When I was a boy scout Camp Wilkerson was a decent jamboree and camping site. After scouting I didn’t think about it much until Matt and I began our Columbia County Reptiles and Amphibians project. Now that I’ve been back to visit 30 years later it’s turned into a gorgeous family hiking destination with beautifulContinue reading “Camp Wilkerson’s quiet forests”
Tag Archives: oregon
Birding at Santosh Wildlife Area and Honeyman Road
The longer we work on this website and wildlife survey, the more hidden locations we turn up. One new discovery is “Santosh Wildlife Area” at the north end of the CalPortland property in Scappoose. Marlea Berumen told us about the place, otherwise we never would have known it existed. We started at the CalPortland officeContinue reading “Birding at Santosh Wildlife Area and Honeyman Road”
Failing to find Mist’s Big Spring
The journey can be better than the destination, and not finding what you were looking for doesn’t mean you didn’t find everything you needed. Our friend Lucas is a budding herpetologist who has been assisting Matt and I in our Columbia County Reptiles and Amphibians project for several months. Last week we made a tripContinue reading “Failing to find Mist’s Big Spring”
McCormick Park on cold and rainy days
As the days shorten and the skies turn dreary, mist and rain frequenting the landscape more often than not, it can get hard to get outside. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing, the result of too little sunlight and too much time indoors. But don’t despair! All of our towns have close hikesContinue reading “McCormick Park on cold and rainy days”
The Final Stretch of the CZ Trail
Matt and I got around to hiking the recently completed Holce-Wilark leg of the Crown Z Trail, now that the route negotiation is complete and active logging near the Holce end has finished. The terminal trailhead is signed and connects through to Banks-Vernonia Trail via city streets. It is a beautiful conclusion to a greatContinue reading “The Final Stretch of the CZ Trail”
A pleasant little trail in the corner of the county
A few weeks ago I learned about a short trail that commemorates “Four County Point” – the only place in Oregon where four counties meet in a single location. While the trail is a bit out of the way, it goes through some beautiful forest. Last week I finished a survey in Vernonia early andContinue reading “A pleasant little trail in the corner of the county”
Stumbling upon Wilark Pioneer Cemetery
It’s not as easy to hike logging company land as it once was. But if you get access there are gems to be discovered. One Friday morning I drove Sophia up Pittsburg Road for a walk in the woods. Way up the ridge (long after the road goes to gravel) we turned left onto CampContinue reading “Stumbling upon Wilark Pioneer Cemetery”
The Hidden Carcus Creek Falls
Oregon is a state laden with beautiful waterfalls and Columbia County is no exception. While some of our county waterfalls are Instagram-famous roadside attractions like Bonnie Falls or Beaver Creek, others take a trek to get to and are little more than GPS points online. A few years back, Jon and I decided to searchContinue reading “The Hidden Carcus Creek Falls”
Walking Sauvie Island’s Westside
On a warm July morning Rosey and I crossed the bridge, picked up our parking pass, and headed north on NW Sauvie Island Road. The road parallels the Multnomah Slough and osprey nests spring up everywhere. We were aiming for the Westside Unit of the Sauvie Island Wildlife area, which begins about eight miles northContinue reading “Walking Sauvie Island’s Westside”
What happened to Laurel Beach Park?
It was a mystery. I was perusing the internet, trying to find additional parks in our area, when I ran across the name “Laurel Beach Park”. I found it on an old testing site for Columbia County Parks. The site said: Laurel Beach is a day-use facility featuring access to one of the Columbia River’sContinue reading “What happened to Laurel Beach Park?”
Wild Columbia County 