Kayaking and Hiking Adventures

Season 6 . Hike # 1 6 Hamilton Mountain Trail, Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls trail map Starting Location: Trailhead parking lot, just up the road across from Beacon Rock. Point of Interest :  waterfalls, forest views Distance : about 2.2 miles up and down. Difficulty : easy to moderate. Some steepness, can be wet, muddy. Bathrooms:  Yes, at parking lot Parking : yes EV Chargers :  no Dogs OK? on leash This trail is just across Hwy 14 from Beacon Rock, and since Beacon Rock is a pretty short hike, we decided to do this trail right after. Really, it was about a 1 minute drive. The trail heads through a forest that was pretty damp from the rain during the night, so there were a few slippery spots, but no real puddles to worry about. Most of our hikers used poles, and those came in handy. I should have brought mine, but I managed fine without them. There were a few spots I missed having them. There are a few old wooden bridges on this hike. I always enjoy them. Th...

  Season 6 . Hike # 1 5 Beacon Rock  Starting Location: Small parking lot off of Hwy 14 Point of Interest :  views of Columbia River, Gorge, Bonneville Dam, interesting trail Distance : about 2 miles up and down. Difficulty : easy to moderate. Trail is pretty easy, but a bit steep in some places, narrow. Bathrooms:  Yes, at parking lot Parking : yes EV Chargers :  no Dogs OK? not sure? I wouldn't take a dog, trail is too narrow. I've seen Beacon Rock every time we drive down the gorge, but today we finally hiked it. We were originally going to kayak/hike Trillium Lake, but the weather was not Lake weather, so we switched it up. There's not a ton of parking here, but due to the weather, and it being a Monday, there was plenty of space. Since the hike goes up this big rock, the leftover inside of a volcano, the sides are a pretty steep drop off. Luckily, there are railings most of the way. The trail was built over 100 years ago, but is still in ver...

  Season 6 . Camping #2 - Hike # 1 4 Salmon Creek Trail #4365 Starting Location:  Salmon Creek Campground, Oakridge (or from Flat Creek Work Center) Point of Interest :  creek, forest Distance : about 6 miles (we did about 4 - 2 out and back) Difficulty : easy to moderate (mud possible) Bathrooms:  Yes, at campground Parking : yes EV Chargers :  no Dogs OK? yes, on leash We spent a few nights camping at Salmon Creek Campground, right by the river with a view of the falls, so we started the hike from the campground. The trail follows the creek most of the way, with lots of little side trails leading to the creek, or large rocks, or even small camping spots with fireplace rings.  It's a pretty hike, easy most of the way on well kept trails. There were a few small muddy spots, but easy enough to step over. Lots of birds, wildflowers and the creek provide entertainment as you walk. We took a small detour to check out this rather large rock sitting a...