Trail Talk – November 2018

It’s that wonderful Fall time of year when the temperatures remind us to layer our clothing as we head out the door on another adventure in the wilds of Southern Oregon. We look for the promised rains to ease last summer’s relentless drought, and we are quite happy to breathe the crisp clean air of the season. That faint smell of smoke in our nostrils is from the comforting cozy fire in the woodstove—not the brutal assault of wildland fires. The summer’s glare has given way to the welcome warmth of the Autumn sun. The streams look to gurgle and sigh over their mossy beds. Birdsong is muted, but happy little Pacific wren still sings his heart out for the joie de vivre that only his kind can express with such elegance.

The trails lead ever on, and we are blessed to live where year-round hiking is not only possible, but is as enjoyable as the changing seasons. The volunteer trail crews have been busy maintaining and improving trails to handle winter traffic. The yellowjackets and mosquitos have been vanquished for another season, the poison oak has gone dormant, and the trails are carpeted with soft leaves. The bravest among us have kicked off our shoes to walk barefoot in the mud and damp foliage. What a great time to be out and about!

Observant eyes and obedient feet have discovered some new walkabouts. A popular loop leads from parking area P3 in Forest Park up the Naversen Family Trail, past the Dick Ames Shelter. Continuing up the ridge, one starts up Halls of Manzanita Trail, where the silvery gray ‘old man’s beard’ lichen hangs moistly heavy from the dark maroon branches of a manzanita tunnel. Continuing through a brightly colored stand of madrone, one arrives at a viewpont, where a foggy day in the valley promises dark ranks of mountain ridges rising above the quiet gray ocean below, with its sloshing slow motion waves. Continuing a bit higher, the trail forks, and the more adventurous can head across hiker-only Grotto Trail to the upper end of Jackson Creek Nature Trail and a return down the creek bottom to P3. Broad vistas adorn this walk.

For those inclined to a shorter outing, Halls of Manzanita Trail contours over and down to an intersection with Steep Canyon Rangers Trail, the only steepness in its name, because it gently contours back over to Naversen Family Trail which will lead down to P3. Or, continuing just a bit further from this intersection, crossing Cantrall Creek, hikers can head down hiker-only Cantrall Canyon Trail, where one hopes winter rains will recharge the multiple granitic waterfalls. A quick turn up Ridgeview Trail leads over to our starting point. Any mountain bikers on this loop will come down Granite Trail or continue on Halls of Manzanita to join Ridgeview Trail.

With its multiple viewpoint benches and variety of terrain and vegetation, this loop is earning rave reviews from Forest Park visitors. Enjoy these Fall days and promise yourself some time in the woods.