Revision as of 17:37, 1 January 2013

Vine maple in the fall (cfm)

White fawn lilies (Erythronium oregonum) on the North Ridge (bobcat)

Club moss along the trail (cfm)

• Start point: Marys Peak North Ridge Trailhead
• End point: Marys Peak Summit Trailhead
• Trail Log:
• Hike Type: Loop
• Distance: 9 miles
• Elevation gain: 1900 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Seasons: Year-round
• Family Friendly: Older kids
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: No

Hike Description

From the parking area, go through the closed gate and find the trailhead 50 feet ahead on your right. The trail climbs a short distance, then flattens out in a grand park-like setting of huge Douglas-fir trees with a thick moss understory. This is an excellent area for mushrooms in the fall, and that is likely the only time you will run into others on this normally quiet trail. In about a half mile, you will come to a Y junction in the trail. Go right, and you will begin a long series of switchbacks up the steep hillside of the north ridge. The moss disappears, and there is very little vegetation in the dark understory for most of the long climbing section.

At 3 1/2 miles, you will reach the tie trail junction- with a bench. Stay right to continue on the North Ridge trail to the parking area for the Marys Peak Summit Trailhead in a mile. Look for club moss along this section of the trail on the uphill side. From the parking area, you can add the Marys Peak Summit Hike, and/or the Marys Peak Meadow Edge Hike if desired. To continue on the loop, pick up the East Ridge Trail at the southeast side of the parking area near the information kiosk. Descend down through the mighty trees and open forest of Noble Firs a half mile until you come to a T junction with a bench, go right to stay on the East Ridge Trail, and the understory is now thick with vine maple. A mile from the bench, you will reach a gravel service road- this is the closed upper section of Woods Creek Road. Go left on this road and travel 3 easy miles under the canopy to return to your car.

Maps

• Sky Island Graphics: Marys Peak - McDonald Forest Recreation Guide

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Siuslaw National Forest

• Marys Peak (USFS)

Regulations or Restrictions, etc.

No Pass is needed to park at the Woods Creek Road trailhead

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Marys Peak

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Marys Peak

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• Hiking Oregon's Geology by Ellen Morris Bishop
• Corvallis Trails by Margie C. Powell
• 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Oregon Coast and Coast Range by William L. Sullivan

More Links

Contributors

• CFM (creator)