Day 4: To Hobo Camp, Brice Creek

June 27, 2013

Today will be an easy day. I won't travel very far but I need to backtrack to get groceries and hike a lot to get to waterfalls.

I got on the road before 8:30. It's much easier to get up and moving when it's not raining. The sky was still overcast, though.

I turned left out of the campground, downstream 2 miles to Row River Road. Then another 6 miles downstream to the Dorena store to get groceries. I bought a lot of stuff - it needs to last 3 days and 2 nights.

Near the store I had one bar of signal from Verizon Wireless and called my wife before I disappear into the forest again.

Then back upstream 6 miles to turn right (south) onto Brice Creek road. Brice Creek is a very popular recreation area, with swimming holes, hiking trails, and waterfalls. It's where everybody goes to recreate because swimming isn't allowed in Layng Creek.

The lowest several miles of Brice Creek is private property, with a few small farms and several country homes. National Forest begins about where steep forested hills close in on the creek.

I interpret the slogan to mean "imperial militarism is necessary for Americans to be free". I strongly disagree. Maintaining a military empire takes away our freedoms to be peaceful, to promote democracy, to be fiscally responsible, to cooperate with the rest of the world, and to be morally respected.

Shortly after entering Umpqua National Forest I turned left into the Cedar Creek campground. The Brice Creek trailhead is at the campground entrance, next to a foot bridge.

The hike to Brice Creek falls is an easy 1/4 mile upstream. One of the few trails where I saw people.

Across the bridge I hiked upstream 1/4 mile to Brice Creek Falls. I saw a few people on the trail and at the falls. It's a popular trail right next to a campground. I lounged around for a while at the falls, took many pictures, then hiked back to the bike.

Brice Creek falls drops about 10 feet (3 m).

Slack line walking above the big pool below Brice Creek falls.

Two miles farther upstream I turned into the Hobo Camp campground. It's a free primitive campground, 1800 feet elevation. The 4 main campsites near the creek were occupied so I went across the road up to the vacant group campsite.

Campsite next to a big tree at Hobo Camp campground.

100 feet behind the group campsite is a waterfall on a small creek that cascades down to Brice Creek.

The campground has tables and a vault toilet, but no piped water and no trash cans. I can filter water from the small creek near my campsite, no need to trek down to Brice Creek. I arrived at 2 PM and decided to wait here for a few hours before going on to the next waterfalls. I usually get better pictures around sunset.

While waiting I spread out stuff to dry, filtered water, and filled my Pocket Shower with creek water. After warming in the sun for a couple hours I had a refreshing shower. I made an early dinner (never really had lunch) and got back on the bike at 5:10 PM.

The unloaded ride to the trailheads is only 3/4 mile, steady uphill. I was tempted to walk it. The first trail goes to Upper Trestle Falls, the longest trail of this tour. 3 miles round trip with 1000 feet of climbing.

The hike to Upper Trestle falls is 1.5 miles with 1000 feet elevation gain. Bicycles allowed, but I walked.

I saw nobody on the trail going up and I had the falls to myself. But on the way down I saw 6 mountain bikers going up. I was surprised that bikes are allowed. Apparently that's what "open to all other travel" means on the trailhead sign.

Upper Trestle falls drops 65 feet (20 m) in two tiers.

The trail passes behind the upper tier of Upper Trestle falls.

The trail passes some very large trees near the falls. Same as at Moon and Pinard Falls, I climbed to 3000 feet elevation to get to Upper Trestle Falls. Halfway up the Calapooya Mountains.

The Upper Trestle Falls trail has many old-growth trees.

Back at the road, I took the Brice Creek trail which starts 50 feet from the Upper Trestle trail. A quarter mile downstream I turned right onto the Trestle Creek Falls spur trail. This trail only climbs 200 feet. Much easier than the hike to Upper Trestle Falls.

The hike to Trestle Creek falls is 0.6 miles, climbing 200 feet.

Trestle Creek falls drops 60 feet (18 m).

I didn't see anybody on the trail or at the falls. Visiting a popular waterfall at 8 PM results in better light and fewer people.

While returning to the bike along the Brice Creek trail I got a nice time exposure of Brice Creek in the fading daylight.

It only took a couple minutes to coast 3/4 mile downhill to the campsite, glad I didn't have to walk back. I arrived a little after 9 PM. Past sunset but nearly an hour before it gets dark enough to see stars.

Tonight I see stars for the first time on this tour now that the sky is clear. It finally feels like summer. The high temperature was 77F.

I'm only 10 miles from where I camped the last two nights, but I don't think of this as a lazy day because of the grocery excursion and the hiking. I'm glad to finally get my stuff dried out.

Distance: 23.7 miles (38 km)
Climbing: 1083 feet (328 m)
Average Speed: 9.5 mph (15 km/h)
Unpaved roads: 0
Hiking: 5 miles (8 km)

Waterfalls: 3
Covered Bridges: 0

Today's ride: 24 miles (39 km)
Total: 120 miles (193 km)

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