Kaila L

Kaila L

Short Sands Beach

12/27/15

Short Sands is tough to describe. The best I can do is say it's gorgeous, mellow, secluded, and serene. It's great for a picnic with your dog and loved one(s). Surfers seem to like it, too. The wind can be pretty cold, even in the summer, so bring some warm clothes if you plan to stay a while. Also, the swaying wooden bridge is cool, but if it freaks you out just follow the other branch of the trail, and it'll get you to the beach, too.

5.0

Kaila L

Cape Falcon Trail

12/27/15

This hike beings in dense forest and moves out to some viewpoints with an excellent panorama view of the ocean and coastline. It's relatively flat, and a pretty gentle hike overall. Great for a lazy hike on a sunny day.

5.0

Kaila L

Saddle Mountain Trail

12/27/15

The elevation gain for this hike is something like 1,640 feet over the first 2.5 miles, which makes it a great hike to get your heart pumping! In the cooler seasons, the wind can be a bit harsh and the trail can be a little slick near the top. A word of warning - if you feel tempted to drive even kind of sort of fast down the hill on the way out of the park, just remember those potholes you passed on the way up. They're really good at jumping out at cars and leaving them with flat tires.

4.0

Kaila L

Umpqua Hot Springs

12/27/15

These pools are incredible. Stunningly beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. A couple of things you should probably be aware of: 1) These hot springs are clothing-optional, 2) while the trail to the springs is short, it's a bit steep and eroded, so if you're really out of shape, you might have a tough time with it, 3) if you're planning on camping, expect to have a rather large colony of hippies for neighbors, 4) parking is somewhere around $5 for the day, 5) there is a vault toilet at the trail head, but it can be pretty busy with flies and bees in the summer.

5.0

Kaila L

Hike to Waterfall Canyon

12/27/15

Definitely a good beginner hike with a well-maintained trail and pretty scenery. If you hail from a land where waterfalls contain some amount of cascading water, reset your expectations before hitting the trail. The times I've been to the "waterfall" I've seen some wet rocks and a smallish pool/puddle beneath, but no actual waterfall. I have no doubt this would be very pretty after a heavy rainfall, though. The downsides to the trail for me are a) in my experience, it has been pretty crowded, and b) it's kind of a boring hike. I think the park has prettier trails that aren't quite as crowded. Fortunately, the park has a Nature Center staffed with good folks who can recommend trails based on your skill level.

3.0