Trail Ambassador Training Hike – Cascade Head

Hike Leaders: Loren P., Nat F., Carl B.

Hike Distance: 4.4 miles total

Elevation Gain: ~500 ft

Hike Intensity: Moderate

Hike Overview:

We will be hiking the 4.4 mile out-and-back stretch from the Knight County Park Trailhead to the Cove Overlook. This route gains about 500 feet in elevation and has lots of stairs, giving it a moderate intensity rating. It has spectacular views down to Three Rocks, the Salmon River Estuary, and the headlands north of Lincoln City.

This trail is one of the most visited hikes on the North Coast and is offered as a site for Trail Ambassadors. This hike will give us a chance to assess the trailhead as well as gather first hand experience of the hike and surrounding lands to pass along to trail users. We will be joined by Catherine Dunn of The Nature Conservancy who will give us a look into the history, ownership, and management of this trail.

What to expect:

We will meet at the trailhead at Knight County Park to talk Trail Ambassadors and set up the table prior to walking and talking on the trail together.

The trailhead is at Knight County Park and the trail begins in the Siuslaw National Forest before moving onto TNC property. There are no dogs allowed on this trail. We ask that you respect all posted signage and stay on the trail. Please dress for the weather and bring plenty of food and water.

You will be asked to electronically sign the e-waiver for this event and perform a self-assessment health screening within the 24 hours proceeding the event. The hike leader for this event will verify that you have done both of these requirements at the trailhead before the party begins. Your pre-event emails will contain further details and links for both of these requirements.

You should expect to participate in this hike for its entirety. For safety reasons, please do not arrive late or expect to be able to leave early.

What to bring:

• Plenty of water
• Lunch + snacks
• A pack to carry your water, snacks, lunch and other items in.

What to wear:

• Comfortable shoes – Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp rocks and give good traction on steep trails such as a hiking boot or trail runners. No open toed shoes!
• Layered clothing that can be removed or put on to meet rapidly changing weather conditions.
• Rain gear as appropriate for the weather

Directions:

Click here for Google Maps directions to the Lower Cascade Head trailhead at Knight County Park.

Make your volunteer experience go the extra mile this month by joining our Spring 2023 Trailkeeper Challenge! Become a Trail Champion by hiking, volunteering, or spending time outside and earn awesome prizes from our partners at Arcteryx, REI, and Trail Butter!

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: TKO recognizes that the trails we work on travel through the traditional lands of many Indigenous tribes. In every corner of what we now call Oregon, these people were forced to cede their land, their home, to the US government at various times throughout history. We are privileged to be here today & express gratitude to the descendants of these tribes for being the original stewards of this land.

EQUITY & INCLUSION: TKO seeks to make Oregon’s trails a place where people can go to connect with nature & one another. Not everyone feels safe & welcome in the outdoors due to racism, bias & hate. We commit to being part of the solution to change that. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target individuals or groups will not be tolerated by TKO, regardless of whether they are based on age, citizenship, disability, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, geographic origin, language, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

PERSONAL SAFETY: Your physical & emotional safety is our number one priority. If a person’s actions or comments make you feel uncomfortable/unsafe – interrupt directly, tell a crew leader &/or complete the post-event survey.