Sunday, Chiyoko & I set out to finally tick something off our Bucket List that's been languishing there for a couple of years - the Primrose Path to Devils Rest. There have been quite a few other reports on this trail recently so we thought we better get too it before it becomes as popular as the Angels Rest Trail ..
We set off from Multnomah Falls towards Wahkeena the trail is still officially closed so I'm not going to tell you haw we did the first half mile in case we incriminate ourselves ..
Lots of attractive chain link fencing at Wahkeena were lots of money appears to be being spent upgrading the roadside viewing area, I hope the resident ravens approve.
Then it was off up the trail, we ran into "Oregon Hiker" Bad Knee at Pony Tail Falls, well met sir.
We made a quick stop at the Lovely Wahkeena Springs..
We then continued west on the the trail towards the Primrose Path Junction which is cleverly marked!
If you look at past reports for the Primrose Path over the last 4 or 5 years you will see that it's gone from being lost, to found again. There is now a boot path from top to bottom that is narrow but easy to follow. A caution though that this is not the same as hiking a regular trail!
All the old time residents of Devils Rest appear to have been evicted & a new eclectic menagerie of figurines has taken up residence.
After a bite to eat we headed off East on the Devils Rest trail but took the little connector over to the Basin Road, then down to the Larch Mountain Trail & back to Multhomah Falls.
The Loop came in at 10 miles & about 3000' of EG. All trails were quiet except for the last couple of miles on the "Multnomah express"!
Here's the whole hike at the "Low D" rate of 120 frames per hour
http://youtu.be/VH2bzfR_w2U
The Primrose path section of the loop is marked in Red on the maps below.
The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
- Splintercat
- Posts: 8333
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Portland
- Contact:
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Nice loop and video, Guy! I take it what was your new GoPro…? Enjoyed the periodic "Guy checking on camera" shots..!
So, did you have to walk the HCRH between Multnomah and Wahkeena? It looked to me like the Return Trail was only closed for the wayside project at Wahkeena Falls, but that's still a major obstacle to get around (with construction fences, etc). I've noticed hikers on the viaduct (yikes!) as a result of the closure… not a lot of other options, though walking the viaduct is a scary proposition..!
Thanks for posting -- I'll have to give the Primrose a try… I've never done that one!
Tom
So, did you have to walk the HCRH between Multnomah and Wahkeena? It looked to me like the Return Trail was only closed for the wayside project at Wahkeena Falls, but that's still a major obstacle to get around (with construction fences, etc). I've noticed hikers on the viaduct (yikes!) as a result of the closure… not a lot of other options, though walking the viaduct is a scary proposition..!
Thanks for posting -- I'll have to give the Primrose a try… I've never done that one!
Tom
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Well we just hiked the closed trail to Wahkeena Tom. I must have been messing with my new GoPro & missed the Trail Closed sign...
I wouldn't recommend it during work hours but the trail is open all the way to Wahkeena & it's very easy to side step around the fence down onto the road.
I wouldn't recommend it during work hours but the trail is open all the way to Wahkeena & it's very easy to side step around the fence down onto the road.
- Sean Thomas
- Posts: 1647
- Joined: February 25th, 2012, 11:33 pm
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
we thought we better get too it before it becomes as popular as the Angels Rest Trail ..
Preparing for the massive Oregon Hikers effect I see
You always have so many awesome reports from that area of the gorge, makes me kind of ashamed as I really need to get up there more. Definitely one of the prettiest places in the world
Preparing for the massive Oregon Hikers effect I see
You always have so many awesome reports from that area of the gorge, makes me kind of ashamed as I really need to get up there more. Definitely one of the prettiest places in the world
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Cheers Sean,
I'm just a fair weather day tripper compared to you though!
By the way I forgot to put this into the report but the Primrose Path stats are just over half a mile & 800' so it's a classic Gorge Climb.
I'm just a fair weather day tripper compared to you though!
By the way I forgot to put this into the report but the Primrose Path stats are just over half a mile & 800' so it's a classic Gorge Climb.
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Thanks for the great TR! And nice to see the primroses back.
I love the Primrose! It has so much character. Climbing the lower half you follow a rocky spine that has something of a "dry side of the Gorge" feel to it. Then smack in the middle is this great 180 degree viewpoint at a rocky outcropping. Climb a little ways to an old logging road and next you're on a broad open ridge in older forest. Then a stand of thick devil's club (fortunately there's a path through now), and then you transition quickly through several kinds of forest before reaching Devil's Rest. So much variety in such a short span!
I love the Primrose! It has so much character. Climbing the lower half you follow a rocky spine that has something of a "dry side of the Gorge" feel to it. Then smack in the middle is this great 180 degree viewpoint at a rocky outcropping. Climb a little ways to an old logging road and next you're on a broad open ridge in older forest. Then a stand of thick devil's club (fortunately there's a path through now), and then you transition quickly through several kinds of forest before reaching Devil's Rest. So much variety in such a short span!
Last edited by aircooled on February 10th, 2015, 12:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Are you talking about the Wahkeena trail?Guy wrote:We set off from Multnomah Falls towards Wahkeena the trail is still officially closed so I'm not going to tell you haw we did the first half mile in case we incriminate ourselves!
I always thought this was called Fairy falls?...pony tail falls
"The top...is not the top" - Mile...Mile & a Half
Instagram @pdxstrider
Instagram @pdxstrider
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
Guy, nice report - interesting to see primroses planted at the start - I guess that's the tradition - I should go up there and see them before someone is offended and tosses them down the hill.
I'm not seeing the link to the video. Is it me or did something happen?
--Paul
I'm not seeing the link to the video. Is it me or did something happen?
--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.
- MarsIsCobra
- Posts: 569
- Joined: November 27th, 2012, 7:57 pm
- Location: Camas
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
enjoy that gopro Guy. i love mineGuy wrote: I must have been messing with my new GoPro
Re: The Primrose Path - Devils Rest Loop - 2015/02/08
It was me, I use Firefox with NoScript so oregonhikers.org was on the no run javascript list - fixed, video in progress...pablo wrote:[...]
I'm not seeing the link to the video. Is it me or did something happen?
--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.