Gnat Creek Trail

It's a new year, time for some new trails!  Early in January I decided to jump right into my 2022 hiking challenge and tackle a "new to me" trail in the northern Oregon Coast Range.  I'd read about the Gnat Creek Trail some time ago and bookmarked it as a possible future hike.  Heavy rains during the past week had flooded the coast, brought high avalanche danger to the mountains, and produced landslides in the Gorge.  The Coast Range appeared to be the only safe place to hike that weekend.  So I invited my friend Catherine and her daughter to join me for an exploration of the Gnat Creek Trail.

The beauty began almost immediately

It was an extremely cold and frosty morning.   Driving highway 30 to the trailhead I had to slow down several times, not only for ice on the roadway, but also due to a huge fog bank enveloping everything, that severely reduced visibility.  After an hour and a half of fighting fog and ice on that winding highway, we finally arrived at the trailhead.

Dense, dark forest

The parking area was just a wide spot in the road.  Most of the vehicles parked here were large trucks belonging to fisherman.  We only noticed one other car where the occupants were grabbing backpacks instead of fishing rods.  Starting up the trail, my friends and I immediately put our best limbo moves to use navigating a bunch of blow-down trees. 

Last leaf

The first part of the Gnat Creek Trail wound through a wonderful mossy forest with some huge fir trees.  Catherine and I oohed and aahed over the long trains of moss dripping from the branches.  Although all that dense vegetation made the forest very dark, a tiny shaft of sunlight managed to make it through and lit up a small sliver of the moss beautifully.

Can you spot the fisherman?

We hadn't traveled far when we met up with our first group of fishermen.  Four young guys, all carrying long poles, were scouting for the best route down to Gnat Creek, which was well below the trail at that point.  Catherine couldn't help but notice one of the men was also carrying a six-pack of beer.  (Gotta stay hydrated I guess!) 

Ferns a-plenty

A few more fisherman passed us on the trail and educated us on what they were up to.  My friends and I learned that Gnat Creek is a popular place for steelhead fishing.  As we sauntered further along the trail began to descend to water level, and we spotted a few men (no women today) standing on the gravel bank, poles at the ready.

Sunlight trying to shine through the forest

The first part of the Gnat Creek trail was spectacular!  This forest was stunning, with it's tall mossy trees, green ferns, and occasional sunbursts shining through.

Catherine admiring the creek

Our trail finally dropped enough elevation to put us close to creek level.  The previous week's heavy rainfall had Gnat Creek running full and fast.  The current was moving so rapidly Catherine and I wondered aloud how any fish could linger long enough to get caught in a fisherman's line.

Gnat Creek was especially beautiful here

Adjacent to the creek bank here the trees were absolutely coated in moss.  Trunks, branches, everything!  The long mossy branches kind of looked like spooky arms, waiting to grab an unsuspecting hiker.

Moss was plentiful here!

The trail rambled through the woods for a little over a mile before emerging onto the side of Highway 30.  Continuing the trail required my friends and I to scramble across this busy highway.  We waited several minutes for a large gap in traffic before quickly darting to the other side.

Walking through the green tunnel

Now safely on the opposite side of the road, my companions and I made our way through a short segment of trail before emerging onto the grounds of the Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery.  The first thing we noticed was a huge woodpile adjacent to the caretaker's house.  It was so impressive I almost took a picture of it - but then I realized maybe I shouldn't be taking photos of someone's home.

Enjoying a peaceful moment along the creek

There were many large concrete tanks full of young fish (salmon we guessed).  The three of us stood at the railings and watched huge schools of fingerlings zip about.  Once those fish saw our shadows though, they immediately swam en masse to the other side of the pool. 

Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery

Just before arriving at the fish hatchery, my companions and I were getting hungry and discussing where we'd stop for lunch.  As luck would have it, the hatchery had a covered area with several picnic tables.  Perfect!  Instead of sitting on the forest floor or balancing on a tree stump, we enjoyed a nice break with dry seats and a proper table.

More views of Gnat Creek

Our trail made a loop around the fish hatchery, so we had our choice of which route to take.  Since both paths converged at the Upper Gnat Creek Trail, we randomly chose the left branch.  It was a good pick - this route followed Gnat Creek through more huge, mossy, grand forests.  There were even small signs for a nature trail (although we didn't read many of them).

Creek overlook in mossy, old-growth forest

Under a canopy of giant old-growth trees we came upon a nice overlook of Gnat Creek.  A good place for photo ops!

Gnat Creek was absolutely roaring!

Bursting with rainfall from last week's storms, Gnat Creek was absolutely roaring!

Long, mossy tree limbs

The last part of the "left hand" trail branch wandered through more mossy goodness.  My camera was kept busy here!

Trailhead to Upper Gnat Creek

But finally we reunited with the right hand trail branch and entered the Upper portion of Gnat Creek Trail.  This point was announced by a funky trail sign that looked straight out of the 70's.

What do I spy that behind the trees?

As we passed by the beginning of the Upper Gnat Creek Trail, my friends and I spied something up on the hillside, behind a bunch of trees.  What was that?

Sasquatch dropped by to say "hi"

Well, what do we have here?  It was Sasquatch himself, dropping by to say hi!  My friends and I had a big chuckle over the large wooden cutout.  It seemed the trail makers had a sense of humor!

Follow the sunburst

Beyond the Sasquatch encounter we rambled through more mossy, ferny woods, up and down hills and through small drainages, always Gnat Creek rushing down below.

Premature trail's end thanks to a washout

The total length of this trail was supposed to be four miles, for a total of eight miles out and back.  However, one group of hikers we met on their return trip warned us that the trail was washed out about a half mile short of it's terminus.  Sure enough, as the trail approached Gnat Creek, we saw a bunch of downed trees and a huge crater where the tread used to be.  It looked impassible, and none of us wanted to risk crossing to find out, so my friends and I decided this would be our day's turn-around point.

Negotiating a patch of blow-down

Back we went, retracing our steps through the forest, saying "hello" to Sasquatch once again.  Through the fish hatchery grounds, and dashing across highway 30 for a second time.  The lower part of the trail after the roadway crossing had lots of blown down trees to navigate, which now that we were tired from hiking all day, seemed like much more of a chore to traverse.  But we successfully wiggled around all the downed trees and tromped back through the thick forest.

Old mossy tree stump

In the final mile, a bright afternoon sun illuminated the forest.  This light was so nice I couldn't resist just a few more photos breaks to capture it's beauty.

Lovely afternoon light on the forest

Despite its premature ending, I was mighty impressed with the Gnat Creek Trail.  I absolutely loved the dense, mossy coastal forests here.  There were lots of interesting things to see - the fish hatchery, the nature trail, Sasquatch, and of course Gnat Creek itself.  I can't wait for a return trip once the washout is fixed so I can experience the full length of this trail.  I definitely will be back.

Another great day in the woods!

Saddle Mountain, Revisited

Saddle Mountain is the highest point of Oregon's northern coast range.  A mere 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, views stretch for miles from it's prominent summit.  But this peak's claim to fame isn't the views - it's the fabulous flower-filled meadows that line Saddle Mountain's grassy slopes, erupting into bloom during the months of May and June. 

Foggy, spooky coastal forest near the trailhead

The last time I'd hiked Saddle Mountain was back in June 2015.  Although the wildflowers at the time put on the best display ever, this particular trip was notorious because I injured my foot on the descent.  Two pins placed in my big toe joint from a recent bunion surgery decided they needed to push their way out - immediately.  Five days later I ended up in the doctor's office enduring an emergency procedure to have them removed.  Needless to say this incident curtailed my hiking for most of the summer.  I think the bad memories from that day explain my 6-year absence.  

Finally above the fog!

Another reason for the long stretch between visits - Covid.  Saddle Mountain and the surrounding forest are owned by the Oregon State Parks Department.  Back in April 2020, when the virus was just getting started, the state of Oregon closed all of it's state parks.  Saddle Mountain was one of the last state parks to reopen.  It remained closed throughout all of 2020 and had only reopened about a month before my hike in mid-May.

Chocolate tiger lily

So you could say my revisit to Saddle Mountain was long overdue.  When I heard the trail had finally reopened I decided to run up there on a weekday - not only to avoid the crowds, but because I'm retired now and can hike any day I want!

Wild iris

Although skies were sunny in Portland, by the time I'd driven west to Saddle Mountain I found it's lower base cloaked in a thick fog.  Made the mossy old-growth forests near the trailhead look downright spooky.

Indian Paintbrush

However this hike is known for it's steep trail - 1650 feet of elevation gain in 2.5 miles.  Zig-zagging through the lower forests, it didn't take long for me to climb high enough to get above the fog bank.

Another shot of the spectacular fog-filled valley

At one of the first open areas, I gazed at the spectacular sight of fog-filled valleys below.  Nearby Humbug Mountain poked it's summit through the cloudy obstruction.

Prominent rock about halfway 

About halfway up to the first summit, I made a brief photo stop at a prominent rock outcropping.  Although it obscured most of the lower views, the fog layer did add some drama to this image.

Fairy lanterns

The Oregon State Parks website explains that Saddle Mountain was formed when a huge lava flow of Columbia River basalt touched the sea.  Steam explosions from the hot rock hitting the water broke the rock into fragments.  This action created thin, rocky soil at high elevations.  These unique soils support the abundant wildflower meadows on top of Saddle Mountain.  It is believed Saddle Mountain served as a refuge for many plant species during the last Ice Age.

I enjoyed the foggy views below

Some of the rarest and oldest species of wildflowers, lichens and moss can be found atop Saddle Mountain.  A few of the rare flowers are found nowhere else.  One, the early blue violet, is the main food source for the threatened silverspot butterfly.

Flowers and fog

Because of the many rare flora and fauna found here, Saddle Mountain has the designation of not only a State Park but a State Natural Area.  This classification designates the highest level of protection to the mountain and it's environs.

Colorful flower field

I was appreciative of everything Oregon State parks has done to protect this unique habitat as I passed through an open grassy slope chock-full of chocolate tiger lilies, and then further down the trail another colorful meadow sporting orange Indian paintbrush and yellow flowers.  Although I spotted many wildflowers in bloom, things were just getting started.  I was too early for the main flower show - it usually doesn't occur until mid-June. 

Dramatic overlook 

Saddle Mountain has two distinct summits, with a curving saddle-like slope between the two (hence, how Saddle Mountain got it's name).  

The view behind me

The saddle area is a huge grassy meadow, with tremendous views.  Even with today's fog settling in the mountain valleys it was still an impressive sight.  A ridge jutting out from the main trail creates a dramatic overlook.  

Tiny figures on an overlook

Normally I'll walk down to the end of the ridge for the great photo ops.  However, today the narrow ridge trail already had a group on it, so I stayed away.  The people did give scale to the knife edge and made for a neat perspective.  However, when I zoomed in on the people in the photo, I was disappointed to see instead of taking in the fantastic views, nearly all of them were on their phones!

The last half mile is steep!

Past the saddle the real climbing begins!  A steep trails winds up the side of Saddle Mountain's second summit.

Much of the trail is covered in chicken wire to prevent more erosion

Because of steepness and overuse, many parts of this trail have been reconstructed with chicken wire tread.  Not the greatest to walk over, but I understand why this material was used.  The crumbly rock soil doesn't hold up well to thousands of visitors footsteps tramping up and down this fragile surface. The chicken wire adds stability and durability to this wildly popular trail. 

Mt. St Helens and Mt. Adams views

The final summit push is always the hardest part of this hike.  Gasping, I plodded along, making frequent stops to photograph the few flowers that were blooming (the main show in the summit meadows doesn't occur until mid-June).  Nearby Cascade mountains can also be seen from Saddle Mountain's summit and I was happy to spot Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams, their white-capped peaks poking out of the fog.

Looking back down Saddle Mountain's slopes

After slogging the final hundred feet on loose, crumbly soil I was never so happy to reach Saddle Mountain's lofty summit!  The thick fog prevented any ocean views, but after snapping a few quick photos, I was ready to just rest and eat lunch.

The summit is in sight!

The only place to sit is a three-sided bench at one end of the summit proper.  Lucky for me, a group was just leaving, so I quickly plopped myself on one of the three boards.

Cloud-filled valley views from the summit

I'd been leap-frogging a group of four older ladies all morning.  After I sat down on the summit bench, I noticed them approaching.  Since there was still plenty of seating, after announcing I'd been vaccinated, I invited the ladies to join me.  They ended up being great company.  All the women were well over 70 - but still went on backpacking and ski trips together and had plans to visit all of the National Parks in the US.  When one lady mentioned their plans included visiting South Dakota later in the summer, I gave them lots of information about the Black Hills and Badlands National Park.

Orange Indian Paintbrush

What wonderful company to spend lunchtime with!  Those ladies were great role models for someone like me, for my goal is to keep hiking and skiing well into my 70s and beyond.  When everyone had finally consumed their food and readied themselves for the hike down, I was sad to see them go.

Violets

Although the hike up I'd concentrated on wide scenic views, for the return trip I decided my focus would be the different wildflower species.  Slipping on my macro lens I slowly made my way back downhill over the loose scree.  

This unique bloom is called "Prairie Smoke"

There were only a few types of wildflowers in bloom on the upper summit meadows.  But I was able to find a couple of interesting specimens.  This unique maroon-colored flower called "prairie smoke" was one of my favorites.

Phlox

There were a few small patches of delicate, purple phlox blooms.

Fawn lily

In the woods between the saddle and the upper summit, dozens of pink fawn lilies bloomed profusely.

Salmonberry bloom

I loved this shot of a rose-colored salmonberry bloom.  I think this was my favorite image from the entire day.

Monkeyflowers

Where there's a trickle of water, monkeyflowers can be found.  On the wet slopes of some of the steeper trail tread, I found a few hardy yellow blooms.

Chocolate tiger lilies from the large bloom

I spend a little extra time at the lower meadow with all the chocolate tiger lilies.  One of my favorite wildflowers, I wanted to capture as many of the blooms as I could.

Another chocolate tiger lily

I'm not the slowest hiker - but my extended trailside photography sessions sure don't make me the speediest!  

Looking back down into the foggy forest

But that's not why I hike.  I'm not out to break any land speed records.  I walk in nature deliberately to fully appreciate all the beauty I see.  As John Muir famously once said - "People ought to saunter in the mountains, not hike!"  I totally agree!

It was a great day to saunter up Saddle Mountain and reacquaint myself with the mountain's lovely scenery after so many years.

My 2015 blog post about Saddle Mountain can be found here.