Silver Falls, Columbia Gorge April 17, 2015

April 17 Silver Falls St Park to Columbia Gorge

45 degrees this morning as we drove down the street to a McDonalds.  Greg did exercises while Beth used the wifi – ok for emails but extremely slow so no blogging.

We have seen several “long load” trucks with three linked trailers!  I would hate to try to drive one of them on anything that wasn’t absolutely straight!  We get off the highway and wind through the countryside.  Acres and acres of Christmas Tree Farms and Grass Seed Farms.

Finally reach Silver Falls which has a $5 Day Use.  There have been a couple of campaigns to make this a National Park  and it is the largest of Oregon’s State Parks.  Map in hand and suggestions from a ranger and we head to North Falls for the short mile hike to Upper North Falls.  Some wildflowers and lots of moss, fern and fungi. 

We are in the temperate Rain Forest and the key word is MOIST, as they average 80 inches of rain yearly.  Too bad they can’t send a little to California! This unusual yellow flower screams for attention, and we later learn belongs to the lowly skunk cabbage. I never knew it flowered!

Upper North Falls is 65’ and pretty.

We admire it for a bit, then go back to the Trek and head further into the park, stopping to view the 136’ North Falls en route to the lodge and Canyon Trail.   The Upper South Falls is gorgeous at 177’ and the trail winds behind the falls – had to keep the camera covered because of the spray. 

The lower south falls, about a mile further on, is 93’ and the trail also winds behind it.  Pretty cool. 

We decided to come back the Maple Ridge Trail, to complete a loop back to the lodge, not realizing that the first 1/3 mile or so is extremely steep switchbacks – felt like 3 miles! Some interesting wildflowers along the way, though.

These exquisite gems were only about 1/2" diameter

skunk cabbage open

  Finally reached the top of the ridge and cruised in to check out the old lodge built in the 1930’s by the CCC. Typical stone and wooden beam construction, built to last!

This area has a lot of basalt from multiple lava flows that covered the area, also volcanic “tuff” and limestone.

We stop at a picnic area for lunch, then head to the campground here to use their spotless showers before heading out.  Timing is good, as the park is  becoming much busier as we are leaving.

Since we are inland, we decide to head north and see the Columbia Gorge area before heading back toward the coast via the Columbia River.  Traffic through Portland was very heavy but we finally reach Historic Rt 30 which is a nice 2-lane road through mostly heavily wooded hills, parallel to the the river.   We stop at Chanticleer Point for a scenic view, and Vista House which was built as a traveler’s aid station and has a gorgeous view.

LaTourelle Falls is next, best described by a little girl of about 6 who exclaims, “Oh My Goodness!  Holy Guacamole!”  Beautiful.

We begin to look for a spot for the night and the first three places we stop are FULL.  (Well, the second one wasn’t opened yet.)  We are in a small town called Cascade Locks,  where there used to be locks to go around some nasty rapids.  Since the river has been dammed in several spots, the locks are now underwater.  This is right next to the Bridge of the Gods, which is where Cheryl Strayhand ends her hike in the movie "Wild".

We stop at a small grocery store called Columbia Market and Beth goes in to talk to the folks there. Vicki, a very pregnant manager, says sure we can park at the back of their lot.  The store closes at 10 and it is actually pretty dark and quiet – and a whole lot less crowded than the State Park we tried!