16. Echo Basin

Summary

Length – 2.5 mile loop

Difficulty – Moderate

Season – Summer to early Autumn

Elevation range –4,160 feet – 4,900 feet

Human imprint – Moderate (plantation)

Information - Willamette National Forest, Sweet Home Ranger District

Primary old growth features

Unique stand of large, old Alaska cedar

Description

Echo Basin sits in the palm of a sheltered drainage where cold air pools, fostering a forest similar to those found around Mount Rainier and farther north. A short loop leads hikers through this forest where impressive Alaska-cedar and occasional old noble fir stand by the trail. Alaska cedar are usually short and sometimes almost shrubby in Oregon, but in Echo Basin they form large trees, likely the largest Alaska cedar in Oregon.

Head up the Echo Basin Trail (3410) through a rapidly growing fir plantation, coming to the loop junction a half mile from the trailhead. From here the loop circles through the old forest and interspersed meadows. Impressive Alaska-cedar are scattered throughout the loop. Diverse meadow, shrub, and forest communities draped over the basin sidewalls are visible from the more open areas.

Absent further fire, Echo Basin is well along the pathway toward a forest of largely shade-tolerant trees. The young forest that regenerated following the last major fire in the basin four or more centuries ago was likely dominated by blue-hued noble fir, an early-successional species capable of out-competing other trees at this elevation following fire. Shade-tolerant Alaska cedar and Pacific silver fir grew into the upper canopy as older trees died. Only a few scattered large noble fir trees and snags now remain, protruding markedly above the general canopy layer.

25 years of change

Old noble fir have continued to die out becoming a minor component of the forest.

How to get there

Turn northeast onto Forest Road 055 from U.S. Highway 20, approximately 38 miles east of Sweet Home. The trailhead is on the right, 2 miles from US 20.