Kayaking and Hiking Adventures

  Saint Perpetua Trail Trail Map Starting Location:  Cape Perpetua Visitors Center (just South of Devil's Churn) Point of Interest  :   trails for hiking, with views of ocean Length of hike:   2.8 miles from visitor's center to top and back again. Level :  moderate to difficult (mud, some steepness, tree roots) Bathrooms :  Yes, flush toilets at Visitors Center, and at top of Cape Parking :  Large paved lot, EV Chargers: No Just 5 of us on this hike. We hoped that the weather would be okay (which is what our weather apps said...). However, it drizzled much of our hike. We drove to Newport, and took the first picture at Nye Beach, where there are public restrooms. Then on to Cape Perpetua. There was some confusion about where the trailhead was. Since we were coming from the North, we got to Devils Churn first, but we didn't have time to stop, since we were getting a late start. There are 4 trails that begin at the Visitor's Center, which is about 1...

  Tryon Creek State Natural Area  (First Day Hike) Trail Map Starting Location:  parking area by Nature Center Point of Interest  :   trails for hiking, biking, horse Length of hike:   Several trails, we did about 5 miles Level :  easy to moderate (mud, some steepness) Bathrooms :  Yes, flush toilets in Nature Center Parking :  Large paved lot, EV Chargers: No Our second, First Day Hike, this time at Tryon Creek. There were 5 hikes of different lengths and starting times available today, and we chose, of course, the longest and earliest. We had Ranger Nick leading us today, and he stopped occasionally to teach us about this particular forest in general, and a few interesting specifics. Here he is explaining about how loggers would cut holes in the trees for their platforms to stand on while they sawed the tree down. The trails are pretty well maintained, although we did have to step over a few trunks  and branches that had not been ...

  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...