Kayaking and Hiking Adventures

  Minto Brown Park - Salem Downtown Starting Location:  parking area by the Carousel, Riverfront Park. Point of Interest  :   trails for hiking, biking, river Length of hike:   Several trails, we did just over 2 miles Level :  Easy,. mostly paved trails, some gravel, flat Bathrooms :  Yes, flush toilets Parking :  Large paved lot, EV Chargers: No Our main goal on this hike was to get some exercise before going to a local art gallery to check out some are made by one of our hikers. The weather had been rainy all morning, but we showed up in the afternoon, and got lucky. Riverfront Park has some nice sidewalks of its own, along with the Carousel, a playground, and some interesting structures, including the bridge that leads over to Minto Brown Park. There are a lot of trails available, you can pick and choose which ones you want to take depending on how far you want to go.  The park is well used, with joggers, bikers, and just walkers. The trai...

Chehalem Ridge Nature Park trail map Starting Location:  parking area Point of Interest  :   trails for hiking, biking, horses with views Length of hike:   Several trails, we did just over 1 mile Level :  Easy/Moderate - dirt/gravel trail, not too steep Bathrooms :  Yes, flush toilets Parking :  Large paved lot, EV Chargers:   Well, maybe? (Here's a picture of a Nissan Leaf, with their charging cord plugged into a nearby electric box) This Nature site seems pretty new, and has lots of amenities, including bathrooms, paved seating areas, covered areas for picnics or gatherings, and information signs. Plenty of parking for large vehicles with bike racks.  This site also has the best marked trails I have ever seen. Almost every trail junction is clearly marked with names and arrows.  Also, there was a cougar sighting in the area, but over a month ago. We weren't lucky enough to see one. There is a nice view of the valley, but again, th...

Miller Woods Conservation Area Starting Location:  parking area Point of Interest  :   conservation area with information signs Length of hike:   Several trails, up to 4.7 mile loop Level :  Easy/Moderate - dirt/gravel trail, some steep Bathrooms :  Yes, flush toilets with heated bathrooms! Parking :  Large gravel lot in good condition EV Chargers:   No Our second hike of the day. We opted to do part of the Outer Loop, which was just over 2 miles long. The trails are color coded and well marked.  There are a lot of birdhouses all over the area, including along the hikes. This shows a string of birdhouses on posts, and a sign showing what birds you might see. There are lots of benches around the pond area, and quite a few along the trails, to just sit and enjoy the view. The weather was overcast, but the area is beautiful, and the leaves were colorful. There are a series of doors on the ground, where you can lift it and see some of the ha...

Erratic Rock Natural Site Starting Location:  parking area Point of Interest  :   weird rock from a long ways away Length of hike:  .25 mile loop Level :  Easy/Moderate - paved trail, pretty steep for last half Bathrooms :  No Parking :  Small pull out parking on side of road. EV Chargers:   No We were doing several hikes today, so we started with the closest and shortest. There is a sign showing where the trailhead is, and a small pull out area on the side of the road for parking. The trail is paved, with some informational signs. There is a vineyard next door, and a private residence on the other side. The first part of the trail is very flat, but when you turn the corner to go uphill, it's pretty steep. It's a cool rock, but it's not big. Apparently it used to be bigger, but people chipped away parts of it to take home? I think it was worth the short hike, and you learn a little bit about geography. The weather was foggy, so we didn't have...

Fort Hoskins Historical Park   Trail Info Starting Location: Fort Hoskins parking lot (across from bathrooms) Point of Interest  :   views, and local history. Length of hike:  1.8 mile loop Level :  Easy/Moderate - well kept trails Bathrooms :  Yes, nice and clean flush toilets Parking : yes, with overflow for RVs and trailers EV Chargers:   No Fort Hoskins is pretty close to where we live in Dallas, and none of us had ever been here. Only about 45 minutes away. There are historical buildings and informational signs to explain the importance of Fort Hoskins in monitoring the coastal Indian Reservation in 1856. Notice the nice view and weather.  The buildings are in good shape, but not open to the public. There is a reservable picnic shelter that is pretty large, with water and electricity. Although the buildings are locked, you can peek in the windows to get an idea of the layout. This part of the trail we took just went from the parking lot...

Mary's Peak Trail map Starting Location:    Parking lot at top. There are trailheads on the way up. Point of Interest  :   Amazing views of the Coast and Cascade range, Willamette Valley Length of hike:  Summit Loop, 1.5 miles up and back Level :  Easy/Moderate Bathrooms :  Yes, at parking lot Parking : Very large paved lot near the peak. EV Chargers: No We visited Mary's Peak because the weather was so nice, and the coming week was not looking good, and this was a close place to go before the rain. It was a bit hazy, but you can still see the Cascades and the Coast Range. The valley stretches out between, and the views are amazing. There were a decent amount of people here. A few groups of people getting pictures taken, a painter, 2 people in wheelchairs trying to make the summit. There is a gravel road all the way to the top (no vehicles) but it was uneven. Walking was fine. There are hiking trails that start farther down the mountain, and other trai...