Kayaking and Hiking Adventures

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 harder to spot wildlife. We lifted several of them

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 a view, but I bet it would

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, to the buildings, and then took the trail

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 trails available, but we staye

  Olalla Reservoir Starting Location:  Boat Ramp at Olalla Lake Point of Interest :  lake with wildlife, trail around lake (partial) Bathrooms:  Yes (porta potty) Parking : gravel lot, good size.  EV Chargers : No Rentals: No This was our second time at Olalla Reservoir. Our first time was during the 4th of July weekend, and it had been packed. Today, we were meeting friends, and bringing someone new to kayaking. We had planned to meet after 10am, but learned that the gate to the reservoir was locked, and that a ranger was supposed to unlock it by 11. I was expecting a long line of people waiting, but when we finally got to the gate, there were only 6 cars waiting, and the ranger showed up 10 minutes later, so we didn't wait long. The water level was much lower than in July, and I've heard that it usually gets closed in the fall at some point when the water level is low. However, we were able to get on the lake quickly.  We had borrowed a kayak for our friend new to kayaking, a

  Sahalie Falls and Umbrella Falls Trail Starting Location:   Trailhead at Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot, SE corner Point of Interest  :  Mt. Hood, Sahalie Falls, Umbrella Falls, wildflowers Length of hike:  4.4 Mile loop (can be shorter out and back. Level :  Moderate Bathrooms :  Yes, at Mt. Hood Meadows, and at Elk Meadows trailhead (on the loop) Parking :  Huge parking lot at Mt. Hood Meadows, smaller gravel lot at Elk Meadows ($5 fee or NW Forest Pass) EV Chargers : Yes, at Mt. Hood Meadows We parked near the Ski Lodge at Mt. Hood Meadows to use the restroom, and then walked across the parking lot to the trailhead. Wildflowers greeted us here, and gave a preview of views to come. Umbrella Falls is very close to the parking lot, maybe 1/2 mile at most. A nice wooded bridge crosses the creek, with lots of places for photos. The trail is in good shape, even after some rain. We can't see the mountain today due to clouds and the trees. Sahalie Falls is about a mile away, or a bit mo