Trip Report

This trail was more accessible than it was five years ago when construction at the Soda Creek dam was in progress. We were able to park at the Soda Spring trailhead, duck under the enormous outflow pipe, and begin our hike. The trail climbs steadily through tall conifers, some with charring from not so long ago fires. The trail is well graded here and switchbacks make for an easy ascent for roughly a 1000 feet. We sidehilled through draws where the burn had killed even the oldest trees but had the advantage of great views across the valley of the North Umpqua. In moister draws we passed huge sugar pines, the foot long cones strewn about their bases.
A good portion of the hike is flat once the section known as the Pine Bench is achieved. A forest of old growth ponderosa pine stands in a parklike setting, the understory brush burned away by periodic, cleansing fires. After a mile or more of easy flats we came to the canyon formed by Boulder Creek. The creek wends it’s way between walls that drop hundreds of feet into the valley. The trail turns north to parallel the creek and soon the track begins to fade and the trail condition worsens. The trail drops down to the creek and this was our predetermined turn around.
During a brief lunch, a couple hikers discovered ticks. These little opportunists had most likely jumped aboard in the final mile where the less maintained portion of the trail pushed through brush and willow clumps. The trail seemed to end at the creek although maps indicate a trail crossing the creek and climbing to Illahie Rock. The full trail, 1552, that maps show continuing up the Creek was not visible.
Despite the ticks and on-again off-again rain showers, this was a great opportunity to visit one of Oregon’s Wilderness gems.
The rock formations were awe inspiring and sun breaks and blue sky were frequent enough to keep the spirits up. The drive up the North Umpqua was magnificent as always and the cherry that topped off the trip was (literally) stopping at Rice Hill for an ice cream sundae on the way home. We arrived back in Eugene at exactly 5:00 p.m.