Sunday, February 7, 2016 – Sunny, mid 60’s
Info: appx. 6 mi, appx. 1,000′ elevation gain, about 2:30min, No park fee
Cascade Head was my first hike in years, and damn it felt good. Jennie and I had this wild idea to get up one Sunday morning in February and drive out to Cascade Head, risking the weather, to hike the hill. We didn’t expect many beautiful views, it was February in Oregon after all, but we were very pleasantly surprised.
Cascade Head starts just north of Lincoln City. There is ample parking, but arriving early helps to beat the crowds. I would suggest using the facilities at the parking lot because there isn’t another opportunity.
The first bit of the hike seems easy, but quickly you start going up hill. After a bit the trail ends and you follow a road up to where the trail picks back up. From this point on, the trail is straight up hill for a good amount of time. There are tall stairs built into the hill, which make it more challenging but also easier. We stopped a number of times going up this part, but kept pushing through.
After a bit longer, the path evens out, only going up hill a couple more times before the trees open up. When they do, the view is unbelievable. You can see all the way up towards the valley and the inlet into the ocean. We decided to stop at the first vantage point as the rest of the trail is straight uphill. Next time I go, I will make it up, regardless of how many times I need to stop and rest.
What I learned: Don’t listen to your husband and friends when they say wearing your brand new white tennis shoes will be okay. It was February, in Oregon, on the coast…I should have known better. I immediately bought hiking boots after this trek.
Photos in no particular order.
Chicks who Hike 