17. Hackleman Creek

Summary

Length – 1 ¼ mile loop

Difficulty – Easy

Season – Summer to autumn

Elevation range –3,540 feet – 3,560 feet

Human imprint – High (developed interpretative trail; close to highway; nearby plantations)

Information - Willamette National Forest, Sweet Home Ranger District

Primary old growth features

Interpretive trail through very old forest; notably large Douglas-fir and western hemlock.

Description

The Hackleman Creek Old-Growth Trail (3411) loops through a unique stand of giant Douglas-fir and western hemlock, some of which were aged at over 500 years old thirty years ago. Although within earshot of traffic on Highway 20 most of the way, it is well worth a visit to see the huge Doug-firs and an uncommon concentration of hefty hemlocks. Interpretive signs at the trailhead and a brochure keyed to numbered signposts along the trail explain basic features of old-growth forests.

The loop trail actually has three legs providing several short-hike options. The upper loop is on a gentle grade and was originally wheelchair-accessible. The lower segment, connected to the upper loop at both ends, drops down close to the stream, where Hackleman cutthroat trout reside. This unique subspecies evolved due to genetic isolation caused by a downstream lava flow over 3,500 years ago that cut off access to the McKenzie River.

Huge Douglas-fir up to 5-7’ thick and chunky western hemlock 3-4’ thick dominate the overstory along all three segments. The upper canopy is starting to break up in places creating sun gaps occupied by a thick understory of young trees, including an abundance of Pacific silver fir, common at higher elevations. Deep duff mounds around some of the larger trees attest to the great age of these surviving titans.

25 years of change

Additional blowdown in places; no longer wheelchair accessible.

How to get there

Turn south into the well-signed, roadside parking area from U.S. Highway 20, approximately 38 miles east of Sweet Home. The parking area lies across the highway and just slightly west of the road to Echo Basin (FR 055; hike 16).