Hiking in Oregon: Smith Rock State Park

Monkey Face at Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park is about a half hour north from Bend in Terrebonne, Oregon.  It is most famous for its rock climbing, with the iconic Monkey Face being one of its most challenging and well-known routes.  The park costs $5 per day, and there is a self pay station where you get a ticket to put on the dashboard of your car.  They also have yearly rates – $30 for 12 months and $50 for 24 months.

The trail map for Smith Rock Park is very helpful for planning either hiking or rock climbing routes. We parked our vehicle at the “day use area parking” and took the Chute trail down to the footbridge, then followed the Misery Ridge Trail, did a quick jaunt on the Mesa Verde Trail to get to the Summit Trail, then circled back on the Burma Road Trail to Wolf Tree Trail to complete our loop at the footbridge.  In total, this took us about 2.5 hours, had an elevation change of 1,000 feet and my GPS watch had us at 6.33 miles (see map and charts below).

Misery Ridge trail, as its name alludes to, is very very steep.  However, it is very scenic as you get great views of the river valley below, and the “misery” is well worth the reward once you reach the top.  Near the junction of Misery Ridge trail and Mesa Verde is the famous Monkey Face rock formation, a pinnacle to rock-climbers the world over.  There were a few climbers relaxing and enjoying the view from the top of it when we passed by, and I truly felt awe and amazement at what they had just accomplished.  The Summit Trail took us back down through some private property, and we were surprised by discovering some gorgeous homes nestled into the rocky cliffs just outside the park – I can only imagine waking up to a view like that every morning!  Winding steadily upwards, the trail then brought us to a point where we could look back down into the river valley as the sun was beginning to set.  After that we hoofed it down the wide and gravelled Burma Road Trail where we dodged a small snake on the rocky before finding the junction for the Wolf Tree Trail.

Climbers on top of Monkey Face

We saw a number of signs posted warning of rattlesnakes; despite knowing their presence was a possibility, we still got our nerves a bit rattled towards the end of our hike.  As we made our way down the Wolf Tree Trail, feeling great after so much exercise and pleasant weather, we were jolted to attention by a very distinct rattling noise very close to the trail.  I immediately commenced to do exactly what you shouldn’t – I bolted down the trail without even seeing where the snake was.  Fortunately my ever-calm-cool-and-collected husband had the presence of mind to stop (he was in front of me) and locate the source of the noise, and it was only by my seeing his quick glance to his right that I veered left and avoided running within range of the reptile.  As much as I love nature, snakes scare the s*** out of me, and no convincing, no matter how rational, factual or well-constructed of an argument has ever changed this deep-rooted fear of mine.  Naturally, I was a bit paranoid the rest of the way, but fortunately we only had about 15 minutes to go to complete our loop.

Smith Rock State Park Hiking Loop via GPS

Smith Rock Park Hike Elevation Map

Overall, the hike route we completed was a great combination of challenge and fun, with stunning views as an incredible reward.  The great thing about this park is that you can tailor your hiking route for many different skill levels, ages and time constraints.  We completed this hike in mid-May, and it was quite warm and sunny – I only kept my long-sleeved shirt on to protect myself from getting sunburned, but had I brought sunscreen then a T-shirt or tank and shorts would have been more comfortable.  Hiking boots would be great to have, but a solid pair of sneakers worked just fine in addition to comfortable socks.  Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat and of course a camera to capture the views!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources:

Smith Rock State Park Information

Bend – Outdoor Adventures in Oregon!

Drake Park in downtown Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon is a quintessential town for outdoor adventurers, beer enthusiasts, foodies, and families alike.  It is one of the cleanest, most conscientious and picturesque towns I have been to in the US, and has a unique, thriving downtown with beautiful green space.  The Deschutes river runs right through downtown, hugged by the scenic Drake Park which is dotted with large trees offering shade on sunny days.  A pedestrian bridge spans the river, and in nice weather the park is brimming with people walking dogs, pushing baby strollers, pedaling bikes and just relaxing on the soft grass.  Homes seem well-kept, there are bike lanes everywhere, and drivers are courteous to an almost ridiculous extent.  I even saw a teenager walk down the side-walk, see an empty cup, stop to pick it up and put it in the trashcan.  In some neighborhoods parents walk their kiddies to school each day.  Besides just being a great American town with a neighborly atmosphere, the outdoor activity options are hard to beat.  After spending a week in Bend, here are some of the top things we loved about this town.

View of Mount Bachelor

1. Snow sports.  Mount Bachelor is less than half an hour drive from Bend, and was open through the week we were there (Memorial Day)!  While we didn’t ski or snowboard, this resort is well-known in the area and boasts 7 high-speed quad lifts, 3 triple chair lifts, 88 runs and an elevation change of 3300 ft.

2. Hiking.  Hiking is my absolute favorite activity when I am traveling.  Bend offers a wide variety of places to hike with very diverse landscapes, as it is located in the transition area between the wet mountains and the dry desert.  Here are a few of the hikes we did while in Bend:

– Pilot Butte – A tall hill really, the Butte is right in town, and offers great 360 degree views.  The hike is about a mile to the top; make sure to take the “Nature Trail” otherwise you will be walking on paved path/road.  For those who can’t make the hike or are short on time, you can actually drive to the top.

– Tumalo Falls –  About 20 minutes from town is the Tumalo Falls park.  The falls themselves are almost within view of the parking lot, however the hiking trail follows the river to showcase a number of other waterfalls.  We attempted this hike in mid/late May, and there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground further up the trail.  Instead of completing the loop hike we ended up just doing an out and back.  Cost of the park was $5.

Monkey Face at Smith Rock State Park

– Smith Rock State Park – Most famous for rock climbing, this park is only a half hour drive north of Bend in Terrebone, Oregon and has a network of hiking trails.  Beginners or those looking for a more relaxing walk can hike down in the valley which is flat except for the steep downhill from the parking lot (and uphill on your way out!).  The steepest hikes, while challenging, are well worth the amazing views at the top!  Just beware of rattlesnakes :). 

– Tumalo Mountain Summit – Only a short half hour drive west of town, this is a short but sweet hike with amazing views!

3.  Mountain Biking.  There are many options for mountain biking near Bend.  To rent a bike, Life Cycle Bikes delivers your bike directly to your hotel or wherever you are staying, and is reasonably priced both for the bikes and for drop off or pick up from any of the nearby mountain biking trails.

– Phil’s Trails.  This trail complex is about 4 miles from town in a dry, forested area.  Most of the trails are single track, one-way trails, which makes riding there seem more remote and enjoyable.  My husband and I are only recreational, entry-level mountain bikers, but we found Phil’s trails for the most part to be within our skill level, with the exception of a few rocky, steep sections.  We ended up riding there for about 3 hours, logging a total of 17 miles.  We caught a ride to the trail head from Life Cycle Bikes for $15 (for both of us), and biked back to town in record time as it was almost all downhill on the way back.

– Shevlin Park.  If you have a few hours to kill and a mountain bike available, Shevlin Park is an enjoyable mountain biking excursion 4 miles west of Bend.  The trail, though nothing spectacular, makes a U shape, staying high on the ridge on either side of a river and then descending/ascending mid-way to cross the river via a wooden bridge.  It was not very crowded, and was pleasantly shaded for most of the trail.  I rode in the counter-clockwise direction, and found the first mile or so to be the most challenging (and least shady) as well as the most populated.  I rode to the trail from Bend on my bike,  which I would say was in the easy/moderate category.

4. Dining/Breweries.  There are soooo many restaurants, coffee-houses, breweries and other places to eat and drink in Bend.  Here were some of my favorites:

– La Magie – I was looking one morning for a bakery/coffee-house type place to grab some breakfast and connect to WiFi, and stumbled across this amazing place right in downtown Bend.  It had light, delicious fare, great staff/service, and a very cute atmosphere, including glass mason jars with handles for water, unique colorful one-off mugs and dishware, and interesting decor.  When you walk in, there is a more hidden room back to the right that is fairly quiet, and my favorite spot was the window seat booth.  Also back in that area is a parlour-type sitting room where you can sip your coffee in comfort.

View from nature trail up Pilot Butte

– Deschutes Brewery – This is the most well-known and widely distributed brewery in the area, located right in downtown Bend.  After having tried 5-6 breweries in Bend, this brewery was my favorite for both beer and food.  I also loved their delicious homemade ginger ale (this is the real deal good stuff!).

– Barrio – I kept coming across great reviews online for this restaurant, and the last day we were in Bend we decided to give it a try for lunch.  Long story short, it was amazing and I am still craving their Carnitas tacos, which have pretty much ruined all other tacos for me.

Tumalo Falls

– Sparrow Bakery – Just outside of downtown, this cute little bakery has friendly service and a nice outdoor patio area to enjoy a coffee or some of their delicious baked goods.  My favorite was their specialty Ocean Roll.

– Goody’s Chocolates – If you have a sweet tooth, this chocolate and ice cream shop will hit the mark.  The service was a bit slow in the downtown store when I was there, but it was delicious especially after a long day of biking!

Tumalo Falls Hike

A few other places we tried that were good but didn’t make the top of our top list were:  10 Barrel, McMenamin’s, Cascade Lakes, and Crux which all had decent, solid beer.  I will say that Crux did have an awesome hang out space (indoor and outdoor) as a bonus and was hopping both nights we stopped in.  Growler Phil’s was also a cool spot to fill up a reasonably priced growler if you are planning on enjoying some draft beer for an evening in.  If you are looking for a fancier place to dine,  900 Wall is delicious and is located right in downtown.

As you can tell, we ate and drank a LOT while in Bend – good thing there were so many fun activities to burn off all those calories!  Overall we greatly enjoyed our week spent in this pleasant and beautiful town, and we hope to go back someday!

Resources:

– Phil’s Trails Map

– Smith Rock Trail Map

 

Hiking in Oregon: Tumalo Mountain Summit

Having lived in Virginia for most of my life, it never occurred to me that when we visited Oregon in late May there would still be so much snow on the hiking trails.  Mount Bachelor even had a couple of ski lifts open Memorial Day weekend!  It was fun discovering that in the same day we could have gone hiking or biking in the hot, dry area near Bend, Oregon and then gone skiing just a short half hour drive away!  Just another of many reasons to love Bend.

 

View of Mount Bachelor

About 20 miles west from Bend is Mount Tumalo, which is directly northeast from the Mount Bachelor ski resort.  The summit hike trail is only 1.8 miles (one-way), but it is completely uphill.  The trail loops around the mountain in a steady incline rather than going directly up, so the straight line distance from base to summit is actually closer to 1.2 miles.  While you definitely feel the burn on the way up, it is very rewarding to reach a summit in such a relatively short amount of time (it took us a little over an hour).  The panoramic views at the top are worth every step – you can see not only Mount Bachelor, but also the Sisters and Broken Top in the distance.

 

Map showing Mount Tumalo in relation to Bend, Oregon

GPS Map of our hike.  Note:  We did not follow the official trail as it was covered in snow and there were virtually no trail markers.  Make sure to follow the trail in the snow-free summer months.

Hiking up the snow covered trail

As I mentioned, snow completely covered the trail when we attempted the hike in late May.  As trail markers were lacking, we tracked our progress up the mountain using GPS.  Even without a map or GPS, hiking this trail is relatively simple as heading upward and keeping Mount Bachelor roughly at your back will get you to the top.  The way down is even more simple – it took us only 20 minutes to run/slide through the snow from the summit back down to the base parking lot, all the while just keeping Mount Bachelor in front of us.

All in all the Tumalo Mountain Summit Trail was a very fun, rewarding, convenient and short though semi-challenging hike, and completely worth the stunning views at the top.  Considering the level of snow when we hiked it, I would guess the trail wouldn’t be snow free until July or August.  I would recommend waterproof hiking boots or snow shoes while there is still snow on the trail, and hiking boots or a sturdy pair of tennis shoes in the summer.  If you have hiking poles, they would greatly aid in balance/stability considering the steep incline on the way up and decline on the way down.  As always, make sure to bring water, snacks, clothing layers, sunscreen, and hat.  And of course don’t forget to bring a camera to capture the amazing mountains views from the summit!

Resources:

– http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGW078-070

– http://www.everytrail.com/guide/tumalo-mountain-backcountry-ski

– http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/centraloregon/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=38530&actid=50

 

 

Hiking in Oregon: Canyon Creek Meadows Hike Up Three Fingered Jack

Though I have traveled all up and down the East Coast of the US, and now technically live in the Midwest, this past week has been my very first time exploring out West.  I had looked forward to this trip for a long time, researching various hikes and other activities as I pieced together our itinerary.  As we were flying in to Portland, Oregon and then driving southeast to Bend, the Canyon Creek Meadows hike up the East side of Three Fingered Jack popped up in my research on EveryTrail as being both beautiful and convenient for our travel plans.

Map of hike in relation to Portland and Bend, Oregon

The hike itself is about 7 miles, and is an out & back (with a partial loop) trail in the Deschutes National Forest.  Driving to the trail head on the day of our hike, we realized just how remote the hike actually is.  We took Highway 20 to Forest Road 12, and then Forest Roads 1230 and 1234 which were mostly dirt/gravel roads with lots of ruts, making us feel very thankful for our SUV.  Upon reaching Jack Lake, we parked the car, noting only 1 other car in the parking lot.  The weather had been spotty on our drive in, mostly cloudy with random scatterings of rain and sunshine.

Original Map source: EveryTrail (http://www.everytrail.com/guide/canyon-creek-meadows), edited by Two Toned Travelers

 

Jack Lake

After starting my GPS watch and double checking our daypack for snacks, water, extra clothing layers, and a safety/survival kit, we headed on our way.  The trail went around Jack Lake, a very small but blue body of water surrounded by forest.  The trail was a bit muddy in sections but nothing our waterproof hiking boots couldn’t handle.  Somewhere after the half mile mark, the trail started to be covered by snow.  As there were no visible trail markers after the initial sign pointing left to Canyon Creek Meadows, there were times we weren’t sure if we were on the trail at all, but with my husband’s good sense of direction and consulting the EveryTrail map we would eventually get to spots not covered by snow and were able to verify we were still on track. The forest to our left had been charred by a forest fire, but through the sparse tree trunks and clouds we did catch some nice views.

View of Three Fingered Jack

About a mile in, we lost the trail.  Though we were mostly able to walk on top of the snow, occasionally one of our feet would punch through the hard surface and we realized the snow was about knee-deep and getting deeper.  After further consultation by my husband with our maps and the sun, we did find the trail again, but were met with the snow issues again further along, and this time we lost the trail for good as the whole forest was blanketed in snow.  We tested out a few different routes that seemed like paths through the trees, always marking our route in the snow and with sticks (and knowing we could retrace our footsteps if needed).  The light sporadic rain turned into snow, and we stopped under a tree again to consult.

Though I completely trust my husband and would follow him to the ends of the earth, I also have learned to listen to and voice my instincts, which my husband encourages.  We do a good job balancing each other out and talking through situations to come to a mutual decision.  My husband was fairly sure he could get us back onto the path at some point,  but I was getting quite uneasy being alone in the snowy, remote woods of Oregon trying to find the hiking trail.  In the end, our conclusion after pushing a ways out onto the snow packed trail, was that it was better to be safe than sorry.  As much as I wanted to finish this hike for my own personal satisfaction, the views at the top of Three Fingered Jack, and to share an amazing post and photos with my blog readers :), we decided it would be best to head back.  We turned around and retraced our steps, and as much as our decision felt like defeat, I also was immediately more at ease.

Sometimes hikes do not go as planned, as much as you (desperately!) want them to.  The most important thing is safety and peace of mind, as disappointing as it may be to not achieve your ultimate goal. It is also important to plan ahead in case of emergency.  We had packed extra clothing layers, a small medical kit, a knife, water and extra snacks, and a survival kit that included an emergency blanket, fire starters, and a mirror for signaling.  Though we didn’t (thankfully) need the kit, I was comforted knowing that we had it with us.

Based on our experience, we have the following recommendations for this hike:

– Wear hiking boots (not just tennis shoes)

– Wait to hike it when most of the snow has melted (we attempted this mid/late May, seems late June through September would be best).  If attempting in snowy months I think snow-shoes would be very handy to have, in addition to pulling up the EveryTrail map on your phone beforehand to aid in finding the trail.

– Have a vehicle that can handle bumpy, rutted dirt roads (in order to access the trail at Jack Lake)

– Wear/bring clothing layers, as the weather changed quickly on the mountain

– Bring snacks and plenty of water

The Canyon Creek Meadows hike reminded us to always be prepared, trust our instincts and listen to each other.  Despite not completing it, we still got some wonderful views and photos, and a great overall experience.  There have been a handful of other hikes I have started in the past that I have not been able to complete due to weather or conditions, but instead of letting them nag at me I just tell myself that some day I will go back and complete them. After all, it’s always nice to have a great excuse to go back somewhere!