Post your favorite hiking trails here

Skunked · 10-09-2008, 10:16 PM

Any other fans of hiking out there? I'm looking for some new places to go explore. Here are a few of my favorites

Eagle creek trail- columbia gorge: lots of waterfalls, great cliffs

Valley of the giants- north fork siletz: ginormous trees! pretty short hike though

South sister: Tough hike, I believe it's the tallest peak you can climb without special gear, one of the best views in oregon!

DTSportsman · 10-09-2008, 11:05 PM

Don't hike much, but my favorite is a 60 mile hike in the Eagle Caps, and one I plan to do again with my wife and little ones in about 5 years. Very beautiful, and more football shaped Brooktrout in the streams than you could believe.

XD40Ranger · 10-10-2008, 12:46 AM

Opal Creek, Just a nice hike through the Willamette National Forest. Neat old mining machines along the trail, old mining camp (Jawbone Flats) at the end of the Trail.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/m...eek/index.html

El-Kabong · 10-10-2008, 04:12 AM

Ruckle Ridge in the Gorge

EK

Grantspastor · 10-10-2008, 07:14 AM

Rogue River Wild and Scenic section...also the Marble Mountains in No Cal...and the Eagle Caps since that is where I grew up

smalldog · 10-10-2008, 07:18 AM

I like to get away from the crowds. The trail to Pamelia Lake is awsome..(Mt Jefferson Wilderness)
There is an elk trail that follows Minto Creek up to Bingham Lake in the same area.
I see five to ten large branched elk bulls every time I go up. They jump out on the path in front of you and challange you. It has brookys in the lake.
It's five miles into the wilderness and worth every step.

SilverBullets · 10-10-2008, 08:12 AM

Go To Leavenworth, Wa and head up Icicle Creek road to Snow Lakes parking lot. Then hike up into the Enchantments! This is in a world-renowned basin in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The Elevation gain is 5,400 feet. The top is somewhere between 7,500'-8,000'. Your looking at a good 22 mile round trip. There is a back way in over Asgard Pass, but when I did that route years ago, it was very rough, and had a elevation gain of 2,000' in a mile and a half at the end. You get up to the top quicker by starting off higher. I think that way in was around 8 miles or so. Believe me, you won"t be disappointed!

Irish Pennant · 10-10-2008, 08:36 AM

A local hike is Pup Creek Falls, from Fish Creek parking lot (Clackamas River) trail is accross the street, 3-1/2 miles to the falls 7 miles to Indian Henery. The falls look like a smaller version of Mutnomah Falls but without the developement. Not difficult or technical. Traveled enough that you should keep your dogs on a leash.

Slobes · 10-10-2008, 08:42 AM

John Muir Trail. Goes from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48. Only 211 miles... If you ever have about 3 weeks to burn, I would highly recommend this hike.

laxmike11 · 10-10-2008, 11:02 AM

I kinda like this thread

top hikes-
Eagle cap
Mt Adams ( technicaly a climb but very easy)
south sister
cooper spur
indian heaven wilderness

uhmw · 10-10-2008, 02:55 PM

Washington :
Snow lake -accessable from alpentall ski area. awsome cliff diving and fishing and the veiw is stunning.

Ozett lake to the husky arceological dig( masive artifacts to look at)-the board walk to the beach is stunning through the swampy rain forest and the beach is gorgus the fishing for sea pearch is great off the reefs and those fish frys on the beach allways bring back wounderfull memories of my father and the time and effort he was willing to spend with us.

Flap jack lakes at staircase trail head a rigrous hike but well worth the trek.

Oregon -Pamila lake area to mt jefferson. Wake up at dawn to sumit and you can be back to the lake by the afternoon and marion in spring time with the cascading streams comming down the mountian from the snow pack are a fantastic place for my kids to play build a dam while I fly fish from the pack raft. The fishing was stunning for me this spring all fish were in the 18" range and I caught three different species to fry up on the spot

garyk · 10-10-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El-Kabong

Ruckle Ridge in the Gorge
EK

I rate that one as THE toughest workout trail in the entire Gorge. Even though it doesn't have the elevation gain, I consider it to be much harder than Mt.Defiance.

I think its too risky for dogs so I do Defiance instead.

garyk · 10-10-2008, 04:12 PM

For an uncrowded Gorge hike, check out Nesmith Point. It's got some great views as it winds up the exposed headwall until it tops out on the Benson Plateau, then through the forest for a mile or so until you come to Nesmith Point and an overlook of the Columbia looking westward.

Check the trailbook but I thinks it's right about 10 miles roundtrip.

It's a great trail with water in a couple places for dogs, and you very seldom run into anyone. All the cars at the trailhead are there for the waterfalls a short level walk to the east.

wilsonriverfisher · 10-10-2008, 04:30 PM

Warrior Rock Lighthouse Sauvies Island

Squaw Mountain Lookout outside Estacada

Beacon Rock

my 3 favs

Mike

Michelle K · 10-10-2008, 05:21 PM

I like the Red Lake Trail near Olallie Lake. Bear right at the juction for Olallie Lake Resort and drive along the lake, the trailhead is on the right not far down the road. This area is full of little lakes and ponds-bring mosquito repellent! There are other nice trails in the area too. For a gorgeous view, follow the Pacific Crest Trail north from it's junction with the Red Lake Tail. It will lead you back down to Olallie.

sliverpicker · 10-10-2008, 05:37 PM

Castle Canyon up on Zigzag Mtn behind Rhododendron. Lots of tall rock spires that jut up out of the timber.

Lookout Mtn off Rd 44. Second highest spot in the Mt Hood National Forest overlooking the Badger Creek Wilderness. On a clear day it has commanding views of the east side of Mt Hood and off into the north central Oregon.

Skunked · 10-10-2008, 07:28 PM

Wow, great to see so many responses!
I thought of a few more too

Olympic national park, Hoh beach to neah bay (I only made it to goodman creek)- alternates between walking on the beach and old growth rainforest

Skookum creek (near cougar reservoir) to waldo lake - creeks, lakes, waterfalls and great views

BentMetal · 10-10-2008, 10:36 PM

I mostly day hike (or did before kids came along), and one of my favorite Oregon Hikes that I have done was Kentucky Falls off the North Fork Smith River west of Eugene. Double 100 ft plus waterfalls where the North Fork of the Smith and Kentucky Creek both fall over. We went on a rainy weekend, where the Siuslaw was packed with Steelhead fishermen and running pretty high and cloudy, and those falls were gushing out water. Pretty impressive sight.

DAB · 10-11-2008, 01:32 PM

The one between my easy chair and the fridge.

DAB

Eagle Creek -- Up by Bonnievile Dam

Sweet Melissa · 10-11-2008, 02:28 PM

Drift Creek Falls. Not a long hike, but the expansion bridge at the end is very cool.

Also, the hike up Saddle Mtn. Good memories with that one, as it was the first date my husband and I ever went on.

The Indian Beach trail is another good one.

whtelk · 10-11-2008, 03:17 PM

Donaca lake / chimney peak trail in the middle Santiam wilderness

garyk · 10-11-2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sliverpicker

Castle Canyon up on Zigzag Mtn behind Rhododendron. Lots of tall rock spires that jut up out of the timber. .

Wow, I can't place that one? Not Hunchback Mtn but Zigzag Mtn?

Charlie Storey · 10-11-2008, 07:23 PM

For me its not so much the hike, but the destination. Mt. Jeff. keeps coming up and that's where my favorite hikes/destinations are. Don't know what the situation is since the fire in some of the areas, but here goes.

Canyon Cr. Meadows from Jack Lake trail head.

Jefferson Park from Big Meadows trail head. Got to be the prettiest place on earth right now. A long hike for one day, but I've done it. Not much time to play if you do it in one day.

Eight Lakes Basin. Make the loop from Marion Lake up to the basin. Return to Marion on the other trail (depending on which trail you took to get there). A good day hike
if you arrive at Marion the day before.

Jar Head · 10-11-2008, 07:44 PM

Another vote for Eagle Ck. Trail in the Gorge - especially good during a hard rain - water comes at you from everwhere.

Here's my two current favorite long trails (overnighters):

1. Bailey Range Traverse (mostly unmaintained trail), Olympic National Park

2. Mt. Hopper Way Trail (also unmaintained), Olympic National Park
I have a guide for this trail on youtube - Mt. Hopper Way Trail Guide

sliverpicker · 10-11-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garyk

Wow, I can't place that one? Not Hunchback Mtn but Zigzag Mtn?

You turn left off Hwy 26 by the Rhody store and a road goes back kinda past Joey's Towing. The road winds back thru some cabins. It used to go all the way thru to Lolo Pass Rd., but I think it washed out and never got repaired. The trailhead is marked, or was! It winds up onto Zigzag Mtn on the north side of Hwy 26. Really neat rock formations!

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/u...r/hik_moun.htm

Scroll down and you'll find the Castle Canyon into.

cubsfan · 10-12-2008, 09:21 AM

Triangulation peak is epic on a clear day. McCoy creek road, above Idanha.

laxmike11 · 10-12-2008, 06:16 PM

I posted earlier and i forgot about timberline trail.