Saturday, July 15, 2023 BEAR CANYON SUSPENSION BRIDGE

 Hike to Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge from Orson Smith Trailhead

time started:  6:31 am

hikers:  Mark & Lecia 

elevation gain: 439 feet, probably a little more with the extra loop we did

distance:  2.3 miles according to alltrails.  If that's without the extra loop then we did a little over 2.5 

This was a great time of day to do this hike.  There was plenty of parking and not so many people on the trail.  We started at the Orson Smith Trailhead  and went up to the suspension bridge.  We also did the upper loop which is a less used trail that goes up to a much smaller bridge.  We haven't done this before but it is a great addition to the hike.  It might be a little much for small children but I highly recommend it for anyone else.  

Trailhead

Beginning of the trail.

Warning signs are posted, and yes there are rattlesnakes in the area.  We 

have seen one on the trail but you just keep an eye out and stay away, wait 

for it to leave if you see one. No rattlesnakes today, at least not that we saw.

Keep on, it does get better.  

View of the parking lot, not too crowded this morning.

View of the valley.  You can see the sun is up but the east side of the valley is still in the shade.

On the suspension bridge, looking toward the canyon where you do the loop.

Looking down from the suspension bridge.  It's a long way down!

On to the bear creek bridge.

This is a view of the suspension bridge and the valley from above.

And here we are, the smaller bridge.  It says bear creek 1997.  

Amazing, this is the same creek we looked at from way up high on the suspension bridge!

Looking up the canyon from the bridge at a waterfall.

It is so wooded and beautiful here.

Back down to the Bonneville shoreline trail where 

it splits to go to the bridge or back to the trailhead.

Coming back down.  You can't help but look in the backyards of these pretty homes.  

The sun has been creeping and bringing sunlight to the valley.

2 short hikes on the Oregon Coast

 Tuesday, June 20, 2023

2 short hikes:  

Hug Point & Short Sand Beach, Oswald West State Park

Hikers: Mark & Lecia

Hug Point

After spending some time at Cannon Beach and taking a look at the tide pools by Haystack Rock we headed down the coast to Hug Point.  So named because the stagecoaches used to hug the point at low tide back in the day so they wouldn't be in the water.  

This really wasn't a hike because the parking area is right above the beach and we just walked down some stairs and then we were on the beach! But it was a nice, easy place to explore and we did maybe a half mile walk to see some shallow caves a waterfall, more like a water trickle, and Hug Point! 

 

Down the stairs to the beach.

The caves.

The trickling waterfall.

A little exploring.

Short Sand Beach

This lovely little beach is just a short hike, maybe a half mile, through the forest from the parking lot.  There are a few paths that will take you there. Once you arrive it is a sheltered cove, called Smuggler Cove, and the day we were there we saw surfers and people reading on the beach. It was windy and cool but people were still enjoying it and so did we. The hike was shady and pleasant and not difficult.

It was a beautiful trail.

The logs on the trail we went on made it feel like you were really in the forest.  And we were!

And there's the ocean.

And the surfers.

Beautiful view and beautiful flowers

Ecola Point to Indian Beach + Clatsop Loop Trail

 June 19, 2023

Ecola Point Day Use Area to Indian Beach and Clatsop Loop

hikers:  Mark and Lecia

distance:   7-8 miles

elevation gain:  843 + 784=1627 ft

We started at Ecola Point and hiked 2-2.5 miles to Indian Beach, then went on the clatsop loop trail to the hikers camp, back to Indian Beach, (about 2.5 miles for the loop) and back to Ecola Point.  7-8 miles total in a beautiful sitka spruce old growth forest.

Starting out.

Lots and lots of ferns.

Amazing trees growing out of fallen trees.

A view of Tillamook Light House from the cliffs on the trail.

Mark on the trail.

Indian Beach

us

Hiker's Camp

The forest was beautiful and so was the beach!  It was an awesome hike.

 June 16

Mueller Park Trail

hikers: 9 of us, 4 littles and 5 bigs.

distance:  I really don't know, probably a couple of miles.  One mile there and one mile back.  "There" wasn't a specific place, it is just where we turned around.

Out and back trail.

Interesting fact:  weeks after we did the hike the $25,000 treasure from the Utah Treasure Hunt was found in this area!!!

The was a great hike. It was easy to get to the trailhead, although there isn't a lot of parking, and we parked on the road. Lots of shade and you can go as far or as short as you like.  When the girls got tired we turned around.

The hiking crew!

Here we go.

Grandpa and the boys.

The girls.

A nice spot to rest on the trail.

King of the hike.

Back to the bridge we crossed when we started.

This was really a pleasant hike, easy to get to the trailhead, and it was pretty.

Jungle Trail

 May 23, 2023

Jungle Trail

distance: one mile loop

hikers:  6 littles and 7 adults

We wanted a trail that would be good for this little bunch of grandkids and this was perfect.  Not too far, but far enough, exploring and climbing to make it a fun adventure!

This is the group ready to go!  We started at the Carolina Hills trailhead.

We headed up the Sweet Caroline Trail until we got to the turnoff to the Jungle trail.  This is starting on the Jungle Trail.

Exploring and climbing!  For adventurous kids and adults.

Out of the Jungle and heading down the trail. 

 

Here we are to the bridge, almost back to the trailhead to complete our mile loop.

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

 Bryce Canyon

trail:  Navajo Loop and Peekaboo Loop Trail

hikers:  Seth, Mark, Lecia

distance:  I think it was about 5 miles according to alltrails, with 1407 ft elevation gain, and labeled moderately challenging on alltrails.

It took us  a little longer than 3 hours, which is surprising since alltrails says it an average of 2 hours and 55 minutes and we were not going fast.  Seth could have cruised right along but Mark and I kept the pace a little slower.

We started at Sunset Point on the Navajo Loop Trail.  Bryce Canyon is so uniquely beautiful and  brings back memories of being here as a kid, and bringing my own kids!

Looking out over the canyon from the rim.

Looking up at where he have hiked! 

Looking down, we still have more switchbacks.

And we'll be hiking up this on the way back!

And the famous Wall Street!  

If you want a shorter hike than what we did, Navajo loop is just the thing. Only 1.3 miles round trip but it's all down and then back up, but it's so cool.

We continued on to the Peekaboo Loop.

Notice the horse sign next to the trail marker.  This is the trail they take horse riders on!  

It was actually a long line of horses and riders, not just the few you see here. I am no horse rider but at this point it seemed like a mighty good idea!  Maybe some day.

We went though a little tunnel and you can see Seth on the other side.  Maybe this is where the name Peekaboo loop comes from. ?

The Bryce Point trail would take you out of the canyon but we continued on our loop.

Bryce Canyon hoodoos

Going back up.

We made it!

This was a long and I would consider it a challenging hike because it was up and down and up and down, and most of it is in the sun.  But because of that it was a rewarding hike because I felt like we had accomplished something!

This is a bird we saw near where we parked.   I looked it up and it is a Stellar's jay!