Elk Creek Trail

 November 8, 2020

With Autumn in all it's glory due to colder temps and rain/snow, we took Katie and ventured out to the Elk Creek trail just past Shady Cove.  It is one of our favorite Autumn hikes and today provided many of the reasons that it is.

One of the frosty bridges to start our hike

Elk Creek with a reflection

When we started our hike it was a brisk 38 degrees but the sun was out (most of the time) along with blue skies (most of the time).  We started at the Yellow Rock TH and began by crossing two frost covered bridges before accessing the paved Elk Creek trail.

Autumn colors in the distance with a dusting of snow.

One of the shaded hillsides dusted with snow

Cows grazing at the trailhead

Curious cows along the trail

The surrounding mountains had a dusting of snow, autumn yellow and red coloring, and many portions of the paved trail were covered in leaves.  Portions were also covered with cow pies and we soon found the cows who were just as curious about us as we were of them.

Glenn and Katie pause near Seven Mile Bend

Pinecones on evergreens still abound

What a view!

The fallen leaves of Autumn

We hiked out to the Seven Mile Bend area along Elk Creek and took side trails a couple of times to see the creek, then looped around to hike the road back to the TH for 8.5 miles.  We did get to see a Golden Eagle and a pair of Bald Eagles on the hike out.

A leaf dam along Elk Creek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Glory of Autumn!

 

 

 

Autumn yellow along Elk Creek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Katie this was a dream hike --- no leash, dip in Elk Creek 3 times, chase a squirrel, see cows, and roll in the frost/snow.  She slept all afternoon when we got home and probably dreamed that she caught the squirrel.

 

Katie says "what a hike!"

 

It was a beautiful hike and hopefully we will get to enjoy many more Autumns along Elk Creek.  On the way home we got Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches at the Picnic Basket Deli in Shady Cove (located inside the Shady Cove Fly Shop) and tried some Buffalo Meat Sliders from the new Bison Junction store in Shady Cove.  Maybe we napped with Katie in the afternoon too, but we're not telling.

Trekking Together

Glenn and Carol

Elk Creek Trail

October 15, 2017

Autumn is so beautiful, yet so short.  With sunshine abounding and no rain in the forecast, we got out once more to see the colors and experience Autumn, this time along the Elk Creek Trail just outside of Shady Cove.

Time to hike!  Check out the Autumn blue sky in the background.

Since the trail is really an old road, we usually hike the Elk Creek Trail either in Spring when the wildflowers are blooming or in Autumn to see the changing of colors. Since this is part of the "peak" color time in Southern Oregon, we were looking forward to an Autumn color show.

A look across the first bridges at the start of our hike

Let the color show begin!

We started our hike at the Yellow Rock TH where there are restrooms, picnic tables and plenty of room for parking.  After crossing the first two bridges, we began hiking along the road where we encountered our first of  many cows on the hike.  It is evident that cows roam freely through this area as you have to keep an eye on the trail to avoid the many cow pies along the way.  But this is the first time we have actually had cows along the trail while hiking. Katie was not sure about them, but they posed no problems for us as they either ran away or just stood and stared at us.

The first group of cows we came across....a mother with twins

At one point along our hike, we actually saw a moving cow pie.....wait, a what?  Oh that's right, it was a turtle (not turdle) that was going across the trail and looked like a moving cow pie.

Our "moving cow pie" turtle

The trail at Elk Creek now has mile marker signs along the way which are new since the last time we hiked.  Those markers do not start till 1.5 miles into the hike.  Not sure why, but maybe they figure if you don't hike at least 1.5 miles you don't care about mileage.

New mile marker signs along the trail - every half mile 

Still some apples on the fruit trees along the trail

We turned off that trail around the 3.5 mile mark and hiked over to the Seven Mile Bend area along the creek where we encountered more cows and took a break.

The cows at Seven Mile Bend area

Looking down stream from Seven Mile Bend

Series of cascades at Seven Mile Bend

We then hiked along to rejoin the road trail at the 4 mile marker and hiked backed to the trailhead.  We did see lots of folks/families on our hike back who were out enjoying the Autumn colors along the trail, in the meadows and in the surrounding hills.

Hoping to get out a few more times before this short season is over.  Be sure to get out and enjoy it too!
One last note -- if you prefer biking, the paved trail at Elk Creek is a wonderful option to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol