Storm Ranch Trail System

July 17, 2019

While camping at Bullards Beach SP north of Bandon, we headed out one day to a set of trails called the Storm Ranch Trail System.  The BLM has 4 different access points to what is called the New River Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).  In addition to the Storm Ranch Trail System, there is the Lost Lake trail, Fourmile Creek trail, and the most popular Floras Lake trail.

Our hike begins along the Ridge trail

The always picturesque coastal tree

A Black Twinberry along the Huckleberry Hill trail.

After a short drive south of Bandon and a few miles on Croft Lake Lane, we came to the Storm Ranch Nature Center and parking lot, complete with restrooms.  We did stop and check out the Nature Center after our hike and it was a nice and informative center with folks to talk with and answer any questions you have.  They also had many displays of the flora and fauna life in the area.

The sign says it all.

Don't know what this flower is - any help?

Where the Ridge and Huckleberry Hill trails meet - soft sand!

Our loop hike consisted of 6 trails, but don't let that scare you.  The total mileage was just under 3 miles and can be hiked as fast or slow as you like with different locations providing benches.  We hiked the loop counterclockwise along North, Ridge, Huckleberry Hill,  Oceanview, West Muddy Lake, and East Muddy Lake trails.

New River

A shaded tunnel of trees on the Oceanview trail

Some hiking was in soft sand (tough hiking) while other portions went through deep shaded forested areas.  The highlight though was the wildlife viewing area at Muddy Lake,  While there we got to see 3 Blue Herons flying around the lake.  A couple of them landed on a nearby tree too.  I'll include a fly-by picture of one Blue Heron, but it is hard to see since it flew by so fast.

Muddy Lake

The wildlife viewing area at Muddy Lake

Good luck.  The Blue Heron is about dead center in the picture - best I could do.

There were a couple of short road hikes within the lopp that connected trails and an area near New River with a bathroom and picnic table that offered a nice spot to relax and take in the views.  So if you get up near Bandon and want to stretch your legs on a short hike but see a lot, try the Storm Ranch Trail System or try one of the other ACEC trails located between Port Orford and Bandon.

Trekking Together
Glenn and Carol