Oregon Hikers

The gate is open and the road is melted out, though badly potholed. It's a slow two and a quarter miles to the trailhead, including a couple road-width water holes.

It was cold this morning, mid 30s. Two cars when I got there, maybe ten when I left near noon. Lots more coming in. This is probably the most popular hike in the southern Gifford Pinchot, for good reason. If you go this weekend, best to go very early or very late.

Dang, I was just there Wednesday and it was still gated (as I expected and preferred). They must have opened it as I was pulling away!

I did take notes on the road condition as I was walking through, and although most of it looked more or less just as bad as usual, those "road-width water holes" you mention (aka, lakes) stood out. They looked not only wide but deep. Glad to hear cars were getting through, I guess. Unless the first one just sank and the rest drove over the top of him...

It was scheduled to open 4-1, but you never know if they get to it right away, and they won't if the road is still snowed in. Sometimes they won't open it if the road is too muddy as it can cause further damage. The toilet was unlocked and pressure sprayed with what smelled like industrial strength Lysol while I was there.

Any snow on the trails?

dmthomas49 wrote: ↑

April 3rd, 2021, 12:24 pm

Any snow on the trails?

No snow at all to the lower falls or anywhere on that loop. If you went up top, the trail there was snow covered on Wednesday.