East Applegate Ridge Trail

Monday, May 27, 2019

Before driving back to Portland today, our final hike of the holiday weekend was the East Applegate Ridge Trail. It’s a new 5.6-mile trail south of Jacksonville and there is now a trailhead on each end (until recently there was only a trailhead at the east end). We started at the east trailhead off Sterling Creek Road.

The hiking was pleasant and pretty right off the bat:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

After just one tenth of a mile we came to our first view, looking west to the mountains on the other side the Applegate Valley:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

There were a number of these pretty meadow traverses:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

We saw quite a lot of poison oak:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

But we also saw quite a few wildflowers:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail
Oregon sunshine

East Applegate Ridge Trail
Hooker’s Indian pink

East Applegate Ridge Trail
California poppy

This trail had a nice variety of open grassy areas and pleasant forest:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

The trees had been oak and madrone, but about 1.5 mile in we passed through a section of tall Douglas fir. It felt like a totally different trail:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

After 2.25 miles we reached a bench with a very nice view:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

Despite the clouds we could see the snowy peaks of the Red Buttes Wilderness:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

Looking southeast at Dutchman Peak hiding in the clouds:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

We sat on the bench for awhile enjoying the pleasant day and the nice views. I explored a short distance beyond the bench. The trail continues through a grassy meadow:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

Right before the trail goes back into the trees there are some trailside rocks that would also make a good stopping place:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

East Applegate Ridge Trail

Back at the bench we enjoyed watching the paragliders. We could see them prepping on a hillside across from us:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

We watched them soar over the mountains and trees, which was really fun. I got a photo of this one backdropped by the peaks of the Red Buttes Wilderness:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

We headed back under increasing clouds:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

Incredibly, someone tried to bring a stroller on the trail. They gave up and abandoned it, to be retrieved on the hike back:

East Applegate Ridge Trail

It started raining right as we were finishing the hike, so that was good timing! This trail is really great, and this is the perfect time of year to hike it. We hiked about half its length, and I’d like to come back up and hike up from the west trailhead.