curious hiker Archives - Trail Scholar

Top Spring Hikes in Oregon for the Curious

Birds sing, bees buzz, and plants burst—life rebounds in the spring with such vigor it awakens the senses—as well as one’s seasonal allergies. It is worth it though! To me, watching the changes of spring through itchy, watery eyes is the bees-knees (oh, how we love those pollinators).

Spring is one of the best times to get outside and hike in Oregon. While warmer temperatures are inviting, longer daylight hours mean there is more time to hike. So, get out there and enjoy all the many hallmarks of spring. But don’t forget to read about them too.

1) Calloway Creek Trail

Enjoy a gentle ramble through Douglas-fir, Oregon white oak, and riparian forest in this short accessible loop. Calloway Creek is a favorite spring hike of mine—partly because of its proximity and partly because of the diversity of plants on the trail. There is so much to see in just a few miles, especially come spring.

At the beginning of March, or even February, some of the early spring arrivals show up—purple snow queen, oaks toothwort, and yellow stream violet add small splashes of color to the forest floor. Skinny stemmed Indian plum blooms—its white flowers dangle like earrings from the tips of droopy branches. And the long silky cream catkins of beaked hazelnut dance in the breeze.

By mid-April, giant while fawn lilies emerge and showstopping western Trillium are abundant on the trail, along with purple irises growing near the oak woodlands. Both salmonberry and Oregon grape bloom in technicolor—bright pink and yellow, respectively—while skinny striped trunks of the bitter cherry shoot our clusters of white popcorn blossoms with abandon. Some flowers are more difficult to spot. Play hunt-and-seek for dainty pink fairy slippers on the forest floor. Of course, these are just a few of the many wildflowers to see on this classic forest trail!

Location or Nearest Town: Corvallis, OR

Distance: 2.3 miles with about 200 feet of elevation gain

Difficulty: Easy

When to go: Year-round. April is best.

Why go? Shaded forests, wildflowers, and easy access.

Trail Curiosity: Phenology

Phenology is the study of the cyclical changes in living populations of organisms through the seasons. The phenomenon is something we are all familiar with—leaves turn color and fall in autumn and flowers blossom in spring, for instance. Annual migrations and hatchings are other examples.

These changes are predictable and are triggered by environmental cues, like temperature or humidity. Therefore, if a cue changes, the predictable behavior of the population will be affected too.

A change in the phenology, or timing of an event, is problematic—putting species ahead or behind schedule. For migratory animals, this could mean less food availability during a long journey. For plants, this could mean missing an important pollinator. As the climate changes, the study of phenology will help us understand the extent of all this decoupling.

You can get involved in the study of phenology by joining Oregon Season Trackers or other phenology programs in their area.

2) Trestle Creek Falls Loop

Hike under a canopy of Douglas-fir and western hemlock to two-tiered 65-foot Upper Trestle Creek Falls before looping down to a view of the less dramatic, log-choked Lower Trestle Creek Falls. The upper falls features an impressive rocky grotto that hikers access behind the falls to continue the loop. Moss, ferns, salal, and woodland sorrel blanket much of the forest. Leaning and down logs are also common. Look for western redcedar and madrone that spring up along the forest path. Rocky outcrops and peak-a-boo views of surrounding hillsides make the high interesting. Be ready for mud and some poison oak on the eastern part of the trail.

Spring is the best time to visit Trestle Creek Falls—waterfall flows are at their peak as the snow melts off the mountains and the forest is reinvigorated. Lush greenery really makes the forest feel magical and woodland wildflowers add whimsy to a spring day. Sitting at a low enough elevation, Trestle Creek does not generally have any snow remaining during the spring months.

Location or Nearest Town: Dorena, Oregon; upper trestle creek falls trailhead

Distance: 3.7 miles with about 1,200 feet elevation gain.

Difficulty: Moderate

When to go? Year-round with exception of winter storms. Spring is best.

Why go? Waterfalls and lush green forest.

Trail Curiosity: Streamflow

You may remember from elementary school that water is constantly recycled—the water cycle makes certain of that. Precipitation, evaporation, and condensation move water around from land to atmosphere to land again. Runoff, infiltration, subsurface flow, and groundwater flow move water above and below Earth’s surface. Water is cleaned and transported through these processes.

Streamflow is a measure of how much water is flowing in a stream or river at a time—often measured in cubic meters per second. In spring, streamflow values for rainfed streams in the Pacific Northwest often decline as rainfall declines across the state. However, in some parts of the region, the presence of mountains has resulted in a different story. Many of Oregon’s streams and rivers are snow-fed—meaning the water that feeds these streams comes primarily from melting snowpack that hangs around late into the summer. Snow-fed streams have more consistent streamflow—peaking in late spring, rather than winter. This is good news for anyone that needs water year-round, and all of us do.

However, there is concern about the future of the Pacific Northwest’s streamflow. Surface water, despite being extremely important, is extremely limited—streamflow accounts for only .006% of freshwater on the planet. As snowpack levels are threatened by a changing climate, peak streamflow timing is destined to change.

3) William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge

The variety of habitats in this 5,325-acre refuge makes it a fascinating place to visit. Upland prairie, oak savanna, wetlands, and mixed coniferous forests abound with different plant species and wildlife. Some of the habitats are rare, having been all but wiped off the map due to human development in the Willamette Valley. For example, wet prairie can only be seen in a few places on the planet—the refuge being one of them. Roosevelt Elk, black-tailed deer, bobcat, coyote, waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, and beaver all occupy the refuge at one time or another.

With the onset of spring, activity in the refuge intensifies—movement, color, and sounds. Listen for Northern Flicker’s frequent drumming as they search out a mate. Watch the skies for barn swallows dipping and diving with the air currents. Then, of course, are the wildflowers—filling the meadows with color and decorating the forest floor. Rare flowers like Kincaid’s lupine and Golden paintbrush bloom here in the grassland habitats, along with Nelson’s checkermallow and Bradshaw’s lomatium. Buzzing about the wildflowers is a whole host of invertebrate visitors, like bees and beetles—many of which are pollinators. Look for the California bumblebee, yellow-faced bumble bee, Silvery Blue butterfly, Western Tiger Swallowtail, and Common Wood Nymph in the springtime fray.

Location or Nearest Town: South of Corvallis, OR

Distance: Varies; 8.4 for a mega loop; 455 feet elevation gain.

Difficulty: Moderate

When to go: May for wildflowers and pollinators. The full loop is open from April 1 to October 31^st.

Why go? Wildlife viewing; unique habitats; wildflowers and their visitors.

Trail Curiosity: Pollinators

Seed plant reproduction starts with pollen. Unpleasant in the way it makes eyes itch and/or your nose run, the dispersal of pollen is an absolute must when it comes to plant reproduction. In flowering plants, male reproductive organs, known as stamen, produce pollen at their tips—the anther. From here the pollen is transported—by wind, water, insects, etc.—until it reaches the flower of a plant of the same species and is captured by the female reproductive organ, known as a pistil, on a structure called the stigma. Pollen’s movement from anther to stigma is known as pollination. Achoo!

Not surprisingly, as seed plant reproduction gets going, spring brings on the thrum and hum of pollinators—ready for a feast! Native pollinators in Oregon include bumblebees, leaf-cutting and mason bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and bats. Oregon Bee Atlas has counted 650 different species of bees in Oregon! That is a lot of pollinators, rubbing elbows with the flowers.

Unfortunately, many pollinator populations are declining, and some are at risk of extinction. Endangered Fender’s blue butterfly with its fuzzy purple-blue wings is one such species. An obligate to Kincaid’s lupine—adults must lay their eggs on the underside of their leaves—Fender’s blue occurs in scattered populations across its limited range in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Habitat loss and degradation is the main threat to the species. Look for Fender’s Blue at Finley in late May when they emerge as adults.

4) Tom McCall Point

Balsamroot on the Tom McCall Point trail.

Nothing harkens to the wildflower season better than a hike on Tom McCall Point trail. As early as February, drooping grass widows and lacy-leaved desert parsleys emerge in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. By late April and into May, these give way to fields of golden balsamroot and purple lupine with a smattering of red paintbrush. Other less conspicuous delights include beautiful white-stem frasera, bicolored cluster lily, and popcorn flower. Seed pods of early blooming Columbia desert parsley are also common.

The trail system here takes you through channeled scablands left behind from glacial floods that scoured the area toward the end of the last ice age—about 18,000 to 15,000 years ago. Rocky outcrops and small ponds remain from the tumultuous period.

Escape the lingering clouds and rain in exchange for blue skies by heading east. Take in views of the Columbia River and its environs. A hike to Tom McCall point offers views of Mt. Adams to the east and Mr. Hood to the west.

Location or Nearest Town: Mosier, OR

Distance: 3.4 miles; approximately 1070 elevation gain

Difficulty: Moderate

When to go: February to May. Peak blooms are usually in late April/May

Why go?: Interesting geology, wildflowers, and blue skies

Trail Curiosity: Desert Blooms Adaptations

Wide-open spaces bring a bounty of spring color to Oregon’s dry sagebrush steep and grassland habitats. There is something alluring about these landscapes at this time of year. Everything is steeped in golden sunlight—a soft desert blush. Balsamroot blooms—rays of sun themselves—grow in stretches across the high plateaus of Eastern Oregon.

Desert flowers are not only beautiful, but they possess an inventive ruggedness that comes from spending all one’s days in such a harsh environment. High winds and low moisture are common challenges, but desert plants are well adapted to their home and can not only survive but thrive.

Arrowleaf balsamroot is a favorite desert wildflower for many. Showy and profuse with a bright yellow flowerhead, it attracts countless visitors to trails in April or May when the bloom reaches its peak. With a long taproot, it anchors to the ground, stabilizing the earth and holding the plant in often blustering winds. Above ground, balsamroot is about 2 feet tall, but below ground, it may grow to 3 or more feet long—reaching for water not available at the surface. Their long, heart-shaped leaves are sage green with thick hairs that act as a windbreaker, preventing desiccation.

5) Beazell Memorial Forest

Hike along rushing Plunkett Creek, past dozens of forest wildflowers before traversing up a slope to a grassy bald hillside with views of Marys Peak in the distance. Flowers color the bald and butterflies flutter in all directions in, looking for a sweet drink. Continue down the trail past second-growth Douglas-fir—a few older wolf trees with arms that reach out in all directions stand at attention as you begin your descent.

In early spring, the forest floor is lush and green and the water in the creek swells. As you hike past the mossy bigleaf maple just beginning to leaf out, make sure to look down—rough-skinned newts crawl along the path in droves in early spring. These toxic, yet amiable creatures migrate to breeding ponds in mass once a year. If you are lucky

Location or Nearest Town: Beazell Memorial Forest County Park; Kings Valley, OR

Distance: 4 miles; about 885 elevation gain.

Difficulty: Easy /Moderate

When to go: April to May

Why go? Shaded riparian forest, upland prairie, wildflowers, gorgeous stream, and Newts (if you get the timing right!)

Trail Curiosity: Newt Spring Migration and Breeding

With the onset of spring in the western valleys of Oregon, rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) are on the move. Breeding season for these charismatic creatures is usually March to May for Oregon’s bottomlands. During this time, Newts will migrate—sometimes in droves—to breeding ponds. Males are the first to arrive, followed by a smaller number of females.

Rough-skinned Newts engage in a series of mating rituals underwater, including pre and post insemination “cuddling”—where the male grips the female from the back—a position known as amplexus. Competition between males vying for female attention can result in the formation of a mating ball—where several males lock with one or two females.

Watch for newts along the forest trail and in slow-moving water in spring to get in on the action.

Field Guide to Oregon’s Coastal Conifers

*This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosures.*

Curious about coastal conifers? Want to tell them apart? You are in the right place! This short guide will tell you all you need to know about the coniferous trees that inhabit Oregon’s Coast Range ecoregion. Learn some fun and interesting facts about each species, as well as key identification characteristics that will help you to tell them apart.

**Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)**

The most common tree in Oregon is the Douglas-fir. A commercially valuable tree, it has been planted in much of the coastal mountains, where it naturally grows, reaching heights of over 250 feet. Douglas-fir is an early successional species, established on bare mineral soil following a fire. Much of the old-growth that remains in Oregon today resulted from large fires 400 to 600 years ago. When Douglas-fir fall, they open the canopy for species, like the western hemlock to fill in the gaps.

Douglas-fir has reddish-brown bark with deep furrows, sometimes referred to as “bacon bark” for those inclined toward food analogies. However, these furrows are not as pronounced in younger trees and coloration does seem to vary. Branches swoop upwards, capturing the light. Needles are soft and arrange themselves in even whorls on each pliable branch. Look for shiny red-pointed buds at the tips of the growing branchlets. Not a true-fir, Douglas-fir cones often fall to the forest floor, a favorite food for Douglas squirrels. Douglas-fir cones are unmistakable, with three-pronged bracts that stick out from under each scale.

Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)

Western hemlock is a slow-growing tree, often playing second fiddle to other conifers surrounding it. This secondary successional species is adapted to the lower light conditions of the understory. When a tree falls in the forest, the western hemlock knows—growing opportunistically in gaps caused by windfall. Western hemlock trees often start their lives on a nurse log or small snags, taking advantage of the water and protection that the high ground offers.

Western hemlock has a gently drooping top that distinguishes it among look-alike conifers. Its large sweeping branches splay out casting shadows and scattering light. The blunt needles of western hemlock are soft and variable in length but average less than half an inch. The arrangement of the needles is messy—kind of like a toddler’s hair just out of bed. Shorter needles stick out from the branch, while the slightly longer, “tamer,” needles lay flat. The bark of the Western hemlock is thin and gray with shallow ridges. Western hemlock produces copious amounts of small 1–3-inch brown cones, often seen scattered on the ground or growing up in its branches.

**Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)**

Sitka spruce is the largest spruce species on the planet. With a diameter that can grow as large as 16 feet at its base, Sitka spruce is an impressive behemoth to behold, especially in an old-growth forest setting. Only found in a narrow band along the Oregon Coast, Sitka spruce do well throughout the fog belt and in the floodplains of rivers and streams. Despite their limited range, Sitka spruce can tolerate a lot of different coastal landscapes from salty dune islands and sandy beaches to rocky headlands and tidal swamps.

Sitka Spruce trees have wide cylindrical trunks with grey-brown bark that looks like paint chipping of an old wall. Its light-colored cones have papery-thin scales with jagged edges—often seen strewn along the trail in bunches. Sitka spruce can be easy to tell apart from other coastal forest dwellers by their sharply pointed needles that stick out on short pedestals on each twig in a bottle-brush arrangement. If you grab a branch in your palm it will hurt. Just remember, “Sitka will Stick-ya.”

**Western redcedar (Thuja plicata)**

Western redcedar with its sweeping J-shaped branches of scale-like leaves and shredded red bark is one of the most beautiful species in the Oregon coastal forests. It is also one of the most useful—indigenous peoples throughout the Pacific Northwest used the rot-resistant wood for lodges, canoes, utensils, among other things. The bark was used for basketry and to make ropes, nets, and even clothing.

Stumps and snags of ancient western redcedar punctuate the forest, withstanding the test of time. Scattered amongst more dominant Douglas-fir trees or huddled together in small groves, western redcedar is a shade-tolerant species. Western redcedar grows best in moist areas in the coastal fog belt.

To identify western redcedar, look for a thinly shredded bark that runs in vertical strips. Rub your hand down the bark and it won’t splinter. Its scale-like leaves are also unusual among other conifers in the region. The leaves are folded and lie flat against the tree’s branchlets—a white bloom in the shape of butterflies line the underside in organized rows. Tiny rose-shaped cones cluster in the branches and at times can be found scattered in the forest duff.

Shore Pine (Pinus contorta)

Being successful on the rugged coast can be a difficult proposition. Shore pines are adapted to that challenge by taking on the shape and form of the wind. With twisted stems and matted branches, shore pines typically only grow 65 feet tall, some much shorter. Shore pines are the same species as the erect stemmed lodgepole pine that grow to 130 feet tall throughout the west at mid to high elevations.

Some of the shore pines on Oregon’s coast are planted—put in place along with invasive dune grasses and scotch broom to stabilize a naturally shifting dune landscape. Naturally, shore pines are highly adaptable growing in sandy, boggy, and rocky environments.

The easiest way to identify a shore pine is to look at its dark green needles—arranged in twisted pairs, they cluster at the tips of each branch. Larger wooden female cones, often curved, attach to the branches, while male pollen cones are smaller, reddish-green, and cluster at the tips. The bark of shore pine is dark, rough, and scaly.

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

The tallest species of conifer in on the west coast—commonly reaching heights of 300 plus feet—the coast redwood is hard to miss when you encounter it. Their great height allows them to capture fog droplets on their slender needles in the fog zone where they exclusively reside. Lichen, moss, ferns, and even trees grow in soil that forms high above the earth. Then critters join the mix—creating unique arboreal ecosystems. Redwoods are also rare in Oregon—existing in only a few protected areas along the south coast.

Besides their height, coast redwoods can be distinguished by their massive trunks up to 23 feet in diameter. Thick reddish furrowed bark runs up the great length of the trunk and their roots often buttress near the ground. The coast redwood has a conical crown with branches that droop slightly. Ancient redwoods have complex crowns with many trunks. The 1-inch needles of the coast redwood lay flat, flanking each branchlet. Bright green above with a white bloom below, the needles shorten as they draw near the main branch—tapering like a bird feather. On cone-bearing branches, the taper is more pronounced and the needles are sharper. The cones of a redwood tree are small and round with deep wrinkles.

Resources

Want to learn more about Oregon’s trees? Check out the books below.

Curious Hiker: Cook’s Ridge and Gwynn Creek Loop

Trees scattering the light on Gwenn Creek Trail

Overview

Walk up a ridge through massive old-growth Sitka spruce to a Douglas-fir forest, before gradually descending alongside rushing Gwynn Creek and looping back on the Oregon Coast Trail. This loop highlights the majesty of Oregon’s coastal forests.

Distance: 6.4 miles
Terrane: 1250 elevation gain. Steady incline
Difficulty: Moderate
Open: All year. Best in the winter, spring, fall.
Trailhead: Gwynn Creek/Forest Trails at Cape Perpetua Scenic Area Visitor Center (44.28048, -124.10745)
Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Siuslaw National Forest

Highlights

Dynamic Old-growth forest; lush diverse vegetation; mushroom and wildflowers; well-maintained trail.

Need to Know

Trailhead is located in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Areas Visitor Center parking area (not the day use or campground). USFS Forest Recreation Pass required for parking or equivalent. Restrooms are available at the trailhead with flush toilets. Usage is high near the visitor center. Trailheads and junctions are well marked.

Hike Description

Begin at the trailhead marked “Forested Trails.” Start by following an old logging road .4 miles through Sitka spruce forest with a sword fern and salal understory. Cross over a bridge with alder trees and salmonberry growing in the drainage below before entering an old plantation stand of Sitka spruce.

Many of the trees lean or are overturned from recent storm damage along the path. Search among the forest litter and on decaying logs and stumps for mushrooms that grow abundantly here even in winter.

Discovery Loop

Arrive at a junction for the “Discovery Loop.” Take a right to follow the trail uphill. Notice the forest change as you walk through this short .3-mile section of trail.

Larger Sitka spruce trees begin to make an appearance, along with large western hemlock. Look for trees “on stilts”—their bases sitting above the soil—the result of a starting life on a decaying log or stump that has long since broken down.

A mature western hemlock tree growing on “stilts” next to a Sitka spruce.

Cook’s Ridge

At a well-marked junction, take a right onto Cook’s Ridge Trail toward Gwynn Creek. This 1.7-mile section starts out flat before climbing steeply along a rolling ridgetop.

Marvel at the stature of large-diameter Sitka spruce trees with their “paint chip” bark found near the junction. Explore the rotting logs and jagged stumps with new growth sprouting like unruly hair. Shelf mushrooms create ladders up dead, standing trees (aka snags). A mat of moss envelops the ground and the shallow roots of spruce trees.

As you continue up the steepening trail, observe how the forest transforms from a Sitka spruce forest to one dominated by Douglas-fir. Western redcedar trees join in the mix. Salal and patches of evergreen huckleberry become more prevalent. While trailing blackberry and redwood violet enchant the ground.

Western redcedar and Douglas-fir opposite each other on Cook’s Ridge Trail.

Gwenn Creek

Another well-signed intersection directs you right onto the Gwenn Creek Trail for a 2.6-mile descent along the south side of the ridge with Gwynn Creek below.

Again, the Douglas-fir forest is lush and multistoried. Massive Douglas-fir—some with blackened fire-scarred trunks—loom tall. Swooping branches of western hemlock with their droopy tops hang over the trail, requiring one to swoop down to stay clear. A patch of Cascade Oregon grape stands out amongst the shrub layer of sword fern, huckleberry, and salal. Clumps of deer fern run along sections of the path. Fuzzy leaf piggyback plant and more redwood violet shimmer in patches on the moist forest floor.

The trail undulates up and down through several drainages with creeks that empty into Gwynn creek below, leveling off for about a half mile before reaching the next junction. Gwynn creek is lined with alder trees that hug its banks. Fallen trees create habitat for fish and other wildlife.

Oregon Coast Trail

The final mile of the hike follows the Oregon Coast Trail through a shorter, wind-warped stand of Sitka Spruce. Take a left at a signed junction to follow the trail along the oceanfront. There are several peek-a-boo views to the Ocean and Highway-101. Feel the cool air and listen to ocean waves crashing against the rocky shores—a sure sign the Pacific is near.

To end the hike, cross the road you came in on and follow a paved path to the right up to the visitor center. There is also an option to turn left for a short detour to the rocky shore and tidepools if you are so inclined.