tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582 
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Post by tarol on Oct 5, 2016 18:23:15 GMT -8
Looking for an easier overnighter that my son would be able to do, so about 4 miles or less in length, Columbia Gorge area, or actually any suggestions in the PNW are welcome.
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texasbb
Trail Wise!
Hates chicken
Posts: 1,223 
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Post by texasbb on Oct 5, 2016 19:24:15 GMT -8
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tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
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Post by tarol on Oct 17, 2016 7:48:50 GMT -8
Thanks, but having trouble finding a spot because most trail descriptions assume you're just going to dayhike a short trail, so they make no mention of whether staying the night is do-able. Would benefit from personal knowledge of the trails.
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zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,876
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Post by zeke on Oct 17, 2016 10:57:17 GMT -8
I'd say Eagle Creek, and maybe the car break ins have diminished.
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Oct 17, 2016 17:24:42 GMT -8
I haven't done all that many gorge trails, but Eagle Creek just about always gets first mention. It's very easy, incredibly scenic, annoyingly crowded, and a bit scary for acrophobics. Camping is prohibited until you get about 4+ miles in...I'm not sure if your 4-mile limit is one-way or round-trip. My recommendations for Eagle Creek hikes are: (1) never go on a weekend, (2) never go on a sunny day (rain forests should be experienced in the rain, or at least on a cloudy day), and (3) park out by the hatchery/campground instead of at the actual trailhead. Following (1) and (2) will keep the crowds manageable and (2) will make the experience and the pictures 1000x better. Parking out front forces about an extra 1/4 to 1/3 mile on you, but is safer for your car. Camping is a little annoying because of all the TP flowers--it's a deep canyon with few options for fresh cat hole areas. If the distance and logistics work for you, it's a gorgeous place. World class waterfalls.  |
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Post by dayhiker on Oct 17, 2016 18:25:30 GMT -8
I'd say Eagle creek too, but the FS does not recommend fording Tesh Creek: www.fs.usda.gov/detail/crgnsa/recreation/?cid=fseprd516276I did it this summer, but level would have been lower, etc. Not as hard as it looked from above, esp. climbing up the opposite bank. Camps after high bridge and before 4.5 mile bridge , so that should fit your distance requirement. |
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Oct 17, 2016 19:13:39 GMT -8
Yeah, that's their recommendation. I hiked it this spring after/during several days of good rains--it's the highest I've ever seen the creek--and the crossing was annoying at worst. That webpage says: "Just 15 feet downstream from the place where most people have been fording the creek, there is a 20-30 foot drop. If a hiker loses their footing, they could be seriously injured or killed in the fall." That is undoubtedly true, but unless the water is quite high, I don't think it's all that harrowing. That said, I guess I wouldn't cross it with a little one unless the water was low.   |
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tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
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Post by tarol on Oct 18, 2016 13:44:39 GMT -8
4 miles one way
thanks for the suggestion, keep em coming! We drove on the north side of the river recently and I saw a ton of trailheads there, too
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Post by dayhiker on Oct 20, 2016 7:11:13 GMT -8
It is hard to top Eagle Creek, scenery, easy grade, & campsite at the distance you want (though water is hard to get to at that campsite) I think there is a good campsite here: www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/84528e7a-0291-4b3f-843c-ff92855c44a0/?layer=caltopousfs,openhikingmapHD&alpha=caltopousfs:1,openhikingmapHD:0.5 On this side of the ford, but it has been a long time so you might want to dayhike it first. It is short of the distance you wanted but you could dayhike from there up and away from the creek. The Larch Mtn trail has campsites along the creek, but it is a climb, or you could start at Larch Mtn. Wathum Lake is a very short walk in, if you are sure the snow levels are high, and you could dayhike toward lost lake from there. I think you could camp at Lost Lake even though it is closed? ==== Perhaps Deadwood Creek Camp more like 5 miles & 2600' gain is mentioned in two books, but I haven't been starting at Herman Creek and about a miles past Indian Pt With hammocks you could camp just about anywhere. I think there are some spots on the columbia gorge trail, but I don't remember them. PDXhikers or whatever it is called now would be a good place to ask as well. EDIT: www.oregonhikers.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=3 |
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tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
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Post by tarol on Nov 9, 2016 10:57:27 GMT -8
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Post by dayhiker on Nov 9, 2016 15:28:24 GMT -8
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Post by dayhiker on Nov 10, 2016 20:14:54 GMT -8
www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICIzZW7CAwI hiked here today, the view is great on a clear day (short detour at the start), then do the 6 mile loop thru a fair amount of old growth. Where I marked a point at footbridge there is camp/water about 2 miles in. Hand rail is missing over half the bridge, but it is too high for a small kid anyway, easy walk across right now , if you have water proof boots. I will post photo later. Starting at Larch Mtn, Take 441 down to 444, stay right past 446 (stay on 444) to 424, turn right to get to road, and hike up road .2 to get back to your car. 441 was busy today but I did not see anyone after I left it. The other trails were wet and muddy in places but not real bad. ==== Here is a link to pictures, which start with the camp and the bridge right next to it, and a dry camp before that, but the rest are up at the view point which is a short but different trail, though there is a shortcut back to 441 from there. www.pbase.com/photos123/image/164509215Hit next etc. ======= Sullivan's book suggests parking at mile post 11 if there is enough room (at the start of FS Rd 315) and doing the same loop,by walking the road to 441. An older old growth book I have says to park at the top and take 441 down to 444, but taking 446 to 424, and back to your car (via 444 ??!!), I suppose it might mean 444 and back up 441. If you parked at mile post 11, then 444 would get you back to the camp spot, and 441 to the rd and back to your car should be shorter since that is shorter than 441 back to the top of Larch Mtn. I haven't done this, at least not in decades so I have no idea what shape 446 or that part of 424 would be in.
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Image Credit / Coolkat
