On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

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Jane
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On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by Jane » August 13th, 2008, 9:51 pm

With my weekly journeys this summer to Cannon Beach for my part-time job there, I've been trying to allow for a little time to check out the trails "on the way". A couple weeks ago I checked out that trail along Hwy. 26, where we all pass by that little brown trail sign about half way to the coast and ponder " I wonder where that goes?"...Well it's called Four County Point Trail, and I did a section that was about 2 miles RT.

Here's the TH sign on the north side of Hwy. 26 (westbound lane). Watch your MilePost signs, after passing MP 35 (heading west), and passing North Fork Wolf Creek sign, there is a gravel pullout here for parking. If you drive past MP 34 you've gone a tad too far.
7-28-08 Four Point trail sign.jpg
This trail is wide, road-like in the beginning, but soon you'll be on a narrow path.You'll follow a shallow and shady creek for a bit,
100_4509.JPG
shallow creek
100_4512.JPG
bridge on path
And you will hear but not see the highway the whole time. There is an active logging road visible for a stretch, but it's still a pretty peaceful little walk.
100_4515.JPG
logging road


Some overgrowth, but overall it was fine,
100_4514.JPG
vegetation overgrowth


After about a mile walking west you will come to this,
100_4516.JPG
marker and plaque
This is a marker of where the four county corners meet: Clatsop, Columbia , Tillamook and Washington! So you can truly stand in all four counties ;)
100_4519.JPG
standing in four counties
A trail continued beyond this, but I had to get back. This is easy enough for all hiking abilites.

......................

This past Monday I checked out another trail called the Steam Donkey Trail. This starts in the BACK area behind that big Rest Stop on the north side of Hwy 26, I think between MP 29 and 28 westbound.
100_4587.JPG
Steam Donkey TH

I crossed this bridge over a shallow creek, and one can go clockwise or counterclockwise, I chose the latter.
100_4588.JPG
bridge over creek
This is another easy path, condusuve for strollers or wheelchairs even. And a couple benches for rest and contemplation.
8-11-08 Steam Donkey Tr. bench.jpg
8-11-08 Steam Donkey Trail wooded path.jpg
At this junction one can again continue clockwise or counterclockwise for an additional loop.
100_4592.JPG
Steam Donkey Tr. junction
I thought there might be some old logging eqipment along the trail, there wasn't, but was definite signs of that work here in earlier days:
(my bandana for stump size scale)
8-11-08 Steam Donkey Trail logging stump.jpg
I was lmited on time so I walked northwest for a bit,
8-11-08 Steam Donkey Tr. upper loop trail.jpg
before turning back and heading back on the short (1/3 mile) Springboard Loop to the parking lot. This also was a peaceful stroll in the lush near-coastal woods, an easy leg stretcher on the way to the beach!
TH map:
8-11-08 Steam Donkey Tr. map.jpg
Here is some info on both of these trails: http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/TSF/docs/Fou ... yTrail.pdf

Another one I have hiked a couple years ago is the Bloom Lake trail (pretty in the autumn); TH on the south side of Hwy. 26,about two miles east of the Elderberry Inn near Elsie. I may try for that one again another time.

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Cattrapper
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by Cattrapper » August 14th, 2008, 1:15 am

Thanks for the reports Jane, some neat looking little trails there. I've seen the sign for the one at the rest area before, but didn't take the time to check it out and had since forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder!

Darin
"Come visit us again and again. This is a state of excitement. But for heaven's sake, don't move here to live." Tom McCall

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backcountryhunter
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by backcountryhunter » August 14th, 2008, 8:15 am

A part time job at Cannon Beach?

Where can I get one of them?

T

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Jane
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by Jane » August 14th, 2008, 8:22 am

backcountryhunter wrote:A part time job at Cannon Beach?

Where can I get one of them?

T
lol - actually alot of businesses there hire for extra summer help, check them out :)

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backcountryhunter
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by backcountryhunter » August 14th, 2008, 10:13 am

Jane wrote:
backcountryhunter wrote:A part time job at Cannon Beach?

Where can I get one of them?

T
lol - actually alot of businesses there hire for extra summer help, check them out :)

Yeah but isn't the commute a killer??

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jeffstatt
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by jeffstatt » August 15th, 2008, 6:39 am

Four counties! They need a bigger plaque.

Perhaps something like this:

Image

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Jane
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by Jane » August 15th, 2008, 8:01 am

Jeff that's a great pic :lol: , I've heard of the Four Corners Monument but not seen what it looked like, thanks! T, I've totally gotten used to the drive, the job pay balances with the gas costs, and my regular job in Portland is less than a mile commute ; )

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Jane
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Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails

Post by Jane » September 14th, 2008, 6:52 am

Here's another sweet coastal hike, Last Monday while in Cannon Beach, myself and a couple friends had time to do the short and beautiful hike from Ecola State Park north to Indian Beach. It's about 3-4 miles RT, and offers some little ups and downs through lush coastal woods, awesome viewpoints of the Pacific, and a change-of-pace beach from Haystack Rock:
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/ ... a_full.pdf
9-8-08 Indian Beach trail big tree.jpg
9-8-08 Indian Beach trail view south.jpg
9-8-08 Indian Beach trail view north.jpg
9-8-08 Indian Beach trail view down.jpg
9-8-09 Indian Beach rock designs.jpg
One can drive to a parking lot to get to this beach also, and there were several picnic-ers and surfers:
9-8-09 Indian Beach surfers.jpg
I want to explore more of the Tillamook Head trail sometime, but this was a nice treat for this late afternoon!

Familar parting shot from Ecola looking towards Cannon Beach:
9-8-09 CB Ecola view south.jpg

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