After resting a sore knee for over a week it was time for Bailey and me to hit the trails. I had a project near Rex Hill Winery so decided to head over to Reehers Camp about 2 miles west of Timber and do the Gales Creek Trail. Turns out there a couple of new trails in the area now and one, Triple C trail, was beautifully constructed with some very nice trail work. The campground is build on the site of the old Reehers Civilian Conservation Corps Camp above the pretty Newhalem River. The campground is not open yet but next to it is a large parking lot of hikers, bikers and horsemen. Arrived to find no cars in the lot and found the same when we left - nice.
One interesting thing about the Newhalem (at least to me) is that it flows easterly off of Giveout Mountain and you'd expect it to empty into the Wilson River but it doesn't. It swings to the north past Timber then up past Vernonia and up to Mist then over to Jewell and southerly into Newhalem Bay. Along its southerly flow the Salmonberry River flows into it even though the Salmonberry's genesis is over 2 miles east of the Newhalem genesis. This interesting piece of trivia is testimony to the steepness of the terrain in this area, very mountainous with deep canyons and not much humanity save the loggers.
The trail heads south for the parking area but swings westerly quickly and passes through a very pretty section of forest and beside the river.
- Typical forest view
Shortly the need to cross the river arises and you have a few choices. First there is a pretty slim log you could chose.
- Slim log crossing Newhalem River
If that doesn't appeal to you or your dog, then you could wade/swim the pretty narrow river.
- Bailey swimming Newhalem
Finally, for us reasonable folks you can take the road bridge and hit the continuation of the trail a short distance west of the bridge.
- Road bridge over river
Before crossing the bridge, however, I noticed a new trail running northwest along the river and checked it out. Turns out its a new trail called Triple C which loops back to the campground. Nice walk in the woods with some neat flower shows.
- One of many pretty flowers
Back we went to cross the bridge and you take the first road to the left - unmarked - and you'll see the trail heading to the left of this road but it's not marked. So you know the old saying ...
- When you come to a fork in the road take it
After climbing out of the river bottom you'll hit the Port of Tillamook Railroad tracks with the appropriate warning sign. I believe trains run through here 2-4 times a week.
- All good dogs stop at railroad xings
Continuing on up through the pretty forest with no sounds of logging since it's a weekend I had the feeling of being watched. Stopped and looked around and watched Bailey then finally saw what it was.
- Stealth critter
Side view of this stealth critter.
- Full view on stealthy
Entered an area of the forest which shows some of the effects of the old fire but which has also had human logging to created wildlife habitat.
- Fire damaged and human logged for wildlife habitat
As I mentioned, mountain bikers use the trail and it's a great one for biking - they even have a nice jump ramp constructed.
- Nice bike ramp
The forest floor was lush with flowers, ferns, moss and fields of Oxalis.
- Red flowering currant I think
- Oxalis
We crossed Bell Camp Road and went down into the Gales Creek drainage about 3/4 miles so Bailey could get some water and cool off then back up the steep hill and returned to the TH. A beautiful day in the woods - only occasional gunshots in the distance, no ORV noises, no people, and my knee hardly bothered me at all. Life is grand!!
- Indicator of a working forest area
Skip
), I think I've seen them at Ecola, too.