| Lookout Creek Date - 10/5/2007 Length - 7 miles Location - Northeast of Blue River, OR |
In 2007 fall arrived overnight in Oregon as a
series of early season storms spawned by low
pressure systems moving in from the Pacific
brought significant amounts of rain to the
western Cascades. On the first Saturday of
October it was too wet to bike and too dry to
paddle, so Michelle and I headed deep into the
foothills of the Cascades for a hike through the
magnificent old growth groves that remain along
Lookout Creek.
Our 7 mile loop hike started around 2,400 feet
above sea level and climbed to 3,500 feet along
a twisting path through forests full of enormous
Douglas Fir and Cedar trees. The return hike
followed Forest Service Road 1506 back
downhill to the truck. Along the way we were
treated to a spectacular ancient forest, deep
carpets of moss, thousands of mushrooms, a
gurgling creek, and only an occasional shower
or two. Although temperatures probably only
topped out around 50 degrees, hiking along the
rough trail kept us plenty warm.
series of early season storms spawned by low
pressure systems moving in from the Pacific
brought significant amounts of rain to the
western Cascades. On the first Saturday of
October it was too wet to bike and too dry to
paddle, so Michelle and I headed deep into the
foothills of the Cascades for a hike through the
magnificent old growth groves that remain along
Lookout Creek.
Our 7 mile loop hike started around 2,400 feet
above sea level and climbed to 3,500 feet along
a twisting path through forests full of enormous
Douglas Fir and Cedar trees. The return hike
followed Forest Service Road 1506 back
downhill to the truck. Along the way we were
treated to a spectacular ancient forest, deep
carpets of moss, thousands of mushrooms, a
gurgling creek, and only an occasional shower
or two. Although temperatures probably only
topped out around 50 degrees, hiking along the
rough trail kept us plenty warm.
The Lookout Creek Trail starts just past the junction of roads 1506 and 350
about 15 miles north of the small community of Blue River. The narrow paths
descends somewhat steeply for a quarter mile into the lush valley of Lookout
Creek. At the bottom of the hill hikers walk under a few huge fallen fir trees
and quickly cross the small creek on bridge made from a treed dropped for
this purpose.
On the far side of the creek the path switchbacks up a steep hill and climbs
steadily above the river, all the while passing close to old growth Douglas Fir
trees. Some of these trees are over seven feet in diameter and reach heights
of 300 feet, making them some of the tallest trees in Oregon and the world.
These Douglas Firs grow completely straight, often for a hundred feet or
more, before the lower branches of their crowns start to spread out. For the
first mile and a half the trail runs through these giants while continuously
climbing in steep pitches mixed with level sections. Douglas Fir are
notoriously fast growing, but many of the biggest trees are over 700 years old.
The largest trees are spread out with a mixture of smaller and younger trees
growing up in patches seen where old trees fell and opened the canopy. It is
not hard to miss the fact that the forest is covered with fallen trees in varying
states of decay. Many of the fallen trees provide prime habitat for the growth
of young Douglas Fir. These "nurse logs" return their nutrients contained in
their wood to the young trees that end up literally growing on top of them.
Fallen timbers are not the only dead wood in the forest, in fact many dead
tress, called snags, tower hundreds of feet in the air. Often the massive
trunks of these snags remain standing long after the upper parts rotted out
and fell, or were snapped off in wind storms. Instead of the forest being a
constant tract of huge trees, it is a mixture of many types of vegetation,
although in certain places groves of particularly large trees are concentrated.
In several places it was possible to get an open view of the Firs and see the
full extent of their height.
The forests contain lots of interesting things other than the huge trees. The
understory consists of shade tolerant Western Hemlock and Yew trees.
Below these smaller trees are mats of dense moss, millions of ferns, and
many mushrooms. We saw more kinds of fungus than I had ever seen on a
hike, but the most common were the orange Jack o Lantern, a delicate
orange growth that resembles coral, and the large and grotesque looking
Lobster Mushroom. Lobster Mushrooms are apparently considered a
delicacy, tasting vaguely of fish or lobster, their life story is remarkable. This
fungus actually parasitizes two strains of other mushrooms that are edible but
non flavorful. As the parasitic fungus grows it distorts the shape of the host
mushroom to make the cup shaped cone with a vibrant red shell that is
supposed to be delicious.
about 15 miles north of the small community of Blue River. The narrow paths
descends somewhat steeply for a quarter mile into the lush valley of Lookout
Creek. At the bottom of the hill hikers walk under a few huge fallen fir trees
and quickly cross the small creek on bridge made from a treed dropped for
this purpose.
On the far side of the creek the path switchbacks up a steep hill and climbs
steadily above the river, all the while passing close to old growth Douglas Fir
trees. Some of these trees are over seven feet in diameter and reach heights
of 300 feet, making them some of the tallest trees in Oregon and the world.
These Douglas Firs grow completely straight, often for a hundred feet or
more, before the lower branches of their crowns start to spread out. For the
first mile and a half the trail runs through these giants while continuously
climbing in steep pitches mixed with level sections. Douglas Fir are
notoriously fast growing, but many of the biggest trees are over 700 years old.
The largest trees are spread out with a mixture of smaller and younger trees
growing up in patches seen where old trees fell and opened the canopy. It is
not hard to miss the fact that the forest is covered with fallen trees in varying
states of decay. Many of the fallen trees provide prime habitat for the growth
of young Douglas Fir. These "nurse logs" return their nutrients contained in
their wood to the young trees that end up literally growing on top of them.
Fallen timbers are not the only dead wood in the forest, in fact many dead
tress, called snags, tower hundreds of feet in the air. Often the massive
trunks of these snags remain standing long after the upper parts rotted out
and fell, or were snapped off in wind storms. Instead of the forest being a
constant tract of huge trees, it is a mixture of many types of vegetation,
although in certain places groves of particularly large trees are concentrated.
In several places it was possible to get an open view of the Firs and see the
full extent of their height.
The forests contain lots of interesting things other than the huge trees. The
understory consists of shade tolerant Western Hemlock and Yew trees.
Below these smaller trees are mats of dense moss, millions of ferns, and
many mushrooms. We saw more kinds of fungus than I had ever seen on a
hike, but the most common were the orange Jack o Lantern, a delicate
orange growth that resembles coral, and the large and grotesque looking
Lobster Mushroom. Lobster Mushrooms are apparently considered a
delicacy, tasting vaguely of fish or lobster, their life story is remarkable. This
fungus actually parasitizes two strains of other mushrooms that are edible but
non flavorful. As the parasitic fungus grows it distorts the shape of the host
mushroom to make the cup shaped cone with a vibrant red shell that is
supposed to be delicious.
We collected about 5 of these huge mushrooms, and while I was certain of
their identity decided to toss them when I read that in very rare cases it is
possible for the Lobster Mushroom to have parastized a mildly poisonous
host mushroom. Only later did I find out that local mushroom buyers selling
to restaurants and grocery stores often pay up to $20.00 a pound for this
colorful fungus.
As the trail continued it grew rougher and steeper in places as it wound its
way past a series of rock outcrops well above the creek bottom several
hundred feet below. After passing through a stretch of younger trees we
entered another impressive grove of huge Douglas Firs and Equally
impressive Western Red Cedars. The stringy bark of the Cedar trees was
amazing and their wide trunks fanned out the base to resemble the foot of an
elephant. Only when you enter one of these ancient forests are you able to
start to understand why these are the most productive ecosystems in the
world. While tropical rain forests have a much higher diversity of species
living in them, the temperature old growth forests of the northwest contain
more biomass per acre than any other living system on the planet. Life is
everywhere, and while we were treated to a surprisingly vibrant display of
foliage from the deciduous undergrowth, the primary color in these forests is
most definitely green.
As we climbed the air cooled and we caught a glimpse of a ridge a few
hundred feet above us on the other side of the valley that was dusted with
snow. The previous weeks storms dropped up to a foot of snow above 5,000
feet and it looked like some persisted even at much lower elevations. So far
it looked as though the reports of a long, cold, and wet winter were shaping
up to be true. Luckily, the showers and rain held off for all but a few minutes
during our hike and we really had great fall weather for the walk.
Soon the trail dropped one final tie down to Lookout Creek, crossed it on a
new looking bridge, and entered one last stand of stunningly huge Douglas
Firs. Some of the biggest trees of the hike were in this stand and we enjoyed
them all as we climbed a hundred feet or so to the trails upper end along the
road we had driven in on. Michelle and I had spent so much time exploring
and walking up the trail that we decided to hike back down the gravel road to
my truck to save time and enjoy the more open views that it provided. For
the most part huge trees also lone the road, but the even grade and constant
descent allowed us to make excellent time. Fall was in the air and we
enjoyed snacking on apples and crackers while walking at a good clip back
down the mountain. On the way we saw a spot where seven or eight very
large deer or elk had bedded down in the ferns alongside the road very
recently. With so many game animals and so few people in this area it is
likely that these woods harbor a healthy population of mountain lions. In fact,
on a previous hike in higher in this drainage last year we spotted many lion
tracks around the snow line.
The Lookout Creek Trail is a great hike located fairly close to Eugene. This
area will hopefully be preserved indefinitely as it is part of the Andrews
Experimental Forest, a tract of land extensively studied by students and
professors from Oregon State University. The sheer size and numbers of
enormous trees along this trail and the natural state of the woods makes it a
prime hiking destination. The shirt distance is deceiving and while we walked
exceptionally slow on the way out even people hiking at a quick pace should
allow two hours to negotiate the 3.5 miles of trail when traveling in the uphill
direction. Many steep ups and downs, stream crossing, and twisting trail
makes progress lower than you would assume. Also, there are more than
enough incredible things to see that most people will probably want to take
their time and enjoy the sights. We walked at a steady pace back down the
road without rushing and completed the return walk in just over an hour.
In the summer time this hike is close enough to several other nice walks that
it could be part of a tour of the area. With the shorter fall day we had
Michelle and I were happy to crank up the heater in my truck and head back
to Eugene for a nice dinner and some warm drinks. This was a great way to
spend a damp weekend day. In fact, these old growth forests are almost
better seen in the wet weather that allows them to thrive rather than in the dry
heat of summer.
their identity decided to toss them when I read that in very rare cases it is
possible for the Lobster Mushroom to have parastized a mildly poisonous
host mushroom. Only later did I find out that local mushroom buyers selling
to restaurants and grocery stores often pay up to $20.00 a pound for this
colorful fungus.
As the trail continued it grew rougher and steeper in places as it wound its
way past a series of rock outcrops well above the creek bottom several
hundred feet below. After passing through a stretch of younger trees we
entered another impressive grove of huge Douglas Firs and Equally
impressive Western Red Cedars. The stringy bark of the Cedar trees was
amazing and their wide trunks fanned out the base to resemble the foot of an
elephant. Only when you enter one of these ancient forests are you able to
start to understand why these are the most productive ecosystems in the
world. While tropical rain forests have a much higher diversity of species
living in them, the temperature old growth forests of the northwest contain
more biomass per acre than any other living system on the planet. Life is
everywhere, and while we were treated to a surprisingly vibrant display of
foliage from the deciduous undergrowth, the primary color in these forests is
most definitely green.
As we climbed the air cooled and we caught a glimpse of a ridge a few
hundred feet above us on the other side of the valley that was dusted with
snow. The previous weeks storms dropped up to a foot of snow above 5,000
feet and it looked like some persisted even at much lower elevations. So far
it looked as though the reports of a long, cold, and wet winter were shaping
up to be true. Luckily, the showers and rain held off for all but a few minutes
during our hike and we really had great fall weather for the walk.
Soon the trail dropped one final tie down to Lookout Creek, crossed it on a
new looking bridge, and entered one last stand of stunningly huge Douglas
Firs. Some of the biggest trees of the hike were in this stand and we enjoyed
them all as we climbed a hundred feet or so to the trails upper end along the
road we had driven in on. Michelle and I had spent so much time exploring
and walking up the trail that we decided to hike back down the gravel road to
my truck to save time and enjoy the more open views that it provided. For
the most part huge trees also lone the road, but the even grade and constant
descent allowed us to make excellent time. Fall was in the air and we
enjoyed snacking on apples and crackers while walking at a good clip back
down the mountain. On the way we saw a spot where seven or eight very
large deer or elk had bedded down in the ferns alongside the road very
recently. With so many game animals and so few people in this area it is
likely that these woods harbor a healthy population of mountain lions. In fact,
on a previous hike in higher in this drainage last year we spotted many lion
tracks around the snow line.
The Lookout Creek Trail is a great hike located fairly close to Eugene. This
area will hopefully be preserved indefinitely as it is part of the Andrews
Experimental Forest, a tract of land extensively studied by students and
professors from Oregon State University. The sheer size and numbers of
enormous trees along this trail and the natural state of the woods makes it a
prime hiking destination. The shirt distance is deceiving and while we walked
exceptionally slow on the way out even people hiking at a quick pace should
allow two hours to negotiate the 3.5 miles of trail when traveling in the uphill
direction. Many steep ups and downs, stream crossing, and twisting trail
makes progress lower than you would assume. Also, there are more than
enough incredible things to see that most people will probably want to take
their time and enjoy the sights. We walked at a steady pace back down the
road without rushing and completed the return walk in just over an hour.
In the summer time this hike is close enough to several other nice walks that
it could be part of a tour of the area. With the shorter fall day we had
Michelle and I were happy to crank up the heater in my truck and head back
to Eugene for a nice dinner and some warm drinks. This was a great way to
spend a damp weekend day. In fact, these old growth forests are almost
better seen in the wet weather that allows them to thrive rather than in the dry
heat of summer.
Michelle turns around for the camera as we start our hike into the lush old growth forest that thrives along
Lookout Creek in western Oregon.
Lookout Creek in western Oregon.
Here I am leaning against a huge Western red Cedar of incredible
proportions on the upper end of the Lookout Creek trail.
proportions on the upper end of the Lookout Creek trail.
Michelle stands next to one of the largest Douglas Fir trees that we saw on
the hike. If you look closely it is possible to see that the full width of the tree
to the left is not captured by this picture.
the hike. If you look closely it is possible to see that the full width of the tree
to the left is not captured by this picture.
A handrail has been attached to this tree that was dropped and partially
levels to form a nice bridge across Lookout Creek.
levels to form a nice bridge across Lookout Creek.
The second half of the hike brought us past many large Western Red Cedars with trunks
that fan out at their base and resemble elephants feet.
that fan out at their base and resemble elephants feet.
Colorful undergrowth reminds us that fall has arrived, but the dominant
features of the hike were the huge trees, some of which can be seen in the
background of this picture.
features of the hike were the huge trees, some of which can be seen in the
background of this picture.
Pictures and words fail to capture the scale of these huge old growth trees,
some of which are over 7 feet in diameter, 300 feet tall, and 700 years old.
some of which are over 7 feet in diameter, 300 feet tall, and 700 years old.
After scrambling along the rough trail for 3.5 miles the walk back to my
truck on this well graded gravel road was pretty easy.
truck on this well graded gravel road was pretty easy.