Day Trip: Willamette National Forest, Oregon

[compactcamping]

Ryan, hopefully I can join you guys next time you're up in that area. To find Phantom Natural Bridge, is 2223 the second right off the main route up to Knutson saddle where the powerlines are? If so, how do you finds the trail head off 2223?

Thanks, Scott

 

[nightfoam]

okay, from what I recall, you'll come to an intersection where you'll actually want to take a right going downhill then you'll come to the intersection with the powerlines and you want to go rightish, not up on top of the ridge but around to the left of it. The road will run along some steep cliffs for a while then you'll come to a junction with two equally rough looking roads, you go right and its just a few hundred yards to the end of the road and you take the trail up to the left. Make sure to pay attention because you can easily pass the trail to the viewpoint, I did. There is a log that comes down from the right and it has a pile of rocks on it, you turn up hill there.

Something like this

 

[compactcamping]

Thanks ...

 

[nightfoam]

You're welcome, good luck.
Just a heads up, I hiked north/east along the ridge from the arch and had turned down a side trail to a small lake. When I returned to the main trail, there was fresh bear scat there. I never saw him but there was obvious evidence he was around.

 

[compactcamping]

Thanks for the heads-up, when I was at the small lake pictured in my earlier post, there were tracks and scat, although I'm not sure from what.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Awesome report and pics. My mother-in-law lives outside of Bend in Pilot Butte. I've spent some time around Sisters and Bachelor, but haven't ventured much into the backcountry...we usually have the Element with us. Next time it'll be the MDR and I'll set aside time for exploring. :beer:

 

[compactcamping]

FSR 2207 Update

Good News, after being closed for a few years FSR 2207 has been reopened. This is drive 12 in Oregon Byways.

On the way up the south side there are some great views of Jefferson

When we went on Friday there way enough snow that we didn't make it to the pass, so the trip became more hiking than driving.

When you can making it over the pass, you can hike to Phantom Bridge and have views of Opal lake. On the North side you get great view of the Opal creek recreation area.

Farther down the route and right next to the road is Sillivan falls.

Overall a beautiful drive that can easily be done as a day trip or multi-day with exploring.

 

[nightfoam]

Very nice. What is the max elevation going through that way?

 

[compactcamping]

Ryan, If I remember correctly the pass is just over 4000'. The snow pics are about a 1/2 mile from the pass.

Here is coming up 2207 from the North side just before Sullivan falls last Winter

 

[MotoDave]

You guys are making me homesick. I sure miss Oregon.

 

[compactcamping]

Yes Oregon is a great place to live ...

In the same area, about a one mile hike in is Henline Falls

 

[bobDog]

Great pics. Can't wait until I move back to Oregon.

d id you leave for a trip or a job?