In the 1900's, the various land plots were consolidated into one property called the Dalles Mountain Ranch, and in 1993 the ranch became Columbia Hills State Park.

            Before Euro-American settlers arrived, native peoples lived here; they relied on the Columbia River's prolific salmon runs for sustenance.  Also, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped here in October 1805 on their way to the Pacific Ocean.  Today the park offers visitors fantastic amenities, which include a small campground, boat access to both Horsethief Lake and the Columbia River, fishing, swimming, and 35 picnic tables.

            For hikers, the park offers several trails of various lengths and difficulties.  Short and relatively easy trails explore scenic Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake, and they are located south of SR 14.  Yet the park's longest and most substantial hiking trails lie north of SR 14 in the Dalles Mountain Ranch area.  This hike explores the big area of the old ranch, and it samples the area's famous views and history without pegging the difficulty meter.

Crawford Oaks Trailhead

            From the Crawford Oaks Trailhead parking area, walk between the two gray posts designed to block vehicle traffic and begin climbing on the two-track gravel road.  After only a few hundred feet, you reach an exhibit area that describes the floods that carved the Columbia River Gorge during the last Ice Age.  If you were standing here during one of those impressive floods, the water level would be over 500 feet above your head!  The present-day westward view from here is also quite impressive: the Columbia River winds in the foreground, and snow-capped Mount Hood towers in the background here, as it does almost everywhere in this region.

View west from Ice Age floods exhibit

            The grade increases as the gravel road climbs through strata of rock via a single broad switchback.  Signs warn of rattlesnakes, and while I did not see any on my hike, they like to live in rocky areas such as this one.  Next the trail enters Eightmile Creek's canyon, and Eightmile Creek Falls can be seen downhill to the right.  Most of this hike is hot and sunny, but a few oak trees from the canyon give partial shade on this section of trail.

Climbing through Eightmile Creek's canyon

            At 0.8 miles, the gravel road switches back to the left and soon reaches a gate that blocks all access.  Angle right here to leave the gravel and begin following a two-track dirt road.  The initial 400-vertical-foot climb is now over, and the trail descends slightly to rock hop Eightmile Creek.  An interpretive sign tells you that homesteads used to be located along this creek, but only some trees planted by the homesteads' occupants remain.

Hiking the Vista Loop Trail

            1 mile into the hike, the trail splits to form the loop portion of this hike.  To make the climbing a little easier, turn right to begin the Vista Loop Trail and use the old road going left as your return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  Now on a dusty single-track dirt trail, the climb continues but at a more gradual rate.  

View of Columbia River and Mount Hood

            As you approach the rim of the gorge, the trail curves left to pass under a power line and begin heading upstream, still climbing on a gradual to moderate grade.  Every time I thought I had reached the best westward view of the gorge and Mount Hood, I hiked a little further, climbed a little more, and found an even better view.  Eventually you get high enough that the views up the gorge to the east and the Columbia Hills to the north get your attention too.

View up into the hills

            At 2.2 miles, the trail curves left to make its final turn north away from the Columbia River.  A deep ravine can be seen downhill to the right, and the park's east boundary comes very close on the right.  After passing back under the power lines, you reach a trail intersection.  The full 8.5 mile Vista Loop Trail goes right here, but the sun was getting hot on the mid-July morning that I did this hike.  Thus, I turned left to begin the Military Road Trail, which acts as a short-cut trail through the middle of the Vista Loop.

Hiking the Military Road Trail

            Named for a road used to transport supplies between Fort Dalles and Fort Simcoe in the late 1850's, the Military Road Trail soon reaches the highest elevation on this hike, which is roughly 750 vertical feet above the trailhead.  As the old saying goes, "it's all downhill from here."  The trail descends on a moderate to steep grade using several switchbacks, and some old barbed wire fences remind you of this land's ranching past.

Hiking along an old barbed wire fence

            Near 3.4 miles, the north half of the Vista Loop Trail enters from the right.  Soon you pass an interpretive sign that tells you about the Lucas Homestead, one of the families that lived here in the late 1800's.  After some more moderate to steep descending, you close the loop.  Retrace your steps 1 mile down the dirt and gravel road to return to the parking area and complete the hike.  While you are here, consider hiking the short trails at nearby Horsethief Butte and/or Horsethief Lake, both of which offer interesting scenery in the park's lower elevations.

Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area (Blog Hike #860)

Trail: Nature Trail
Hike Location: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area
Geographic Location: southeast of Pendleton, OR (45.54300, -118.46238)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A semiloop through dense pine forest near the historic Oregon Trail.
Area Information: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=16
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880100
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In eastern Oregon, take I-84 to exit 234.  Exit and follow signs less than 0.5 miles to Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area.  Enter the area, turn right at the first intersection, and park in the small parking area beside the Oregon Trail interpretive kiosk on the left.

The hike: For settlers traveling west on the Oregon Trail during the mid-1800's, the last major natural obstacle they faced before reaching their destination in western Oregon's Willamette Valley was the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon.  Created by tectonic plate movements many thousands of years ago, the Blue Mountains form a high set of ridges that run roughly southwest to northeast.  The mountains contain some of Oregon's oldest rocks, and they feature several peaks that exceed 9000 feet in elevation.

            Today overland migrators have been replaced by recreation seekers, and in the summer the Blue Mountains offer a nice respite from eastern Oregon's desert-like dry heat.  When I came here on a warm morning in mid-July, temperatures were in the low 90's down in Pendleton, but it was a comfortable 81 degrees up in the mountains for my hike.  The Oregon Trail's route through the Blue Mountains is followed closely by I-84 today, so present-day travelers have easy access to several sites that present and interpret Oregon Trail history.

            One of the Oregon Trail interpretive sites is the Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, which lies literally feet from I-84.  The site is named for a nearby spring that Oregon Trail travelers used to replenish their water supplies before continuing west onto the dry Columbia River Plateau.  Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area features some nice amenities including a 48-site developed campground, a horse camp with bridle trails, 6 rustic cabins, some picnic areas, and some Oregon Trail interpretive exhibits.  For hikers, the area has just one short nature trail, but the trail is a nice one that takes you through classic Oregon pine forest.  This hike makes the most of the Nature Trail while visiting every major point of interest in the area, thus giving a grand tour of all the area has to offer.

Oregon Trail interpretive kiosk

Covered wagon

            Start by browsing the Oregon Trail exhibits, which include an interpretive kiosk, a dedication marker dating to 1923 and President Warren Harding, and a re-created covered wagon.  Walk left to head into the main campground, and at each campground loop choose the left arm.  The Nature Trail starts at a small parking area on the left just after beginning the campground's C-loop.

Start of Nature Trail

            The Nature Trail starts as a narrow single-track dirt path, but 0.5 miles from the Oregon Trail exhibits you intersect a much broader trail, which goes left and right.  The route going left leads back to the park entrance, so you want to turn right to begin a gradual climb through young scrubby forest.  Some horseshoe prints in the dirt indicate that this trail is also open to horses, but I did not see signs of heavy horse use on my visit.

Highest point on this hike

            At 0.75 miles, you reach the highest point in Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area and a trail intersection.  The option going left leads to a power line corridor and out of the Heritage Area, so you want to turn right and begin descending.  In only a couple hundred more feet, note the trail that exits right; it will eventually be our return route back to the campground.  

Descending through pine forest

            For now, continue straight to descend through classic Oregon pine forest.  The pine trees here are large and tall, and some asters in bloom brightened my path.  1 mile into the hike, the trail passes through a sunny grassy area on the right.  Stay to the left, and in a few hundred more feet reach a metal vehicle gate at the horse camp that marks the end of this trail.

Vehicle gate at horse camp

            From the horse camp, you have a couple of options.  The shortest option is to turn right and walk the park road back to your car.  If you want to stay in the woods longer and see more of the park's trail system, turn around, walk back up almost to the top of the hill, and then turn left to begin the other route back down to the campground.  This trail passes what appears to be some water works infrastructure before descending first to the campground amphitheater and then to the campground shower house.  Upon arriving back at campground Loop A, turn left to hike back out to the Oregon Trail exhibits and complete the hike.

Snake River Trail in Burley, ID (Blog Hike #859)

Trail: Snake River Trail

Hike Location: City of Burley Boat Ramp
Geographic Location: west side of Burley, ID (42.54134, -113.81246)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An out-and-back on concrete trail along the Snake River.
Area Information: https://burleyidaho.org/236/Burley-Snake-River-RV-Park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=879972
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In southeast Idaho, take I-84 to SR 27 (exit 208).  Exit and go south on SR 27.  Drive SR 27 south 1.4 miles to Bedke Blvd. and turn right on Bedke Blvd.  Drive Bedke Blvd. west 1.1 miles to the Burley Snake River RV Park and boat ramp on the right.  The boat ramp parking area also serves as the parking area for the Snake River Trail. 

The hike: Rising in the southernmost part of Wyoming's famous Yellowstone National Park, the Snake River flows on a 1078 mile west and northwest course to its mouth at the Columbia River in southeast Washington.  The Snake River is the second longest river in the Pacific Northwest (behind only the Columbia).  For centuries the river has provided a transportation corridor through an otherwise mountainous and inaccessible region.  The Nez Perce and Shoshone people lived along the river for thousands of years, and in the 1800's the Oregon Trail used the Snake River's corridor through southern Idaho as one of its western-most segments.

            In terms of scenery and recreation, the Snake River's most famous features are the spectacularly rugged Hells Canyon and the dramatic Shoshone Falls.  For people wanting to experience the river's more serene sections, they could do far worse than the section near Burley, Idaho.  A 1 mile concrete path recently built by the City of Burley allows visitors to walk along the river's south bank, and that path is the one described here.  While not the most secluded area, I appreciated this easy hike on a hot summer day that would see temperatures rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit later in the afternoon.

Trailhead at boat ramp

            From the east end of the boat ramp parking area, head out the concrete sidewalk-like path marked "no vehicles" and pass a kiosk offering life jackets.  The Snake River appears through a thin but dense strip of bushes to the left, and an active farm field soon appears on the right.  Because you are in Idaho, it should not surprise you that this field was growing potatoes on my visit.  I could hear a lot of birds in the bushes to the left, but the dense greenery prevented me from seeing many.

First Snake River view

            Soon you reach a trio of benches located at a clearing in the bushes, thus providing your first clear view of the Snake River.  Custer Island can be seen across the main river channel, and the river is deep, wide, and calm here.  As you continue upstream, the potato field gives way first to undeveloped land, then an old river access, and then a modern hotel.  More nice views of the river emerge, and the hotel's lawn sprinklers felt good on the hot mid-July afternoon that I came here.

Hiking along the Snake River

SR 27 Snake River bridge

            The concrete trail continues for about 1 mile, and toward the end it comes close to 3rd Street on the right.  A nice view of SR 27's bridge over the Snake River appears on the left just before the trail ends.  Retrace your steps back to the boat ramp parking area to complete your hike along the Snake River, looking for birds and other wildlife you may have missed earlier along the way.

Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: Turkey Run Trailhead to Monument View (Blog Hike #858)

Trails: Turkey Run, Muley, and Monument View Trails
Hike Location: Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
Geographic Location: south of Scottsbluff, NE (41.70666, -103.67124)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A rolling semiloop with fantastic views from the Wildcat Hills.
Area Information: https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/wildcat-hills/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=943692
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Scottsbluff, take SR 71 south 12 miles to the signed recreation area entrance on the left.  From I-80, reach the recreation area entrance by taking exit 22 and driving SR 71 north for 35 miles.  Enter the recreation area, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main gravel recreation area road 0.6 miles to the small Turkey Run Trailhead parking area on the left.  There is room for 2 or 3 cars here.  If this parking area is full, you can park at the nearby group campground or at the Monument View Trailhead, both of which will be passed on this hike.

The hike: The Wildcat Hills in the arid and remote Nebraska Panhandle form a low escarpment that separates the Pumpkin Creek drainage to the south from the North Platte River drainage to the north.  Chimney Rock and Scotts Bluff are the most famous sites in the Wildcat Hills, but the entire region contains interesting rock spires and fantastic views.  These rock formations were landmarks on the Emigrant Trail, an overland migration route used in the mid 1800's.

            The 1094-acre Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area came to be as the State of Nebraska bought up available pieces of land between 1929 and 1980.  True to its remote location, the area features minimal amenities, which include only a small primitive campground, a Nature Center that features exhibits about the area's flora and fauna, and a system of hiking trails.  When I came here on a hot sunny afternoon in mid-July, I wanted to keep my hike short but still sample what the Wildcat Hills had to offer.  The route suggested here accomplishes that feat, as it traverses both the area's ravines and ridges while passing several nice views.

Turkey Run Trailhead

            From the signed Turkey Run Trailhead, head down the narrow dirt trail as it descends a couple of steep switchbacks and enters Turkey Run's ravine.  Some large ponderosa pines shade the trail here, and soon the grade eases as you reach the bottom of the ravine.  This section of trail is somewhat eroded, and pine cones filled the trail's washed out grooves on my visit.

Descending on pine cone-covered trail

            At 0.2 miles, you reach an unsigned trail intersection.  The Turkey Run Trail continues straight to descend the left wall of the ravine, but to reach Monument View, you need to turn right and begin the Muley Trail.  The Muley Trail descends gradually down the right wall of Turkey Run's ravine.  Most of this trail is exposed to western Nebraska's high elevation sun, so you will need to wear a hat and maybe sunscreen if you come here during the summer months.

Dubious-looking footbridge

            The Turkey Run ravine keeps dropping to the left, and after rounding a low finger ridge, you cross a small side stream on a dubious-looking footbridge.  A couple of loose planks sent my heartrate soaring while I crossed this bridge, but the bridge got me across without incident.  At 0.7 miles, you reach another unsigned trail intersection.  Continuing straight on the Muley Trail leads downhill and out of the recreation area, so you need to turn right to begin climbing on the connector trail that leads to Monument View.

Climbing the connector trail

            The eroded and rocky connector trail is short but steep: it gains nearly 100 vertical feet of elevation in only 0.1 miles.  The trail's width and grading indicate that it may be an old dirt road.  At the top of the connector trail, you reach a T-intersection with the Monument View Trail, which goes right and left.  We will eventually go right to continue our loop, but first turn left to hike out to Monument View.

Yucca on the finger ridge

            For the next 0.4 miles the Monument View Trail heads out a finger ridge that drops off steeply on either side.  This ridge is much more arid than the ravine you hiked in earlier: ponderosa pines are few and yuccas are numerous up here.  At 1.2 miles, you reach the end of the finger ridge and Monument View, the Wildcat Hills' best viewpoint.  The view extends northward for miles over the North Platte River drainage, which includes Scotts Bluff National Monument, hence the view's name.  The view of the surrounding Wildcat Hills is not bad either, so take some time to see what you can see.

View north from Monument View

View of Wildcat Hills at Monument View

            The trail ends at the viewpoint, so after taking in the view, retrace your steps up the finger ridge and past the connector trail to the Monument View Trailhead and its dirt/gravel parking area.  The rest of this hike is a walk on the park's dirt road, but you can avoid a little of the road walk by looping through the picnic area to the right.  The picnic area also provides more nice views of Turkey Run's ravine.  Walk up the dirt road, then turn right at the T-intersection to walk past the group campground and return to the trailhead to complete the hike.  While you are here, be sure to check out the Recreation Area's Nature Center, which contains interesting and informative exhibits on the Wildcat Hills' flora and fauna.