Oregon has some great trails most especially in the winter. The only downfall about Oregon is that winter in Oregon is very harsh. This makes most of the trials that you would go to in the spring or summer inaccessible. So, the best thing you can do is plan your trip well in advance. Choosing the right trails can make your trip. I have several suggestions to help you in your planning of a winter hike in the Oregon back country.
My first suggestion is the Pacific Crest Trail. Yes it is true that the trail can be long and brutal but, you don’t have to hike the entire thing to enjoy it. The trail is great for a long day hike, totaling up to 10.9 miles on the Summit TH on Highway 140 to Badger Lake TH in Fourmile Lake CG portion of the trial. The difficulty is rated easy. So, don’t be afraid to try to tackle this portion. I think the real beauty of this hike is that it is accessible in the winter but, snowfall and even a blizzard might come your way. I highly suggest that you take an experienced person with you no matter what the trail is rated and as always a GPS system can save your life.
Next is the Eagle Creek Trial. A beautiful sight to behold the trial is a lengthy 14 mile day hike. Many have said that it is a ruff day for the seven miles in and seven miles back out again but, everyone believes that it is well worth it. The tunnel falls are a sight to behold. Beauty unparalleled the falls are great all year long. When you visit this trial in the winter you will see some great ice formations if you are lucky enough that the temperature drops low enough. In the winter you can avoid all of the crowds not to mention the falls are running at full power and are a marvelous sight.
Lastly I highly recommend the Silver Falls State Park. The state park here is gorgeous and full of life. Boasting some 25 miles of hiking trials and over 14 miles of horseback trials you can never get bored. This is the perfect spot to plan a day hike. The park also includes full RV hookups and tent camping. Fees and charges also apply. The small price you will pay it is well worth it for the beauty to see from waterfalls, giant cedar stands, and the small cliff side trails that let you over look the gorge.
Oregon is one of the best places in the United States you can go to plan a great winter hike. Viewing such natural beauty all within driving distance of the major city of Portland is a major advantage. I highly recommend anyone to try out some of these trials.
Trial information was brought to me by:
PCT
http://www.pcta.org/planning/hikes.asp
Day hikes on the Pacific Crest Trial by George and Patricia Semb.
Eagle Creek Trail.
trialsnw.com
Silver Falls State Park.
oregonstateparks.org
