Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

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lisaeirene
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Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by lisaeirene » December 3rd, 2013, 10:07 am

Over the weekend I hiked Dry Creek Falls and actually made it to the waterfall at the end! The last time I attempted this hike I somehow missed the connecting trailhead and was wandering around old logging roads. The hike was really peaceful, not crowded and very pretty! I took some pictures and posted them here: http://www.110pounds.com/?p=40926.

My question is this (and I tried to see if this has already been covered in the forums but came up empty): what are some other "knee friendly" hikes within 90 minutes or so of Portland? I'm coming back from a knee injury and really tough/steep hikes with a big elevation gain is difficult. Dry Creek Falls was actually perfect. Can anyone recommend more like that? Thank you in advance!

pdxgene
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by pdxgene » December 3rd, 2013, 10:51 am

Snow might be/ will be an issue on some of these but...
Lower part of the Salmon River Trail (you can go about 4 miles before you really start climbing).
Ramona Falls (but you do have to cross the Sandy)
Sandy River Trail
The Burnt Lake Trail as far as Lost Creek Falls
Opal Creek to Jawbone Flats/Opal Pool (on the road part, the loop segment section is hillier)

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by Waffle Stomper » December 3rd, 2013, 10:59 am

That looks like a lovely hike. Thanks for sharing your photos. Bella looks like a fine hiking dog, make sure she joins the Dogs of Portland Hikers thread. http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... f=7&t=9097

For an easy hike on the knees, the old Salmon River Trail is a good choice. The middle Salmon is good too, you can turn around when it gets too steep. Watch the snow levels though. We are probably done for now.

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... River_Hike
http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... River_Hike

Eagle Creek in the gorge is not too bad either.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

lisaeirene
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by lisaeirene » December 3rd, 2013, 12:31 pm

pdxgene wrote:Snow might be/ will be an issue on some of these but...
Lower part of the Salmon River Trail (you can go about 4 miles before you really start climbing).
Ramona Falls (but you do have to cross the Sandy)
Sandy River Trail
The Burnt Lake Trail as far as Lost Creek Falls
Opal Creek to Jawbone Flats/Opal Pool (on the road part, the loop segment section is hillier)
Thank you for the tips. I will check those out.

lisaeirene
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by lisaeirene » December 3rd, 2013, 12:32 pm

Waffle Stomper wrote:That looks like a lovely hike. Thanks for sharing your photos. Bella looks like a fine hiking dog, make sure she joins the Dogs of Portland Hikers thread. http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... f=7&t=9097

For an easy hike on the knees, the old Salmon River Trail is a good choice. The middle Salmon is good too, you can turn around when it gets too steep. Watch the snow levels though. We are probably done for now.

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... River_Hike
http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... River_Hike

Eagle Creek in the gorge is not too bad either.
Bella did great for her first hike! I can't wait to take her snowshoeing too. I will look up Salmon River. That seems to be the most popular one.

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4DMTNS
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by 4DMTNS » December 4th, 2013, 8:21 pm

Check out the Creaky Knees Guide hiking books for Oregon and Washington, most local libraries have copies.
I'm almost always the sweep on my hikes ... it gives me an opportunity to taste test all the edible berries I seem to find.

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lisaeirene
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by lisaeirene » December 5th, 2013, 8:28 am

4DMTNS wrote:Check out the Creaky Knees Guide hiking books for Oregon and Washington, most local libraries have copies.
Thank you! Getting that book now,

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Sean Thomas
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by Sean Thomas » December 5th, 2013, 9:00 am

The Dry Creek Trail #194 near the Trapper Creek Wilderness(north of Carson, Washington) is easy on the knees and offer some beautiful old forest. It goes 4 miles one way from the Trapper Creek TH over to the junction with the Big Hollow Trail. Sometimes I just head up there and turn around a couple of miles in. It makes for a great hike :)

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Hagbard Celine
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by Hagbard Celine » December 7th, 2013, 1:27 am

Siouxon Creek is one of my family's favorites and the first four miles or so out there is very little gain.
Lewis River, Trail of Ten Falls and Klickitat/Swale Canyon hikes are all lots of fun for very different reasons.
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Roy
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Re: Knee Friendly Hikes & Dry Creek Falls

Post by Roy » December 8th, 2013, 3:51 am

This a good one no snow worries close and lots of wildlife . Ive used it for rehab from more surgeries than I care to admit. East wind can be an issue but its open and on a sunny day with no wind it feels pretty good.

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=13556
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

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