Hiking Cottonwood Canyon State Park

As part of the Central Oregon river trips, Cottonwood Canyon State Park was the second stop after Smith Rock. I drove late afternoon after hiking Grey Butte and had camping reservation – this seems like a newer state park in a canyon surrounded by wind farms (turbines) that was once a working farm. Regardless, I was the only tent in the campground and arrived early enough to wander around and get my bearings.

The Route

The second day, May 3, was planned to hike both sides of the river to where the trail ends. That worked great for the first section (The PInnacles Trail – All Trails). But the other side of the river trail, Lost Corral, was closed unless one wanted to wade about 50 yards in the raging John Day river.

Walking both sides of the highway on same side of the river was around 17 miles. (Track). The trail is a gravel bed with all the rocks and obstacles one would expect … it’s not an easy jaunt.

Along the river

After calm night, the moon in the morning hinted at the type of day

Walking along the river in what was probably an old rail bed, takes getting used to. Like the Crooked River at Smith Rock, the John Day was very high making some trails impassable.

Flowers were out in all their magnificence

The bluffs

Walking along the river the bluffs change color with every change in light. I was truly mesmerized as the day wore on.

The crazy stuff

Cottonwood Canyon Park had one of the best signs. Sadly, most people probably never read it. And you thought I was kidding about geese nesting in the rocks?

After another ramble around the park and spending a bit of time in a rocking chair, I looked up and realized that the second night was not going to be the same as the first … it wasn’t!