Opal Creek Wilderness – Shellburg Falls (#6)

SHELLBURG FALLS

April 3, 2011

 Info: (Thank you ODF! http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/northcascade/nonmotorizedtrails.shtml) 

 Shellburg Falls Recreation Area offers many opportunities for visitors. You may hike, horseback ride, mountain bike, free-ride mountain bike and camp in this area. There are nearly 6 miles of non-motorized trail managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Each trail is designed for a specific use. The Free Ride Mountain Bike Area is maintained by the Mountain Street Dirt Crew. Motorized vehicles are restricted to maintained gravel roads only.
Vehicle Access: May—October
Walk-in Access: Year Round
Trail Closures: Trail closures may be in effect during the rainy season or for current timber sale operations. Please call ahead for current trail closures. 
For a brochure and more information: go here — Shellburg Falls Brochure
Jenn’s Review: This was a great little hike. I had to walk in to the park to get to the falls which is quite a ways but flat so easy. Highly recommend for families. The campground looks like it would be fun. Will camp there one of these years! Be careful of bears! The sign kinda scared me. he he..

So, before hitting the trail…Gene’s Meat Market is shown right off Hwy 22 so of course I stopped in there and picked up some beef jerky for Shadowlynn and I. It was sooo good. Luv the Teriyaki one.

They were taking orders for Easter Sunday Hams. 🙂 YUM

 You’re on a gravel road most of the way up.  During camping season, you can actually avoid walking and just drive through. I would recommend driving this than walking.  But you will miss all the wonderful farms and houses on this road. 🙂

The first landmark I hit was the creek. More like a bridge over a creek. There are steps you want to take and that will lead you to the falls.

Kinda cool you can add a video to this blog…so here is my very first. Not that exciting, just the creek. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

Well, its not a blog without me in it…My first pic of the day of me! OHHHH Lordy

So, I kinda got carried away with the pictures of the stream. Hey! I was excited to hit water!!!

Finally got on an actual trail. Shellburg Falls, here I come!

Dur…More pictures of me and Shadowlynn!!

The path isn’t very long to get to the Falls.  Really easy, no real climbing or steep hills. Perfect!

 The area is quite beautiful and if I had the right camera equipment, would make excellent nature pictures.

You can actually walk behind this fall…wear a coat – it gets cold. I don’t know WHY they put a stupid bench there — it’s always gonna be wet and muddy. Like I really want my butt on there!  🙂

On the trail, you see these lilies (?) everywhere! They were neat but I don’t think ODF would be very nice to me if I dug them up and planted them at my house.

Continued on the trail and hit a trail closed.  Well, I still had to go see WHY it was closed. Well, part of the path was submerged in water. OHHH guess that’s why.