Off the Beaten Trail

Mack's Canyon - November 17, 2019 by Matt Reeder

The Deschutes River downstream from Mack’s Canyon.

The Deschutes River downstream from Mack’s Canyon.

Like so much of the Deschutes River canyon, the stretch from Mack’s Canyon down to the lower reaches of the Deschutes River had long intrigued me. Over the years I’ve made it a habit of spending many of my winter days basking in the sunshine in the Deschutes canyon. Due to the long drive and supposed difficult access, I had never hiked Macks Canyon. In the few years before quarantine, I began to feel as though I had been everywhere (which of course is not true)…so I figured it was time to finally start exploring the places I had left unexplored.

I decided to organize a trip to Macks Canyon through the Adventurous Young Mazamas, with whom and for whom I lead hikes in saner times. I wasn’t sure what kind of group I would have who wanted to spend the entire day in a remote corner of the Deschutes canyon, but a lot of people signed up. We ended with a group of 8-9 folks ready to explore.

The drive into Macks Canyon was not nearly as difficult as I had been led to believe. We drove to Sherars Bridge and turned onto the 17 mile gravel road that follows the river north into its terminal canyon. The road was in excellent shape, with only a little rockfall and not too much washboarding. Every mile or two we would pass a campground or day use site, most of which were full of people. So it turns out this canyon is not as remote or little-known as I thought. We didn’t reach the end of the road until about 9:30 AM, but this still left plenty of time to explore. Although we had seen plenty of folks on our drive in, we were the only hikers on the trail.

Shortly after departing from the Macks Canyon Trailhead, we reached our first side canyon. The trail along the Deschutes River here is what remains of a railroad from the early 20th Century. The trestles are long gone, and hiking along this upper stretch requires scrambling down into gullies and then scrambling back out. There are trails through each of the gullies, but they are steep and crumbly. This first one wasn’t so bad:

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Beyond this point, the old rail trail clings to the steep slopes above the river. Lower in the Deschutes Canyon the trail is a gravel road, but up here you’re walking on what’s left of the rail line.

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Here is something you probably did not know about me: when I moved back to Illinois as a teenager, we didn’t have any hiking nearby to keep me distracted. We lived far out in the country, and I didn’t have a car or know how to drive. So instead, I walked the rail line near our house when I wanted to go for a walk. Trains used, and still use the line regularly. But I needed somewhere to walk.

Walking over railroad ties does not bother me in the slightest.

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As we hiked further into the canyon, we passed over railroad ties, climbed over barbwire fence and picked our way in and out of side canyons. About 3 miles back, we passed an absolutely spectacular display of columnar basalt:

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This was a basalt formation worthy of a thousand photos, and I marveled at how I had never seen a photo of it before. In many ways it reminded me of Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, which I visited in 2008 with my friend Amy on my way home from my year in France:

Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, July 2008.

Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, July 2008.

Of course, it would be hard to imagine a place less like Northern Ireland than the Deschutes River canyon.

Anyway: after about 4.5 miles, we reached a rough spot in the canyon, at a deep gully tucked away in a river bend. We could see what appeared to be the end of the maintained trail on the far end of the bend, but it was already well past noon and we needed to turn around. What a wild place this was:

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As we worked our way back upstream towards the trailhead, the daylight waned, presenting us with some wonderful photo opportunities:

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The sun was already setting behind the canyon walls when we neared the trailhead, a reminder that November days are oh so short.

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We reached the trailhead late in the afternoon, where we took a few minutes to explore a little more and bask in the sun. In November, you need to embrace sunny days…it might be a long while until you see another one.

I had grand plans for Mack’s Canyon for 2020, or at least the makings of grand plans. I was thinking about backpacking this canyon on my own in early spring; or I thought about doing this one-way downriver as a shuttle; or perhaps I would just come here and camp by myself for some peace and quiet. Now that COVID-19 has altered our plans, it’s hard to say if I will have that opportunity, even in fall. This would be a great place to socially distance, if you can find it.

When I’m out in a remote canyon somewhere, or out on a rugged ridge in the clouds, I often stop to just take it all in. Months or years later, when I am sitting on my computer at home, those feelings come back to me and I feel an immense gratitude for having had the experience…for having stopped, to appreciate how satisfied I was in the face of overwhelming beauty.

Thank you for reading.

Spring has sprung! by Matt Reeder

It’s been a little bit since I’ve checked in here, because I’ve been out on the trail. What else would you expect? I’ll try to not make it so long the next time.

The spring so far has been marked by some fantastic new hikes as well as return to trips to some old favorites. Most of my hiking, as is usually the case, has been in the Columbia River Gorge. Without a new book to write I have been free to explore to my heart’s desire, and I’ve really tried to seek out the most interesting adventures each time I go out. I’ve been fortunate enough to get out a good amount, as I have many weekdays free for adventure. As luck would have it, I’ve hit the trail for 11 different adventures since the beginning of spring.

They are:

  • March 23 - Catherine Creek and Tracy Hill

  • March 24 - Klickitat River Trail

  • March 27-28 - Blue Pool and Clear Lake

  • March 31 - Deschutes River via Free Bridge Road

  • April 2 - Mitchell Point and Spirit Falls

  • April 9 - Columbia Hills State Park Loop

  • April 12 - Memaloose Hills

  • April 18 - Mosier Plateau, Lost Lake and Punchbowl Falls

  • April 20 - Road’s End and Munson Creek Falls

  • April 25 - Angels Rest and Bridal Veil Falls

  • April 27 - Cottonwood Canyon State Park

May is looking to be a lot of fun and full of lots of new adventures. I can’t wait!

7. Silver Falls Backcountry Loop by Matt Reeder

Distance: 9.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,000 feet
Trailhead elevation: 1,363 feet
Trail high point: 2,374 feet
Season: all year (you may hit snow in winter)
Best: March – May, October - November
Map: follow the park map of the trail system
Pass: State Park Pass ($30 annual, $5 day, purchase on site)
Drivetime from Portland: 80 minutes

Directions:
• From Portland, drive southeast on OR 213 for 30 miles towards Molalla and Silverton. Stay on OR 213, following signs for Silverton.
• In downtown Silverton, turn left on OR 214 and follow signs to Silver Falls State Park a total of 15.7 miles to a four-way junction signed for the South Falls Lodge.
• Turn left instead, onto a road signed for Overnight Facilities and the Campground.
• You will soon arrive at a fee booth. If you do not own the annual State Parks Pass, you can purchase a day pass for $5 at the fee booth.
• Continue straight to a T-junction. Turn left here, following signs for Overnight Facilities and the Conference Center.
• Drive 0.6 mile of paved road to a junction with a gravel road, signed for Howard Creek Horse Camp. Turn left here.
• Drive 0.1 mile to a turnoff for the Howard Creek Trailhead on your left.
• Turn left and drive into the trailhead, where you will find another fee booth should you still need to purchase a pass.


Hike:
Everybody comes to Silver Falls State Park for the waterfalls. Can you blame them? Where else can you find 10 waterfalls in a narrow, verdant canyon so close to civilization? But the Silver Falls canyon is most definitely not off the beaten trail. Most people never visit the trails in the interior of the park, and
that’s a shame! While lacking in waterfalls, the interior of the park is home to impressive stands of ancient forest, woodland wildflowers, nice displays of fall color and the kind of solitude that really speaks to the heart. This lovely loop doesn’t go anywhere – there are no waterfalls, no views and no destination of note – but it does take you deep into the woods, into the solitary backcountry of the park. Even though you’ll
mostly be on abandoned logging roads, you will most definitely be off the beaten trail.



Begin at the Howard Creek Trailhead. From the signboard, walk straight to a junction and turn left. You’ll hike 0.6 mile (ignore signs for the horse camp, which just take you back to the trailhead) to a junction near Howard Creek signed for the Buck Mountain Loop. Turn left and begin hiking north until you reach another
junction at 1 mile. Turn right to stay on the Buck Mountain Loop and begin climbing up into the woods. The trail ascends into deep forest, passing occasional ancient trees that survived the logging prevalent in this area once upon a time. The forest is overwhelmingly green, but never more so than in early spring – the forest comes to life, glowing in the rebirth that spring brings. It will not surprise you to learn that this is an excellent hike on a rainy day.

Deep in the Silver Falls backcountry on a rainy day.

At 2.3 miles, 3.5 miles and 4.7 miles, you will reach junctions that may or may not be well-signed; in all three cases, keep right to continue this loop. You will reach the trail’s high point around the last of these junctions, where you may find snow in the winter months. Once you pass the third junction just after 4.7 miles, the trail begins a gradual descent to a junction at 5.4 miles. Here you keep right again and continue losing elevation to a junction with the Smith Creek Trail at 5.7 miles. Keep right yet again and drop down to a junction at 6.3 miles, where you are at last faced with a decision. The shortest way back to the trailhead would be to keep right again, staying on the Buck Mountain Loop to its end back near where you started; but the prettiest way is left, down into Smith Creek’s canyon. I recommend turning left on the Cutoff Trail. This short trail drops steeply down to a junction near a bridge over Smith Creek, just opposite the Silver Falls Conference Center. At 7.1 miles from the start of your hike, it’s not a bad idea to cross the bridge and
walk into the Conference Center, where you’ll find bathrooms, picnic tables…and people. If you’re not crossing the bridge, keep right here to stay on the loop. Continuing your hike, you’ll follow Howard Creek north, passing several enormous trees along the way, to a reunion with the Buck Mountain Loop at 8.5 miles. Keep left, cross a bridge over Howard Creek and reach a junction. Turn left and hike 0.7 mile to the Howard Creek Trailhead.


24. Deschutes River Trail by Matt Reeder

Distance: 11.2 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 200 feet
Trailhead elevation: 217 feet
Trail high point: 331 feet
Season: January - May, October - December
Best: January - April
Map: none needed
Pass: none ($5 fee if parked overnight)
Drivetime from Portland: 95 minutes

Directions:
• From Portland, drive 75 miles to The Dalles on Interstate 84 and continue another 13 miles to Exit 97.
• Following signs for the Deschutes Recreation Area, leave the freeway at Exit 97 and arrive at a junction.
• Turn left and drive 3 miles to Deschutes State Park.
• Cross the river and turn right into the campground.
• Drive through the campground and park at the south end of the B campground loop, near the camp host and bathrooms. The trail is straight ahead at the end of a grassy field.


Hike: Just 90 minutes from the Portland metro area, the transition from wet Western Oregon to dry, desert-like Eastern Oregon culminates at the mouth of the Deschutes River. Follow an old road and riverside trail up this gorgeous, nearly treeless canyon to a plethora of great campsites and fantastic views of the river. A fire burned this canyon in the summer of 2018 but the vegetation is already returning; in some ways this hike is even prettier now than it was before the fire. Just make sure you avoid this canyon in the summer when it bakes in 100º heat; this is often the hottest place in the state of Oregon.

A snowy Deschutes River canyon, February 2019.

The trail begins on the lawn at the end of the B-Loop in Deschutes State Park Campground. Look for a trail heading upstream that follows the river. Shortly you will reach a junction with a trail darting uphill; this is the way to the road and a possible return trail. Here you are presented with a dilemma; the trail ahead follows the river closely but is in spots poorly defined. The fire cleared much of the brush here, making the trail easier to follow. If you are interested in the most scenic hike, follow the river. You will pass a narrow
spot at about 2 miles, where the trail climbs a bit to avoid a boulder field. Look uphill to an arch on the canyon wall above. At a little over 3 miles, come to the first campsite at Colorado Rapids, complete with a vault toilet. Here the user trail ends, as the canyon narrows upstream; instead follow the access road up to the road bed above. If you’ve arrived here by hiking the road and wish to visit this nice campsite, head downhill on the access road towards the bathroom. If you’re camping, there are plenty of spaces to pitch a tent.

The narrow spot in the Deschutes River canyon about 2 miles from the trailhead.

From here join the road as it climbs above the river next to an incredible basalt cliff. Notice how the rock has formed in numerous strange and phantasmagoric formations, among them a bizarre eye of radiating basalt emanating out of a cave about 30 feet above the road. The canyon here is stunning with basalt cliffs, green treeless slopes and, amazingly, what look like tide pools in the river below. The road parallels the river from this vantage point for a mile before opening back up again into the sunshine. At 5.6 miles from the trailhead you will come to an open spot. Until the 2018 fire, an abandoned wooden boxcar stood here, just off the trail to your right. This is still the recommended turnaround spot, but it isn’t as exciting now that the boxcar is gone. Maybe some day Oregon State Parks will see fit to place another boxcar or some sort of memorial here; we can all hope. Return the way you came.

In memorium: The Deschutes River Trail boxcar, January 2018. The boxcar burned in the Substation Fire during the summer of 2018.