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Hiking: The only question is where to start!

Linn County is a hiker’s paradise! We have trails for everyone, from small children and beginners to hard-core mountaineering enthusiasts.

We  have so many possibilities for hiking, it would be impossible to list them all here.

However, to get you pointed in the right direction, we're suggesting a number of particularly great trails or areas in which to hike or climb mountains. 

Trail Hiking

The Willamette National Forest includes about 1,700 miles of trails, ranging from wilderness routes for hard-core hikers to low-elevation, easy-access trails for year-round hiking.

Approximately 30 of them are located in Linn County. Here’s a quick summary:

Lower-elevation trails, which include the Trout Creek Trail, Walton Ranch Interpretive Trail, Yukwah Nautre Trail, Rooster Rock Trail and House Rock Trail, can usually be accessed year-round and are generally easy, with the exception of Rooster Rock.

Higher up the South Santiam River valley is the Santiam Wagon Road Trail System, which totals 19 1/2 miles and range from 1,500 to 3,200 feet, from Mountain House to Fish Lake. The trail then crosses Highway 126, connecting with the McKenzie River Trail System, which extends all the way to Big Lake. Santiam Wagon Trail parallels and crosses Highway 20, which provides many access points.

To the north is the Middle Santiam Trail System, which provides access to the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Trails include Chimney Peak, Swamp Peak, Gordan Peak and McQuade Creek.

The Tombstone Pass area includes Cone Peak, Browder Ridge, Iron Mountain, Gate Creek, Echo Basic Trail, Tombstone Nature Trail and Hackleman Old-Growth Trail.

The Old Cascade Trail System provides access to the Old Cascades – Crescent Mountain, Three Pyramids, Trapper Butte and Scar Mountain.

The Tidbits Mountain/Bear Pass area includes the Twin Buttes, Gordon Lakes, Tidbits Mountain and Gold Hill trails – all mid-elevation routes to peaks along the Sweet Home Ranger District’s southern boundary.

To the northeast are the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness trails, and the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs south past Three-Fingered Jack and Mt. Washington. Along Highway 126, on the east end of the county, the McKenzie River Trail, called the No. 1 bike trail in America by one bicycling magazine, runs for 26 miles from just north of Clear Lake following the river, starting by the lava beds near Fish Lake and running past the beautiful Sahalie and Koosah waterfalls.  It's excellent for walking too!

 In central Linn County are Soda Creek Falls trail in Cascadia State Park, which runs three-quarters of a mile to the falls for which it is named.

McDowell Creek Park, north of Sweet Home, offers a three-mile loop that includes mature forest views and beautiful vistas of Royal Terrace and Majestic Falls from the bridges and viewing decks along the trails of this lush green park. Sseveral different levels of hiking are available at McDowell, ranging from relatively easy to more strenuous walks.

A walking trail has been developed between Lewis Creek Park and Foster Dam on the north shore of Foster Lake, on the east end of Sweet Home, and other segments are in progress.  In Sweet Home, the South Hills Trail skirts the south edge of the city and is great for running and biking. It can be accessed best from Sankey Park and from Elm Street at 16th Avenue.

 Farther west, The Build Lebanon Trails organization's goal is to develop trails and encourage hiking in the area. BLT has developed Cheadle Lake Trail, an approximately three-mile hiking trail around the former mill pond east of Lebanon, and sponsors a variety of other hiking opportunities. For more information, visit buildlebanontrails.com.

Albany offers a variety of hiking and biking trails, including the Waverly Lake/Cox Creek Loop (1.35 miles), Dave Clark Trail (1.5 miles), Oak Creek Greenbelt Trail (1.8 miles), Periwinkle Creek Trail (1.8 miles), Simpson Park Trail (1.2 miles), Takena Landing Trail (1.5 miles) and TImber Linn Park trail (1.5 miles). (Distances are one-way.  For more information, visit www.ci.albany.or.us/parks/paths.php)

 Mountain Climbing 

Serious mountain climbers can find some "peak" experiences on Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington and Three-Fingered Jack, all near the eastern border of Linn County. Mount Jefferson, the tallest at 10,497 feet – second-highest in Oregon, is a beautiful, photogenic cone that has been used in a variety of commercials. It is located in a rugged wilderness setting and is difficult to access, though though USFS Road 1044 off Highway 22 comes within four miles of the summit. Mt. Jefferson has five glaciers and is a challenging hike, considered by some to be the most difficult of the higher volcanoes.  Its summit pinnacle requires Class 4 to 5 rock climbing on very steep ice-encrusted rock. 

Mt. Washington, to the south, rises to an altitude of 7,794 feet and is relatively easy to access from the Pacific Crest Trail. Due to its relatively simple summit route, Mount Washington is a very popular destination and the normal route can be crowded, especially on weekends. 

Three Fingered Jack, 7,844 feet, is also accessed from the Pacific Crest Trail in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness between Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Washington. The base is heavy scree and, in addition to packing water, climbers are urged to be sensitive to the erosion going on if not climbing or descending in snow. The South Ridge Route is the most popular and the only one really recommended.

If you're not an experienced mountain climber, various climbing organizations offer organized climbs and climbing instruction, including the Mazamas (www.mazamas.org), the Obisidians (www.obsidians.org) and the Chemeketans (www.chemeketans.org). 

As we said above, Linn County is loaded with opportunities to hike, so put your boots on and come walk our trails!