As the weather starts getting warmer, you might be looking for places to cool off. One perfect place to do that? Salmon Falls County Park! Thanks to months of hard work by TKO crews, Salmon Falls has just reopened after being closed due to wildfire damage in 2020. Salmon Falls makes up part of the Little North Santiam River, and it’s got everything you need from a swimming hole: deep water to jump into, rock formations that form natural wading pools, sunny outcrops to lounge on, and, of course, a stunning thirty-foot waterfall to marvel at.
At 4,097 feet, Mary’s Peak is the highest point in the Coast Range, and it’s one of the few places where you can see the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains at the same time. On a really clear day, you can see as far north as Mt. Rainier and as far south as Diamond Peak. Don’t forget to look down, too, because Mary’s Peak is also famous for its wildflower displays, including Willamette Valley natives like camas.
An Oregon classic! On the Trail of Ten Falls, you don’t just get to see ten tall, powerful waterfalls–you also get to walk behind four of them. Right from the start, the trail winds behind the 177-foot-tall South Falls, where you pass through a cave full of moss and maidenhair ferns, the entire path dusted with spray that varies from light mist to clothes-drenching depending on the season, weather, and wind.
Our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. Can you donate to support trails?
TKO board member Scott Borg first found out about TKO by pure chance.
“I was doing scouting work for the North Coast Land Conservancy, and I came across a Trailkeepers trail maintenance party,” Scott said. “And, you know, they were all wearing the hard hats, and carrying tools around and that sort of thing.”
The trail party was just about to stop for a lunch break, so Scott decided to join them and learn more about TKO. “I said, ‘Okay, so, like, what are you guys doing?’ and I was really interested in finding out what the trail conditions were, that sort of thing. Anyway, I had a really good conversation, and that was sort of my introduction to what Trailkeepers does.”
Scott ended up connecting with the crew leader, later sharing information he’d gathered in his scouting work. And, from there, Scott decided to volunteer with TKO. “Part of my motivation was to help convince them that a little bit of work was needed on the Oregon Coast,” Scott said. He participated in some trail parties, which convinced him to get even further involved by helping coordinate trail parties along the North Coast and the Oregon Coast Trail. “So a year or two later, when I started getting lobbied to throw my hat in the ring as a potential board member,” Scott said, “it was a little bit of an easy sell there.”
After growing up as a self-described “army brat” and spending much of his youth hiking and backpacking all over the world, Scott moved to the Oregon Coast for his retirement, largely because he loved the landscape. As a geologist who worked at the National Science Foundation for over thirty years, Scott has a wealth of knowledge to share with TKO, and he also understands how important TKO’s work is for supporting trails. “I kind of knew that there must be organizations like Trailkeepers from way back, because I had dealt enough with the U.S. Geological Survey to know that things like the Forest Service are chronically underfunded, and so are state park things, and so, without volunteer help, a lot of the trails can’t be maintained.”
When asked what being a Trailkeeper means to him, Scott described it as a way of giving back. “Recreational trails represent an opportunity to learn something new, to see other perspectives, to meet people,” Scott said. “You know, and so maintaining the trails and ensuring there’s a reasonably maintained network of trails is, I think, a great service to society.”
Our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. Can you donate to support trails?
Located just south of Cape Meares, Short Beach is a secluded, 1,000-yard stretch of cobbled coastline. From the parking area, you’ll descend down 120 box steps (crafted by TKO volunteers in 2025!) that meander through a grove of shore pines and spruce trees. When you reach the bottom, you’ll see a large, tree-topped seastack, which is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, making it a great spot for birdwatching. Short Beach is also famous among rockhounders because it’s ripe with agates, jasper, and zeolites. Follow the beach north and you’ll eventually reach Larson Creek Falls, which pours from the cliff down onto the beach. Continue further north, and, if the water is low, you’ll find tidepools full of colorful sea life like anemones, sea stars, sea urchins, and crabs.
This 4.8 mile hike to God’s Thumb (also referred to as The Thumb) offers amazing views of Cascade Head, Lincoln City, the Salmon River Estuary, Devils Lake, and, of course, the ocean itself. The trail runs through mossy spruce forests and a high, windy meadow known as The Knoll, where herds of elk often graze or bed down for the night. At the very end of the trail, you’ll see God’s Thumb, which is a grass-covered basalt rock formation jutting out over the sea, offering unbeatable views.
This 3.1 mile hike near Coos Bay ventures into a forest of big leaf maples, Douglas firs, and myrtle trees, and it features not one but two waterfalls. Part of the trail is made up of an old road that was decommissioned in the 1950s, and it’s hard to picture cars and logging trucks hugging the narrow cliffsides above the falls. You can take that old wagon road to the top of both Golden Falls and Silver Falls, or you can follow Glenn Creek to the base of the falls, enjoying a short, easy hike among native plants like salal, sword fern, and evergreen huckleberry.
If you’re looking for a moderately challenging hike with incredibly rewarding views, be sure to check out the trail from North Island to Arch Rock in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor just north of Brookings. This 8.4 mile hike features several offshore rock formations including Natural Bridges, Arch Rock, Yellow Rock, and Thunder Rock Cove. You’ll cross through spruce forests and up grassy slopes, scramble down bluffs onto the sand, venture up and down switchbacks, and stop to admire waterfalls, ocean views, and spring wildflowers like the delicate coast iris.
Our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. Can you donate to support trails?
The very first trail party TKO crew leader Neil Cadsawan ever went on was just after the 2018 wildfires in the Columbia Gorge. “It was the first time Multnomah Falls was opened to any crew going up,” Neil said. “It actually still had all the fencing around it. We show up–it’s like eight o’clock in the morning on a Saturday–and they had someone from the Forest Service there to unlock the fence for our crew to walk up and go through.” He described the surreal feeling of walking behind the fence while a crowd of people looked on below. “There’s, you know, people there. They’re all looking at us, like, ‘Who are you people?’ And we told them, ‘We’re with TKO, and we’re going to start working on the trail.’”
Hiking to the top of Multnomah Falls post-wildfire was a shocking and unforgettable experience. “We were walking on like three feet of rock that was on top of the trailhead itself. There’s so much debris that had just fallen down and accumulated,” Neil said. “I took a lot of pictures and videos because I thought, no one’s going to believe me. This is just madness, just how much damage there was.”
As an avid hiker, Neil had been thinking about volunteering for a while, but the wildfires provided the impetus he needed to get involved. “Our trails out here are amazing. That experience of being out is something that everyone should be able to experience,” Neil said. “And if I could help in making that happen sooner for everyone? Awesome.”
When they came back down from Multnomah Falls, Neil was surprised to find that random people were coming up to thank them. “They were like, ‘Hey, thanks for all your hard work. You know, appreciate you.’ And that’s just–it’s a great feeling. The work that we’re doing is benefiting everyone, and that’s why I do it.”
After that first experience volunteering with TKO, Neil was hooked. “I was like, wow, this is so cool. I want to learn how to use the crosscut and get certified. I want to learn how to build steps. There’s just an endless amount of skills you can learn, and that’s something that keeps me coming back.”
Even though it’s a big part of his life now, Neil didn’t grow up hiking. “My family would go to state parks and things and walk around,” Neil said. “Or we’d stay in a cabin, or a lodge. But my family was never really into backpacking or things like that.” In fact, Neil didn’t start hiking until he went off to college in Atlanta, Georgia, when a 1.5 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail kindled a newfound passion for the outdoors. “And that was one of the reasons why I wanted to move to Oregon, because I was like–there’s more to explore.”
As a hiker, Neil feels a responsibility to give back to Oregon’s trails, and to educate others about it as well. “When we see hikers on the trail it’s like, ‘Hey, love that you’re out here, that’s great. And while you’re out here? Here’s what you can do to help keep this up. Enjoy it, be out here, go hiking, go backpacking, see what there is to see, and at the same time, here’s how you can be responsible while you’re out here so that we can maintain these amazing sights and amazing resources for future generations.’”
“We have these amazing natural resources on public land,” Neil said. “And as a citizen here, living here, I feel a duty and a responsibility to nurture that, because I enjoy it, and I want other people to enjoy it, and I want my kids to enjoy it.”
Our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. Can you donate to support trails?
Wahkeena Falls is a great spot for families or anyone looking for a short-but-sweet hike. This 1/4 mile out-and-back trail takes you to a historic bridge at the foot of Wahkeena Falls. Be prepared to get wet, because Wahkeena Falls is known for its spray! If you’re looking for a longer hike, you can opt to continue up a series of switchbacks to Lemmons Viewpoint, where you’ll find expansive views of the Gorge.
TKO volunteers have been working hard to repair winter storm damage at Wahclella Falls, and we’re happy to announce that it’s officially reopened! This iconic 2.4 mile lollipop loop takes you past the small-but-powerful Munra Falls, up a set of stairs lined with big leaf maples and fire-scarred Douglas firs, and back down into the canyon where Wahclella Falls lies hidden. Keep your eye out for a seasonal, fifty-foot waterfall called East Fork Falls, visible only from the lower level trail.
Mosier Plateau is a beautiful native grassland dotted with ponderosa pines and garry oak trees. This 2.9 mile lollipop loop trail starts in the town of Mosier, winding through a historic pioneer cemetery and alongside Mosier Creek Falls before turning into a series of switchbacks that climb to the top of the plateau. Be prepared for sprawling views of the Columbia around every turn and hundreds of spring wildflowers alongside the trail!
Walking through Memaloose Hills is a wildflower lovers’ dream! The entirety of this 3.2 mile in-and-out hike takes you through a rainbow of spring wildflowers: bright yellow balsamroot, fiery red paintbrush, dark purple larkspur, and soft white brodiaeas. As you climb in elevation, you’ll also have great views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and the Columbia River.
Our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. Can you donate to support trails?
It’s spring, and that means it’s the unofficial start of outdoor adventure season here in Oregon. Thousands of hikers, trail runners, and backpackers are getting out on the trails to bask in the beauty of the season–to watch the first turkey vultures and tree swallows return from their winter migrations, to see the maple, ash, and oak trees wearing their spring leaves, and to search for native wildflowers like columbines, irises, and bleeding hearts. Spring means that the colors feel brighter, the wind smells sweeter, and the sky is finally blue again. But spring also means something else–it means we have lots of work to do to make sure Oregon’s trails are safe, accessible, and ready for hiking season.
Next week marks the beginning of our Oregon Hikers Spring Fundraiser, which runs from May 4th through National Trails Day on June 6th, and this year your support is more important than ever. After huge funding cuts for public land agencies on the federal and state levels, Oregon’s trails are mostly maintained by volunteers and donors like you. In order to continue our work protecting Oregon’s trails, we need to raise $300,000 by June 6th. Can you help us reach our goal?
For the next five weeks, we’ll be hyping you up for hiking season and celebrating the hard work of TKO’s volunteers, staff, board, and donors by sharing some of our favorite hikes across the state:
Week One – Columbia River Gorge Week Two – Oregon Coast Week Three – Willamette Valley Week Four – Urban Hikes in Oregon Week Five – Mt. Hood and the West Cascades
If you can’t donate right now, there are other ways you can contribute, such as signing up for a trail party, sharing this blog post with a friend, or sharing our posts on Instagram and Facebook to help spread the word about the crucial work we’re doing to protect and restore Oregon’s hiking trails.
However you get involved, we want to thank you for making our work possible!
