Season 6. Hike #2 - Luckiamute State Natural Area

Season 6. Hike #2 - Luckiamute State Natural Area

Starting Location: North Trailhead (Trail Map)

Point of Interest : wildlife habitat, hiking
Distance: 4 mile loop with campground trail
Difficulty: Easy. Flat, a bit muddy after rains, but passable
Bathrooms: Permanent bathroom at South end, porta potty at North Trailhead
Parking: small lots
EV Chargers: No


We liked our last hike so much, we came back so we could hike the trail to the rafters' campground, and bring our dog. 

Dogs are permitted off leash, except for nesting times, April - July.


The trail to the campground is wide and flat. There were some puddles, and low areas, but easy to go around. 


The weather was clear and cold. There was still ice on the trail where there was shade.

The campground is mostly a wide open space with a few picnic tables and raised BBQ grills. The ranger mentioned that they bring a porta potty out here for the summer.
It was worth the hike to come out here. If you take a trail  past the campground to the river, you can see where the Santiam River joins the Willamette. This would be a great place for a bench, so you can sit, have a snack and enjoy the view. Maybe in the summer you can just sit on the ground, but it was still too muddy and cold.

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