45. Larison Creek

Summary

Length – 5 miles one way

Difficulty – Moderate

Season – Spring to autumn

Elevation range –1,550 feet – 2,200 feet

Human imprint – Moderate (plantations nearby, mountain bikers)

Information - Willamette National Forest, Middle Fork Ranger District

Primary old growth features

Large area of readily accessible riparian old growth.

Description

The Larison Creek Trail (3646) parallels its namesake stream through one of the larger blocks of old forest remaining in the southern end of the Willamette National Forest. Usually snow-free most of the year, Larison Creek can be a stellar streamside hike in late autumn or early spring. The trail is popular with mountain bikers on summer weekends, so expect to share the trail during prime time.

The trail starts off skirting the northern edge of Larison Cove through a dry mixed conifer forest with a few large incense cedar and sugar pine mixed into the Douglas-fir canopy. By the head of the cove the forest has transitioned to a more mesic site with western hemlock and western redcedar replacing Douglas-fir and incense cedar in the understory.

The first 2 ½ miles pass through patches of old forest, young forest, and a mixed-age forest containing trees from both cohorts. Then the trail begins a 2 ½ mile stretch of mostly old forest intermittently near gurgling Larison Creek. Pacific yew is abundant in places, and a mossy bigleaf maple glade provides a bit of deciduous diversity. The trail briefly follows the bottom edge of an older, regrowing plantation before resuming in old growth.

The upper portion of the trail lies in lush, riparian old growth sporting chunky Douglas-fir, including a few that are 6 to 8 feet in diameter. A sometimes slippery partial log bridge at the forks of Larison Creek a little over 5 miles from the trailhead provides a logical turnaround point. The trail continues up the slope through old growth and another older plantation to a little-used upper trailhead off of FR 101.

25 years of change

Most sugar pine are now snags; regular mountain bike use.

How to get there

Turn right (south) onto the Kitson Springs County Road towards Hills Creek Dam less than 1 mile southeast of Oakridge, and turn right again a half mile later onto FR 21. The trailhead is on the right in 3 1/4 miles on the north side of Larison Cove.