Cascade Head Hike

Overview

PLEASE NOTE: Dogs are not permitted on this trail even on leash. You may have seen people going up with dogs: these scofflaws are ignoring signs and the explicit directions of the Nature Conservancy. This is a private trail: DO NOT bring your pet! This is one of the truly amazing places on the Oregon Coast. It has spectacular views down to Three Rocks, the Salmon River Estuary, and the headlands north of Lincoln City. The grassy headland is also home to an endangered species of butterfly, the Oregon silverspot, and at least two rare plant species. Much of the hike is on Nature Conservancy land, and you are subject to the Conservancy's own restrictions, as the primary purpose for this protected area is the conservation of native species. Please stay on the trail and leave your pet at home! The hike begins at Knights Park. The first part of trail follows a path of wood shavings scant feet from Three Rocks Road. Cross the road and you'll find the path headed north on the shoulder of Savage Road. The trail dips from the road to reach a wooden bridge, and then parallels the road through the trees. At the crest of a hill, the path crosses the road and follows its west shoulder. A sign at the bottom of the hill marks the original trailhead, where the trail leaves the road for good. With the roadside hike done, you'll begin climbing steeply, sometimes on stairs, through an old growth coastal forest. Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce dominate the area. You're on National Forest land in this short section, but please stay on the trail as private property is close. You'll climb about 270 feet in the first 2/10 of a mile to a grove of Sitka spruce indicated by a "13" marker. The climb eases here. The trail crosses a couple of bridges over small streams and then enters a virtual tunnel of undergrowth. There are nearby houses here, but the thick, impenetrable growth separates them from the trail as effectively as distance. You'll cross Teal Creek in a dense wood and then start climbing again, although more gradually this t

Trail Stats

Photos

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