Calendar

Past Activity

Canceled: McKenzie River Trail/Belknap Springs

  • Start date: 11/10/2019

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 11/10/2019

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Meet at the Thurston LTD park & ride (Main/I-105). Travel via LTD #91 @ 8:44am. (Optionally can catch this bus at Eugene Station Bay G @ 8:30am)

Arrive McKenzie River Ranger station 9:50 am. Arrive Belknap Springs around noon. Use pool ($8.00) per 1 hour, and/or walk paths/gardens. Eat lunch (No eating pool-side. Tables inside bldg). Hike back to McK. R S about 3:30 pm. LTD bus #91 leaves 6:01 pm.

This hike is for those not in a hurry. We'll keep moving, but will enjoy the area in the fall, take pictures, chat, etc. Not for speedsters!

  • Event Leader: Clara Emlen

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-746-2181

  • Event Leader Email: caemlen1@juno.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Moderate

  • Roundtrip total drive miles:

  • Season: 2019

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Bus fare (Senior pass or $3.50 for a day pass). If soaking, bathing suit and towel (or $2 to rent towel). Lunch/snacks, maybe rain gear, water, essentials. Flashlight -- will be dark by the time we catch bus back. Possibly muddy sections of trail.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 8

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 200

  • Non-Member Fees: 2

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Four Obsidians caught LTD bus #91 in Springfield at 8:46 am, arriving at the McKenzie Ranger Station at 9:58 am.
The trail access is directly across the highway from the ranger station. The hike is mostly level with a few switchbacks
with mild elevation gain.The group took a leisurely pace allowing time to observe the flora and fauna along the way. There were various types of fall fungi that emerged from the soil and logs offering interesting color and structure; as well as a few dogwood trees still in yellow fall color. A pileated woodpecker flew in to an area where large holes in the tree trunks were observed. Pacific wrens and Goldencrowned kinglets were also observed. A Raven was heard calling in the distance. The group arrived at the Belknap Hotsprings three hours later. After enjoying lunch and a soak in the hotsprings pool we returned along the same route reaching the ranger station in two hours - about 5:00 pm - in time for some beautiful sunset colors and just before the woods got dark. The near full moon began to rise shortly afterwards.
The group caught the return bus at 5:59 pm for a relaxing ride back to Springfield.
Nature knowledge, scribe, photographer - Nancy Matthews, time keeper & fungi finder - Juan Hopkins, pacers - Sara
Henley & N.M., casual leader - Clara Emlen