CottonwoodCanyon - 2-29-2020 - Pinnacles Trail

[arieshiker]

In the spirit of keeping some fresh topics afloat, here's one from the end of February, when I did my tenth hike at Cottonwood Canyon’s Pinnacles Trail. This time I was feeling a bit more in shape, so did the hike all the way to the end of the trail.

Really been an interesting evolution since my first hike, which took place about a month after the park was created. Some improvements, some actions that didn’t improve anything. The most visible change has been in the thread, which is just an old farm/ranch road, and park quad vehicles have been used during wet periods to create spots of feet-unfriendly groves and mounds. Using the quads has helped fight off other negative factors like bugs and overgrowth of some of the grasses.

Nothing insurmountable obviously, the same has happened on the Lost Corral Trail, which seems to be endangered in spots by encroaching water levels from the John Day River from time to time. Mother Nature will always have her way.

But, back to Pinnacles - even though it’s mostly flat it’s still a very good conditioning hike with the only downside for some older folks being that it’s almost shade-free and full sun face-on going out, and either overhead or in your face coming back. Some folks do like baking in the bright sun, some do not. I’m a latter case, but still love the trail.

The park has also added new trails that tread closer to the river, and so far on my Pinnacles hikes I’ve heard families with small kids along the new trails doing some river bank observational teachings to the young ones.

The river was at a moderate level that day, and the only wildlife I saw were ducks and Canada Geese that seem constantly agitated by something. HONK HONK.

Photos from the day which started around 9AM and ended just past 2PM with the sun behind some clouds.

[retired jerry]

did you stay overnight somewhere?

I did this a couple years ago, another good get away from rain location

[arieshiker]

I live only about 40 miles north of the canyon Jerry, so the eastern Gorge hikes are just day hikes for me.

[teachpdx]

They have those new cabins, and I have heard good things about them. They are decently priced, as well. Definitely on my list for the fall, if things are open by then.