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.
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,
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.
Some overgrowth, but overall it was fine,
After about a mile walking west you will come to this,
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
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.
I crossed this bridge over a shallow creek, and one can go clockwise or counterclockwise, I chose the latter.
This is another easy path, condusuve for strollers or wheelchairs even. And a couple benches for rest and contemplation.
At this junction one can again continue clockwise or counterclockwise for an additional loop.
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)
I was lmited on time so I walked northwest for a bit,
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:
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.
On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
- Cattrapper
- Posts: 224
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Amity, OR
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
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
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
- backcountryhunter
- Posts: 915
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: hiking the backcountry
- Contact:
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
A part time job at Cannon Beach?
Where can I get one of them?
T
Where can I get one of them?
T
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
lol - actually alot of businesses there hire for extra summer help, check them outbackcountryhunter wrote:A part time job at Cannon Beach?
Where can I get one of them?
T
- backcountryhunter
- Posts: 915
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: hiking the backcountry
- Contact:
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
Jane wrote:lol - actually alot of businesses there hire for extra summer help, check them outbackcountryhunter wrote:A part time job at Cannon Beach?
Where can I get one of them?
T
Yeah but isn't the commute a killer??
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
Four counties! They need a bigger plaque.
Perhaps something like this:
Perhaps something like this:
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
Jeff that's a great pic , 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 ; )
Re: On the Way to the Beach - a couple short and sweet trails
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
One can drive to a parking lot to get to this beach also, and there were several picnic-ers and surfers:
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:
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/ ... a_full.pdf
One can drive to a parking lot to get to this beach also, and there were several picnic-ers and surfers:
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: