Marys Peak Summit Loop Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Marys Peak Summit Trailhead
- End point: Marys Peak
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Loop
- Distance: 1.5 miles
- Elevation gain: 400 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: April through October
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Hike Description
From the parking area for the Marys Peak Summit Trailhead, begin by heading south up the gravel service road near the restrooms. You will be surrounded by the vast summit meadows on either side. Glacier Lilies appear here as soon as the snows recede in the spring, and by early summer, the meadows will be filled with wildflowers and butterflies-peak display is usually late June through early July.
In a quarter mile, you will pass an access trail to the Marys Peak Meadow Edge Hike. You'll be crossing here on your return trip. After passing through some trees, you soon reach the steep south facing rock gardens and the views open up to the west. You may feel like your are on the set of "The Sound of Music". If the weather is clear, views span from the ocean to the west, to the snow topped Cascade volcanoes lining up on the eastern horizon. On very good visibility days, it is possible to see from Mount Rainier in the north to Diamond Peak in the south. Just ignore those ugly communication towers.
When you are ready to proceed downhill, look on the north side of the summit for a double track down through the meadow (see image below). Take this trail down and you will enter the woods and join part of the Meadow Edge Loop Trail. Go right at a junction, and you will soon reach the gravel road you hiked up. Stay on the trail and cross the road, so you can head back down through the east meadow.
Maps
- Sky Island Graphics: Corvallis Area Hikes
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Siuslaw National Forest
- Marys Peak (USFS)
Regulations or Restrictions, etc.
- A Northwest Forest Pass is needed to park at the Summit Parking area. You can purchase it on site.
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, Oregon Coast, by William L. Sullivan
- A Guide to Trails in the Corvallis Area by Phillip R. Hays
More Links
Mary's Peak - OregonWildflowers.org
Contributors
- CFM (creator)