Crater Lake National Park: Plaikni Falls (Blog Hike #873)

Trail: Plaikni Falls Trail
Hike Location: Crater Lake National Park
Geographic Location: southeast of Crater Lake, OR (42.90476, -122.07049)
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A mostly gradual out-and-back to cascading Plaikni Falls.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=881165
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Crater Lake National Park's south entrance, drive the entrance road north 4 miles to East Rim Drive and turn right on East Rim Dr.  Take East Rim Dr. 8.2 miles to Pinnacles Road and turn sharply right on Pinnacles Rd.  The roadside parking area for the Plaikni Falls Trail is located 1.1 miles ahead on the left.  Park here.

The hike: For my general comments on Crater Lake National Park, see my hike on the park's Discovery Point Trail.  For my final hike in Crater Lake National Park, I chose to hike the short and fairly easy trail to Plaikni Falls.  Plaikni Falls is not as impressive as other famous Oregon waterfalls such as Multnomah Falls or Salt Creek Falls, and there are no Crater Lake views on this hike.  Nevertheless, Plaikni Falls makes a nice side trip after you have seen Crater Lake, and I enjoyed my hike here on a warm Wednesday afternoon.

Trailhead: Plaikni Falls Trail

            From the signed roadside trailhead, the single-track dirt trail heads north as it descends gradually into classic Oregon pine forest.  Some sources claim that this trail is ADA-accessible, but the trail surface seems too soft and some of the grades at the end seem too steep for this designation.  A couple of wooden benches provide rest for the weary even though the grades at the start of the trail are very gradual.

A bench beside the trail

            After crossing a small creek and climbing gradually, the trail curves sharply right at 0.5 miles.  A large pine tree stands in the middle of the trail at this curve.  Now the trail heads east with some sunny boulder fields and rock outcrops above you to the left.

Rock outcrop above the trail

            At 0.8 miles, Sand Creek comes into view downhill to the right as the trail curves left and begins climbing more steeply.  The last segment of trail is sunny and somewhat narrow, but water from Sand Creek allows large quantities of wildflowers to grow here.  An interpretive guide for this park's Castle Crest Trail (described elsewhere in this trail journal) will help you identify these wildflowers.

Plaikni Falls

            1 mile into the hike, you reach the observation platform for Plaikni Falls, which cascades above you.  Interestingly, although Crater Lake lies above this waterfall to the north, Sand Creek is snowmelt fed rather than lake fed.  Thus, you want to come here early in the summer to see the waterfall at its seasonal peak.  The waterfall had plenty of water volume when I came here in mid-July, and the rock outcrops on either side make for a stark setting.  The trail ends at the waterfall, so your only option is to retrace your steps 1 mile back to the parking lot to complete your hike.

Crater Lake National Park: Cleetwood Cove Trail (Blog Hike #872)

Trail: Cleetwood Cove Trail
Hike Location: Crater Lake National Park
Geographic Location: north rim of Crater Lake, OR (42.97975, -122.08324)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 9/10 (Difficult)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A persistently steep out-and-back to the shore of Crater Lake.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=881164
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Crater Lake National Park's north entrance, drive the entrance road south 8.4 miles to the intersection of the park's East Rim Drive and West Rim Drive.  Turn left to begin East Rim Dr.  Take East Rim Dr. 4.5 miles to the large parking lot for the Cleetwood Cove Trail on the left.  The trail starts at the signed trailhead to the south across the road.

The hike: For my general comments on Crater Lake National Park, see my hike on the park's Discovery Point Trail.  The Cleetwood Cove Trail described here is the only trail that leads down to the shore of Crater Lake.  Though the trail is persistently steep, the well-engineered grade makes it doable for most people in decent physical condition.  Thus, the trail is quite popular, and in spite of the large parking lot, you want to get here early in the morning to make sure you can find a parking space.

Cleetwood Cove Trailhead

            Start by walking across East Rim Drive to find the signed trailhead for the Cleetwood Cove Trail.  When I hiked this trail, a park ranger stationed here informed visitors about the difficulty of this trail and inspected for items such as inflatable rafts and floatation aids that are illegal to use in Crater Lake.  The wide dirt trail uses 4 switchbacks to begin its seemingly endless descent.  Crater Lake can be seen through the trees for the entire descent, so in fact you can use your closeness to the lake to see how much further down you have to go.

Mount Scott across Crater Lake

            After the initial switchbacks comes a long straight stretch with the lake to your left and the steep crater wall on your right.  A few benches are better put to use on the climb back up than on the way down.  At 0.6 miles, the long straight stretch ends when the trail switches back to the left.  If you look downhill to the right here, you can see the boat dock on Crater Lake that is this trail's final destination.

Descending toward Crater Lake

            3 more switchbacks take you down through a particularly unstable section of the crater's wall.  Signs warn of falling rocks, and even the scurrying of small chipmunks sent pebbles and clods of dirt tumbling down the hill.  Although I worried about a landslide occurring above me, I made it through this area without incident.

Wizard Island in Crater Lake

Park boat dock on Crater Lake

Mount Scott over Crater Lake

            The final descent is the steepest, and at 1.1 miles you reach the park's boat dock.  Continuing a short distance leads to a cliff from which diving into the lake is permitted.  Crater Lake's water is cold even in the summer, so most people only swim or dive here for a short period of time.  Also, sometimes park boats take visitors over to Wizard Island, but there were no boat tours on the day I came here.  Thus, after enjoying the lake-level views for a few minutes, I huffed-and-puffed my way back up the Cleetwood Cove Trail to return to the parking lot and complete the hike.

Crater Lake National Park: Lady of the Woods and Castle Crest Trails (Blog Hike #871)

Trails: Lady of the Woods and Castle Crest Trails
Hike Location: Crater Lake National Park
Geographic Location: south of Crater Lake, OR (42.89581, -122.13394)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A pair of short interpretive trails exploring the park's man-made and natural attractions.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=881023
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: These two trails start at Crater Lake National Park's Steele Visitor Center, which is located on the west side of the main park road 4 miles north of the park's south entrance.  Park in the medium-sized parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: For my general comments on Crater Lake National Park, see my hike on the park's Discovery Point Trail.  The two short trails described here do not receive a lot of traffic because they yield no Crater Lake views.  Nevertheless, these trails explore some other interesting areas that visitors who just come to see the lake never get to see.  The two trails can be hiked independently, but because they both start at the Steele Visitor Center, it makes sense to combine them into one low-key behind-the-lake hike, which is the one described here.

Trailhead: Lady of the Woods Trail

            Starting with the Lady of the Woods Trail, the trail heads west from a signed trailhead at the south side of the Visitor Center.  This trail showcases Crater Lake's history as a national park, and an interpretive guide available for purchase at the trailhead will make that history come alive.  Numbered wooden posts correspond to stops in the interpretive guide, and the first stop tells you that the Steele Visitor Center began its life as the Rangers Dormitory in 1932.

Lady of the Woods

            Just shy of 0.2 miles, you reach the Lady of the Woods, an unfinished sculpture carved into a boulder.  A medical doctor named Earl Russell Bush carved this sculpture over 2 weeks in 1917, and it has been a visitor attraction ever since.  Past the sculpture, the single-track dirt trail climbs the hillside beside an arm of Munson Creek while weaving around a large number of boulders.  Numerous park dormitories and operations buildings are located in this area.  These buildings were built between 1930 and 1941, and the interpretive guide describes how they were designed to blend in with the woods.

Historic national park dormitory

            At 0.4 miles, you reach the highest point on the Lady of the Woods Trail, which is only about 110 vertical feet above the Visitor Center.  Next you cross a park maintenance road and enter an open area that offers a nice view of Crater Lake's rim above you to the north.  After a short but steep descent, you arrive alongside Munson Creek.  The trail descends gradually along Munson Creek to return to the Visitor Center at 0.7 miles and complete the Lady of the Woods Trail.

Start of Castle Crest Trail

            To find the signed start of the Castle Crest Trail, walk through the parking lot and use the crosswalk to cross the park road.  The Castle Crest Trail descends gradually through some nice pine forest.  1.2 miles into the hike, you reach the roadside parking lot and trailhead for the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail.  Turn left to begin the second short nature trail.  Another interpretive guide is available for purchase here; it will help you identify some of the wildflowers that grow along this trail.

Approaching the meadow

            After a short descent, the trail splits to form its loop.  Turn right to hike the loop counterclockwise.  Soon the wildflower show begins as the trail narrows and enters a sunny meadow that is covered with a dense carpet of greenery dotted with flowers.  On my visit in mid-July, I saw monkeyflower, scarlet gilia, lupine, and other wildflowers in full bloom.  The secret to this meadow is the creek that flows through it and waters the wildflowers.  Although the trail is narrow in spots, stepping stones keep your feet dry in all but the wettest of times.  Take your time as you walk around the meadow to see how many wildflowers you can identify.

Stepping stones through a wet area

Wildflowers along the creek

            After looping through the meadow, the trail enters the edge of the woods just before you close the loop.  A short walk brings you back to the parking lot for the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail.  To get back to your car at the Steele Visitor Center, turn right and retrace your steps uphill 0.5 miles.

Crater Lake National Park: Watchman Lookout Trail (Blog Hike #870)

Trail: Watchman Lookout Trail
Hike Location: Crater Lake National Park
Geographic Location: west rim of Crater Lake, OR (42.94592, -122.16938)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An out-and-back to an old fire watchtower on the rim of Crater Lake.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=881022
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: The Watchman Overlook is located on the park's West Rim Drive 10.7 miles south of the park's north entrance or 10.4 miles north of the park's south entrance.  The Watchman Trail starts from the Watchman Overlook parking lot.

The hike: For my general comments on Crater Lake National Park, see the previous hike.  This hike leads up to the Watchman, which is an abandoned fire tower on Crater Lake's rim.  Although the Watchman does not occupy the highest point on Crater Lake's rim, it does occupy the point closest to Wizard Island, a cinder cone in the west side of Crater Lake.  Thus, the Watchman may offer the park's best Crater Lake view.  The quality of the view makes this overlook and hike popular, so plan to arrive early in the morning or late in the evening to ensure you get a parking space.

Roadside Watchman Overlook

            Before you begin climbing to the fire tower, take a few minutes to appreciate the view from the roadside Watchman Overlook.  When I came here on an early Tuesday morning in mid-July, I had to look straight into the sun to see the lake, but the dark blue reflective waters still held their enchantment.  The cinder cone known as Wizard Island seems to be directly below you, and you can easily make out detailed contours on the island.

Start of Watchman Lookout Trail

The Watchman atop the cliff

            When you are ready to begin climbing, walk to the right (south) side of the parking lot to find the signed start of the Watchman Lookout Trail.  Interestingly, if you look up the rocky cliff to your left, you can see this hike's final destination peeking over the rocks at the top of the hill.  The Watchman Lookout and Rim Trails run conjointly at first as they begin climbing on a gradual grade with West Rim Drive downhill to your right.  Most of this hike uses wide dusty trail that is exposed to the sun, so you need to wear a hat and/or sunscreen when hiking here during the summer.

Deer crossing the trail

View north from Mount Mazama

            At 0.4 miles, the Watchman Lookout and Rim Trails part ways.  Angle softly left to keep climbing on the Watchman Lookout Trail.  The grade intensifies as the trail curves left and soon begins the series of 8 switchbacks that raise you up to the old fire tower.  I did some good wildlife viewing on this trail that included some deer and a wide variety of birds.  Also, some far-reaching views open up down the west and north faces of Mount Mazama.

Wizard Island, as seen from Watchman fire tower

Watchman fire tower

            At 0.9 miles, you reach the base of the stone and wood Watchman fire tower.  The tower itself is closed to visitors, but climbing some stone steps will bring you to a large stone east-facing observation platform.  From this viewpoint, Wizard Island takes center stage, but the lake is as reflective and mesmerizing as ever.  Also, you can look down the rocky slope and see your car in the parking lot some 400 feet below.  There is only one trail up to the Watchman, so after taking in the view your only option is to hike back down the way you came up.

Crater Lake National Park: Discovery Point Trail (Blog Hike #869)

Trail: Discovery Point Trail
Hike Location: Crater Lake National Park
Geographic Location: Rim Village in Crater Lake, OR (42.91113, -122.14481)
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An out-and-back along the southwest rim above Crater Lake.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880920
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at the northwest corner of Rim Village, which is located on the south side of Crater Lake.  Reach Rim Village by driving the park's West Rim Drive 6.6 miles north from the park's south entrance or 14 miles south from the park's north entrance.

The hike: Established in 1902 as America's fifth national park, Crater Lake National Park is old on the national parks time scale but young on the geologic time scale.  Located on the summit of Mount Mazama, Crater Lake has its origin in a violent volcanic eruption that occurred no more than 7700 years ago.  After Mount Mazama erupted, the mountain's summit fell into the mountain's now-empty underground magma chamber.  The caldera formed by the summit's collapse filled with water, creating the lake we see today.

            Because Crater Lake is fed only by rainwater and snowmelt, the lake's 4.9 trillion gallons of water is some of the purest and clearest water in the world.  The lake's level fluctuates slightly based on the season but has remained relatively constant over time: water seeping out through the bedrock is replaced by new rain and snowmelt.  At 1943 feet deep at its deepest point, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States.  Crater Lake had been on my bucket list of hiking destinations for many years, and it did not disappoint when I came here on my long hiking trip for summer 2021.

            183,224 acre Crater Lake National Park protects not only the lake but also surrounding areas of Mount Mazama and other nearby mountains.  Like many mountains in the Cascades, all of these mountains are active volcanos even though they have not erupted for several millennia.  The stark volcanic scenery is very apparent in the park.  Thus, this park anchors the north end of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which heads south toward Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California.

            I explored the various areas and corners of Crater Lake National Park on the next five hikes, and I decided to start with a frontcountry hike that features the park's main attraction.  The park's celebrated Rim Trail follows Crater Lake's west rim for most of its distance, and it connects Rim Village in the south with the Pacific Crest Trail in the north.  The Rim Trail's southernmost 1.3 miles are called the Discovery Point Trail because they lead to Discovery Point, which is also accessible by car via the park's West Rim Drive.  The out-and-back on the Rim Trail from Rim Village to Discovery Point is the hike described here.

Crater Lake view from Rim Village

            From the Rim Village parking area, walk north to get to the rim and your first magnificent Crater Lake view.  This point stands some 900 feet above the lake.  When I came here on a Monday afternoon, the sun angle was exactly right to give the lake's water a gorgeous deep blue hue.  You also get a good view of the cinder cone that is Wizard Island, which appears on the left side of the lake.

South end of Discovery Point Trail

            After enjoying this view, head left to find the signed start of the Discovery Point Trail.  The wide single-track dirt trail descends moderately with West Rim Drive close on the left.  Just when you think you may never get away from the noisy road, the trail curves right to climb into a pine forest on a fairly steep and somewhat rocky grade.  Nice views of Crater Lake persist to the right, and some interesting rock outcrops on and below the rim come into view as well.

Descending on rocky trail

Discovery Point in the distance

            More undulations need to be negotiated, and although the difference between maximum and minimum elevations on this hike is only about 150 vertical feet, you will go up and down this difference several times.  Just past 1 mile into the hike, you can see Discovery Point ahead as you top a rock outcrop and descend a pair of steep, rocky switchbacks.  You may have to use your hands to climb down these rocks, and this short section is the only tricky part of this hike.

Rocky rim outcrop at Discovery Point

Crater Lake view at Discovery Point

            At 1.3 miles, you come alongside West Rim Drive again as you reach Discovery Point.  Rock outcrops jut out from the rim, and a hawk soared over my head as I admired the Crater Lake views from here.  The Rim Trail continues up the west side of Crater Lake, but there are no ways to form short loops.  Thus, unless you can arrange a car shuttle, you will need to turn around and retrace your steps to Rim Village to complete the hike.

Willamette National Forest: Salt Creek Falls and Diamond Creek Falls (Blog Hike #868)

Trails: Salt Creek Falls and Diamond Creek Falls Trails
Hike Location: Willamette National Forest, Salt Creek Falls
Geographic Location: east of Oakridge, OR (43.61209, -122.12771)
Length: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A semiloop past 2 large waterfalls.
Trail Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/willamette/recreation/recarea/?recid=4654
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880921
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at the signed Willamette National Forest parking area for Salt Creek Falls, which is located on the south side of SR 58 30 miles west of US 97 or 22 miles east of Oakridge.  Park in the parking loop for Salt Creek Falls.

The hike: In the travels of a hiker, some ultra-scenic destinations are anticipated months in advance, while others take you by surprise.  I drove into the Willamette National Forest's Salt Creek Falls parking area merely trying to break up the several-hour drive from the Willamette River valley to Crater Lake.  I was expecting a "routine" forest hike, but what I found was two major waterfalls on par with any at Oregon's more famous Silver Falls State Park.  The scenery here was nothing short of amazing, and I had an excellent hike here.

            The size and water volume of Salt Creek Falls surprised me due to their location high in the Willamette River's watershed.  Willamette Pass, the highest point on SR 58, the main route out of the southeast corner of the Willamette River valley, lies less than 6 miles east of here.  Salt Creek Falls' close proximity to SR 58 and easy access by ADA-accessible trail make it a popular destination, so you will likely not be alone here, especially in the summer.

            For people willing to venture past the developed overlooks at the rim of Salt Creek Falls, more wonderful scenery awaits, as does more solitude.  One trail descends to the base of Salt Creek Falls and offers perhaps the area's best waterfall view.  Another trail leads along the rim of Salt Creek's canyon before heading up a ravine that leads to another excellent waterfall: Diamond Creek Falls.  This hike uses both of these trails to explore all the scenery this area has to offer.

Trailhead at parking loop

            From the Salt Creek Falls parking loop, browse the numerous interpretive signs before heading down the asphalt trail that leads to the top of Salt Creek Falls.  In only 150 feet, you reach the rimtop observation site for Salt Creek Falls.  At 286 feet, Salt Creek Falls is the second highest single-drop waterfall in Oregon.  Salt Creek provides plenty of water to fall, and impressive vertical basalt cliffs towering on either side of the waterfall make for a stark setting.

Rimtop view of Salt Creek Falls

            After enjoying the rimtop view, take the trail to the right that heads to the base of the waterfall.  The well-engineered trail descends on a moderate grade using steps and switchbacks.  Tall pine trees make for a nice setting that is disrupted only by traffic noise from nearby SR 58.

Base view of Salt Creek Falls

            Just past 0.3 miles, you reach the base-view overlook for Salt Creek Falls.  I found the base view more impressive than the rim view: the heights of the cliffs and the waterfall become more imposing from this angle.  The trail ends at the overlook, so now you have to retrace your steps back uphill to the rimtop waterfall observation site.

Trail to base of Salt Creek Falls

            Next walk past the rimtop waterfall overlooks and through a nice shady picnic area along Salt Creek above the falls.  At the end of the picnic area, the asphalt ends when you cross a long wooden bridge over Salt Creek.  A wooden sign here indicates that this is the start of the Diamond Creek Falls Trail, which is marked with blue blazes.

Start of Diamond Creek Falls Trail

            After crossing the bridge, you find yourself in a pleasant grove of pine trees, where the Diamond Creek Falls Trail splits to form its loop.  To make the climbing a little easier, I turned right and used the trail going left as my return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  The trail undulates moderately as it heads west with Salt Creek's canyon below the falls on the right.  Some rocky outcrops give expansive views down the canyon.

View down Salt Creek's canyon

            As you hike the Diamond Creek Falls Trail, you may notice that all of the blazes and trail signs are located several feet above your head.  This oddity is due to the fact that this trail is used by snowshoers in the winter when several feet of snow blanket the ground.  After passing the last Salt Creek Canyon overlook, the trail curves left and begins climbing up the ravine of Fall Creek, which flows and cascades downhill to your right.

Hiking the Diamond Creek Falls Trail

            After a moderate climb up the ravine, the spur trail to Diamond Creek Falls exits right at 2.1 miles.  The spur trail descends on a somewhat steep and precarious course to reach the base of Diamond Creek Falls.  If you do not feel like taking the spur trail, a rimtop overlook of Diamond Creek Falls sits just ahead on the main trail.  Measuring 121 feet in height, Diamond Creek Falls is a tall cascading-type waterfall.  Fall Creek provides a decent amount of water, and this waterfall would be very impressive had you not passed Salt Creek Falls earlier in this hike.

Diamond Creek Falls

            After climbing a single switchback, you reach a trail intersection.  The option going straight is the Vivian Lake Trail, and it leads to Fall Creek Falls and its namesake lake, both of which lie in the Willamette National Forest's Diamond Peak Wilderness.  Turn left to continue the Diamond Creek Falls Trail.

Hiking through dense forest

            Soon you cross dirt FR 420 and reach the highest elevation on this hike, which is about 400 vertical feet above the base of Salt Creek Falls.  The balance of the hike descends through young pine forest that features a dense understory of mountain laurel.  Despite the dense forest, I did some nice bird watching here.  Just past 3.2 miles, you close the Diamond Creek Falls Trail's loop.  Turn right to recross the bridge over Salt Creek and walk back through the picnic area to return to the Salt Creek Falls observation area and complete the hike.  Before you leave, isn't fantastic 286-foot Salt Creek Falls worth one more look?

Willamette Park and Natural Area in Corvallis, OR (Blog Hike #867)

Trails: (unnamed)

Hike Location: Willamette Park
Geographic Location: south side of Corvallis, OR (44.55047, -123.25160)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A nearly flat loop partly along the banks of the Willamette River.
Park Information: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/parksrec/page/willamette-park-natural-area
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880660
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Corvallis, take SR 99W south 1.1 miles to Crystal Lake Drive; there is a traffic light at this intersection.  Turn left on Crystal Lake Dr.  Take Crystal Lake Dr. east 0.5 miles to Fischer Lane and turn left on Fischer Ln.  Fischer Ln. deadends at Willamette Park's boat ramp; park in the parking lot beside the boat ramp.

The hike: Consisting of 287 acres on the west bank of the Willamette River, Willamette Park is the largest park and crown jewel in the City of Corvallis' park system.  The park's most popular amenities are the Crystal Lake Sports Fields, which offer a seemingly uncountable number of soccer and baseball fields, and the Willamette Boat Landing.  A disc golf course lies at the park's south end, and the fact that most of the park has been designated an off-leash dog area makes the park puppy friendly.

            Fortunately for hikers, most of the park's riverfront acreage remains in its natural state.  The park has trailheads at both the north and south ends of the heavily wooded riparian area, and several routes are possible through the park's trail system.  This hike starts from the park's north trailhead, goes south through the natural area, and returns by going past the athletic fields, thus sampling all the park has to offer.

North Trailhead

            The parking area at the north trailhead is also the parking area for the Willamette Boat Landing.  Many trails depart from the information kiosk and vehicle gate here, but I started with the dirt trail that angles softly left and heads into the woods.  Note that none of the trails at this park are marked, so you may want to take a picture of the trail map at the information kiosk for reference later in this hike.  Quickly you cross a wide dirt trail and reach the Willamette River's gravelly bank.  Despite your close proximity to Corvallis, the view is surprisingly free of man-made objects, and the river's clear waters beckon you or your dog to wade in.

Willamette River

            To continue the hike, retrace your steps to the wide dirt trail and turn left to begin heading south with the river through the trees on the left.  The trail heads through dense forest that features a large number of cottonwood trees.  Where side trails exit right or left, continue straight on the widest trail.

Southbound near the river

            At 0.75 miles, the wide dirt trail ends at another gravel river beach.  I shared this beach with a couple of anglers, but again signs of man-made intrusions are minimal.  After enjoying the second beach, retrace your steps to the previous side trail intersection and turn left to continue heading south on a narrower trail.

Second gravel river beach

            The trail climbs slightly to leave the river's floodplain, and at 1.2 miles you reach the park's south trailhead near the park's disc golf course.  As with the north trailhead, many trails converge here, and thus you have many options for getting back to your car.  You could choose the narrower dirt trail going right that stays in the riverside natural area, or you could choose a dirt trail going left that goes close to the park's west boundary and hence the residential area beyond.  For the shortest route back to the north trailhead, I chose the asphalt trail that goes through the middle of the park.

Asphalt return trail

            The asphalt trail starts in the woods, but soon it enters the park's sunny athletic fields.  Some nice views of the Coast Mountains' foothills open up across the soccer fields to the west.  Just past 2 miles, you return to the north trailhead by the park's boat ramp to complete the hike.