DRIFT CREEK WILDERNESS

WHERE:     There are two spots to enter from:  On the south route from Portland take I-5 south to Albany then take highway 20 east then follow highway 34, which splits off in Philomath, toward the coast town of Waldport.  Take a right on Risley Creek Road, 7 miles from Waldport and follow it about 8 miles where you will see a blocked forest road which was Service Road 3464 and still has a post marking it.  There is also a  North entrance:  Keep driving past Risley Creek Road until its terminus at highway 101. Drive 7 miles north of Waldport on Highway 101 to Ona Beach State Park, turn right on North Beaver Creek Road for 1 mile to a fork. Veer left for 2.7 miles to a T-shaped junction, and turn right onto one-lane paved North Elkhorn Road. At another T-junction in 5.8 miles, turn left onto Road50 for 1.4 miles. Then fork right onto gravel Road 5087 for 3.4 miles to the trailhead.    Follow the trail by the registration box.

THE TRAILS:     One of the only surviving expanses of Old Growth Rainforest in the coastal mountains.  The south trail follows a road for a few miles  that hasn't been used in awhile.  This first portion is the highest part of the wilderness probably around 2000 feet in elevation, and, is not as thoroughly covered with vegetation as you think a temperate rainforest would be.  Soon after you leave the old road you are walking on a trail and entering the Wilderness area full of Red Cedar, Hemlock and Sitka Spruce as well as a lot of Pacific Crabapple covering the lower Canopy.  The total trail length is about 4 miles, and all down hill, to Horse Creek which can be forded to the northern half of the trail when the water level is low.  Once you enter the wilderness area the trees spread out a bit but every inch of the ground is covered with brush, ferns, lichen, moss, smaller hardwood trees.  The lower canopy becomes quite thick as you lower toward the creek and vision field reaches about twenty feet.  When it is raining hard you'll really feel like your in a small section of the Amazon, not knowing if a large creature is lurking just feet away.  Near the creek and especially on the north side you will giant Sitka Spruce trees.