Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: Portland/Vancouver - Douglas Lorain - Страница 26
ОглавлениеTRIP 11 Upper Wilson River Trail
| Distance | 3.4 miles, Point-to-point | |
| Elevation Gain | 700 feet | |
| Hiking Time | 1½ hours | |
| Optional Map | Tillamook State Forest | |
| Usually Open | All year (except during winter storms) | |
| Best Times | April to June and mid- to late October | |
| Trail Use | Dogs OK, mountain biking | |
| Agency | Forest Grove District, Tillamook State Forest | |
| Difficulty | Moderate | |
| Note | Good in cloudy weather |
HIGHLIGHTS This path provides a welcome link allowing hikers to make a challenging loop hike that connects Kings and Elk mountains (Trips 10 and 12). As a separate hike, this lower-elevation trail is a pleasant leg-stretcher with attractive forests, several splashing creeks, and some nice viewpoints. Since it is at such a low elevation, this trail provides a nice alternative for hikers looking for a scenic place to walk in early spring or even midwinter, although the path will be muddy then.
To do this hike as a one-way trip, it is better to begin from Elk Creek, as that involves a total elevation loss of about 400 feet. As part of the Kings and Elk mountains loop trip, however, it is more likely that you will do this trail from the Kings Mountain end, so that is the way it is described here.
DIRECTIONS Drive west on State Highway 6 toward Tillamook. Near milepost 25, look for the brown sign with the hiker on it and the parking lot for the Kings Mountain Trailhead on the right. For the upper trailhead at Elk Creek, turn north off Highway 6 near milepost 28 and drive the gravel access road to Elk Creek Campground for 0.3 mile to its end just beyond a bridge over Elk Creek.
The Kings Mountain Trail begins in a lush forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and red alder most of whose branches are covered with hanging mosses. Just 0.1 mile from the start is a junction. The Kings Mountain Trail veers off to the left, while the Wilson River Trail goes to the right.
The trail almost immediately hops over a small creek and then begins the gentle ascent that will dominate the entire route. An abundance of vine maple in the understory makes this section particularly attractive in mid- to late October. The path goes around the south side of a small pond and marshy area and then crosses the outlet creek for the marsh.
As you hike you will probably see the knobby tire tracks of mountain bikes and the paired crescents of deer hooves. You may also see the makers of these tracks, the former more common on weekends, the latter on quiet weekdays. As for sounds, in addition to birds and wind in the trees, you will often hear traffic on Highway 6 to the right, but the noise is never terribly intrusive.
Beyond the pond you make an extended contour of a forested hillside above the road and then dip into a canyon to cross a jeep road and rock hop across good-sized Dog Creek. Two switchbacks and more climbing now lead you to a rocky, open hillside above the highway. As you hike, keep an eye out for large, old stumps, many still showing that loggers cut slots for springboards. The daring woodsmen then stood on the precarious springboards so they could cut higher on the tree trunk.
The rest of this easy trail alternates between forested hillsides overlooking the road and small side canyons with trickling creeks that provide opportunities to cool off by dunking your head. The trail ends with a short climb to a saddle where there is a poorly marked junction with the Elk Mountain Trail. You continue straight and drop a few hundred yards to the Elk Creek Trailhead.
