Notes
GORGEOUS & EPIC new trail loop!!!! First day back from running since the marathon. Today I decided to run a new trail loop in the Tillamook State Forest. Terrain was ever changing with downhill, flat and uphill segments spread throughout the course. I parked at the Summit Trailhead right off of Hwy. 6 and followed Gales Creek Trail to Gales Creek Campground. The first 2.1 mile segment I had never done before and I was STUNNED how awesome it was! It starts out with a lot of downhill for the first half mile and then levels off. It follows a stream all the way to the campground along a valley. The views were so amazing, I had to stop a couple times just to take it all in. Lots of small bridges and offshoot creeks in this area which was fun. Once in the campground, you literally turn left for .05 miles and your back on the trail for another .8 miles to the Storey Burn Trail junction. This is my favorite time of year to run trails because everything is incredibly green and blooming. Lots of clover & fern everywhere and the trail itself was in perfect condition with no mud pits.
Once on Storey Burn, it goes up for a while (not severely) and then finally levels off at one of the coolest places in the entire run...a towering waterfall!!!!!!!!!! Of course I stopped and enjoyed the views. I even climbed up on part of the rock face that is in the waterfall! It was amazing! There was a fallen log that crossed the waterfall stream at the bottom so it did not make it difficult to cross the water. Back on the trail I continued to follow it past some open forest floor areas near the top of the mountain. Great views and lots of new trees starting to grow. The trail eventually popped me out onto Storey Burn Rd. (old logging Rd.) but continues across the Rd. for another few miles, eventually intersecting with another trail system (Gravelle Brothers Trail) Since this was my first run back from my break, I opted not to continue on the otherside and just followed the Rd. back to the car. It is nice to know however that in the future, I can continue on the trail for more mileage if I want. The Rd. was nice and flat or slightly downhill all the way back to the Hwy and I was able to significantly pick up the pace. As I was running back along the Rd. I saw a guy next to a tent sitting by himself playing a guitar. It was strange, but he looked like he was just camping. The Rd. convieniently completes the loop and spit me back out next to the hwy and near my car. By the time I had finished, I was still feeling good but wished I could've kept going on the trail. I for sure will be frequenting this trail in the future as it has to be one of my all-time favorites now. Way better than any trail in Portland. Now I have 3 different epic routes in the Tillamook State Forest to run this summer!