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Past Activity

N. Fork Smith to Kentucky Falls

  • Start date: 03/31/2018

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 03/31/2018

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Trip description: This will be a one-way upstream hike with a shuttle from the lower North Fork Smith trailhead to the Kentucky Falls parking area. On the way we will cross two beautiful new bridges built November 2017 over the North Fork, an 11-foot diameter Douglas fir and the breathtaking lower and upper Kentucky Falls. This is a difficult hike with the most arduous 800-foot climb at the end of the hike and a lot of up and down hiking along the river. But, it is also one of the more dramatic hikes in the Coast Range, highlighted by the twin Lower Kentucky Falls.

  • Event Leader: Darian Morray

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-953-5679

  • Event Leader Email: dmorray01@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

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

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 110

  • Season: 2018

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required:

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 8.7

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 1400

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

13 hikers carpooled with 4 cars from Target on 11th St. We were surprised by 6-8 inches of pretty fresh snow on the potholed approach to the Kentucky Falls parking area. The trip over took 90 minutes and was uneventful. We hiked downstream and stopped first at the twin Kentucky Creek and N. Fork Smith Falls. There we saw an adult bald eagle. The falls were impressive.
There were a number of small, medium and large trees across the trail but we were able to get around all the obstructions. The group got separated briefly when the leader failed to detect a junction, but we reunited within 20 minutes. We proceeded to the 11-ft. diameter Douglas Fir and had lunch there. There were trillions of trillium, which became the name of the hike. We crossed the two new bridges on the lower N. Fork and ended at the lower parking area at about 3:30 (time for the hike about 5 hours). We were home by 5:15. It was a splendid day!