Old Growth Ridge Trail: Hwy 126

Old growth trees, fall color, a scenic drive, and hiking in an unexplored area are what drew us to the Old Growth Ridge Trail a couple weeks ago. Have you heard of Old Growth Ridge? The trail head is located in the Whittaker Creek Campground not far off Highway 126 (roughly half way between Eugene and …

Diamond Creek Falls

I keep a mental list of hikes I'd like to do and places I'd like to see, some day. Over the years, I am slowly making my way through the list (though I am also adding to the list so I'll never see or do them all!). The trail to Diamond Creek Falls was on that …

Shotgun Creek: Marcola

Shotgun creek flows southeast into the Mohawk Valley, not far from the town of Marcola. As the story goes, one day many, many, many years ago, a young man was out hunting and forgot his shotgun along a creek. He had to go back to get it, thus giving this creek its name. Fast forward …

Loon Lake: Hwy 38

Loon Lake sits off of Highway 38, between Reedsport and Elkton. For many years as a young child, I traveled that road with my family while my Dad fished out of Winchester Bay. And for all those years, the turn off to Loon Lake has intrigued me. Several years ago, my partner and I pulled …

Garden Lake Park

I know you've seen Garden Lake Park, but have you been there? Located along the freeway between the Creswell overpass and Hobby Field (the Creswell Airport), Garden Lake Park is easily visible while driving north on I-5. I had been there once, many years ago, when we first bought our canoe. On that trip, we …

Finley Never Disappoints

  One winter, many years ago, I was up on the OSU campus in Corvallis. I'd just gotten into my car and was starting to head home when a humongous flock of Canada geese flew over head. In awe, I pulled my car over, rolled down my windows and watched. I had never seen so …

Susan Creek Falls: Hwy 138

Heading east from Roseburg, waterfalls dot Highway 138 and the North Umpqua River. Personally, I think the road from Glide to Diamond Lake should be called the "waterfall highway." As an extra bonus, the hikes into many of these waterfalls are relatively short and the trailheads are easy to get to. A couple weeks ago, …

Easy Rider

Earlier this summer, we pulled our bikes out of a back corner of our garage, dusted them off, and hauled them down to Rainy Peak Bike Shop for maintenance. With the sun shining beautifully last weekend, we packed a couple PB&J sandwiches and hit the Row River Trail. My goal for this trip was a …

Signs, signs, everywhere

It's been fun this spring and summer to see all the new signs that have been appearing around Cottage Grove. As someone who loves to be outdoors, and loves learning about history and nature, I've enjoyed discovering these signs as we've been out and about.   I blogged last fall about the History Here posters …

Just. Let. Go.

Typically, I like to keep both of my feet firmly on the ground. Yet, earlier this spring when a friend asked if I wanted to join her ziplining I didn't hesitate to say yes. There is something about flying through the trees that seems so appealing, how could I say No? Our adventure started on a …