Calendar

Past Activity

Kentucky Falls

  • Start date: 02/03/2017

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 02/03/2017

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Summary: “ We will hike downhill to Upper and Lower Kentucky Falls (actually two beautiful falls side by side) and then hike downstream along the North Fork Smith River with the turn-around point being a magnificent 11-foot in diameter Douglas Fir about 2.5 miles downstream. The trip is rated difficult because of the total hike length and because the major climb (about 800 foot elevation gain in two miles) occurs at the end of the hike as we return to our vehicles. There are several small feeder creek crossings and trekking poles are therefore recommended.”
Update 2/1/2017: There are forecasts of possible freezing rain Thursday 2/2 evening and Friday 2/3 morning. However, the predicted lows are increasing as Friday approaches, so we'll be going ahead with the hike. I will notify participants on 2/2 if that has changed. Dress warmly and for wet weather! Darian

  • Event Leader: Darian Morray

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-953-5679

  • Event Leader Email: dmorray01@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Coastal

  • Departure Location: Eugene Target, W11th, parking lot closest to W11th

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 110

  • Season: 2017

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: 12 essentials. Lunch. Trekking poles will be helpful, especially if the feeder creeks are high.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 11

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 1100

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

10 participants made the challenging drive to Kentucky Falls trailhead in three cars. We stayed together on the drive and no one got lost either going or returning. There had been a small amount of freezing rain in Eugene in the early morning hours but we encountered no ice on the roads. The drive took about 90 minutes. We hiked down to the North Fork Smith trail, stopping to photograph upper Kentucky Falls, We bypassed the lower falls on the way in and continued along the North Fork trail to the 11 foot in diameter Douglas fir. The hike in took about 90 minutes, and we stopped at the big tree for lunch. By then it was raining steadily and hard. We hiked back partly along a smaller trail that drops to the level of the river before rejoining the North Fork trail. We stopped briefly at Lower Kentucky Falls, which were quite full and very impressive. The final climb out was uneventful. Total hiking time was about 4 hours, total distance about 10 miles. Everyone was soaked when we got back to the trailhead, but the group was happy. All in all a great hike.