Step Creek Loop Hike
Come enjoy a half-day of hiking in the nearby Tillamook State Forest! Combining the Triple C and Step Creek trails with a short section of the Gales Creek trail, this will be moderate “B” level hike starting and ending at the historic Reehers Camp trailhead near Timber, Oregon. We will travel 7 miles on good trails with approximately 750′ of cumulative elevation gain and loss over gently rolling forested terrain. Big trees, lovely woods with a deep forested canyon, several creek crossings over sturdy bridges, and a nice finish along the Nehalem River will make this a memorable outing.
We will be hiking at a moderate pace (2-2.5 mph), with rest stops and a lunch break. Bring your 10 essentials, raingear, a trail lunch and 2 liters of water. Hiking shoes should be fine if the weather has been dry, but do wear boots if there has been recent rain as there may be muddy areas. Shorts are not recommended as there is one section of the trail along Step Creek which is currently overgrown somewhat with berry vines. And, do wear something orange, as hunting season in Oregon has recently begun!
Directions to the carpool meeting place: Hwy 26 west to NW 185th Ave south. Left on Evergreen Parkway to the Target parking lot on the left. Meet Tom there (White 2008 Toyota Tacoma pickup, telephone 503-522-9351) at 9:15 am.
For those going directly to the trailhead: Hwy 26 west past Manning and Buxton. Stay on Hwy 26 for 7.7 miles beyond the big “Vernonia” sign and turn left onto NW Timber Road (note that there is no further cell phone service after you leave Hwy 26). Follow this for 3.0 miles into “downtown” Timber (don’t blink or you’ll miss it!), where you will turn right onto NW Cochran Road. In 2.5 miles you will come to a big “Tillamook State Forest – Reehers Camp” sign on your right. Go past this sign another 0.1 miles and then turn left into the Reehers Camp Trailhead, where there is ample parking and a public toilet. We will all gather there at 10:00 am.
This is a Trails Club of Oregon event which is free to members. There is a $2 fee for non members which will be collected at the trailhead. Disclaimer: Keep in mind that you are responsible for your own health and safety, both during and on the way to and from this event. Be informed and plan to be self-sufficient.
Please contribute to any carpooling expenses at the rate of $0.15 per mile. With multiple riders the driver can collect up to $0.30 per mile shared by all the riders.
