38. Shale Ridge Trail

Summary

Length – 2 ¾ miles one way to the North Fork crossing

Difficulty – Easy

Season – Late spring to autumn

Elevation range –2,960 feet – 3,070 feet

Human imprint – Minimal

Information - Willamette National Forest, Middle Fork Ranger District

Primary old growth features

Massive, very old Douglas-fir and western redcedar.

Description

Enormous Douglas-fir and western redcedar embellish the nearly level Shale Ridge Trail (3567), a northern port of entry to the Waldo Lake Wilderness. This easy path parallels the North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River southward towards Waldo Lake, a major headwater of the Willamette River. The recent Cedar Creek Fire (2022) burned across the upper portion of the Shale Ridge Trail closer to Waldo Lake, but did not burn through the old growth described for this hike.

From the Shale Ridge Trailhead take the trail to the left heading south. Multiple age cohorts of Douglas-fir attest to the past presence of fire in this stand, leading to a general canopy of large mature trees with older trees abundantly mixed in, and punctuated with even older fire-scorched survivors. The first 2 miles pass in and out of three patches containing concentrations of these very old giants. I rough-counted one at over 700 years old. Gargantuan Douglas-fir in the second patch about 1 mile from the trailhead reach 7-9 feet in diameter. We saw and heard a northern goshawk, and heard a barred owl near this grove.

Unbridged Skookum Creek spreads out in multiple streamlets over old debris flow deposits just under 2 miles from the trailhead, requiring care in crossing and likely wet feet during the spring high-flow season. Just under a mile later, the trail enters a charming western redcedar grove just prior to reaching the North Fork. Huge western redcedar, some over 7 feet thick, mix with moss-shrouded maple and ancient Douglas-fir in an idyllic glen perfect for picnics. The trail then crosses the North Fork leaving the old forest behind, and heads deeper into the wilderness towards Waldo Lake and the recent fire. The unbridged river crossing can be treacherous early in the season and makes a natural stopping point for day hikers.

25 years of change

Fortunately, not much obvious change.

How to get there

Turn left onto the Westfir Highway off of Highway 58, 37 miles southeast of Eugene. Turn left onto the Westfir-Oakridge Road after ½ mile. Continue straight through the Westfir junction becoming FR 19 where it enters the national forest. The trailhead is on the right (south) side of a large switchback in FR 19, approximately 33 miles from Westfir.