Kinzel Mine Revisited


Last fall I published a blog post about hiking to the old Kinzel Mine in the Badger Creek Wilderness. Since then I have had multiple questions and requests for more information about the area.

Later I published a blog post reflecting on a hike taken there in the summer of 2010.

This spring I returned to the area, making the 16-mile out-and-back hike on the entire length of the Little Badger Creek Trail.

This is about the most enjoyable mid-elevation hike around. A portion of the trail follows the burbling stream along the valley bottom, reaching the remains of the Kinzel Cabin near a pleasant campsite after four miles.

Nearby is the old Kinzel mine shaft entering the canyon wall for about 80 feet.

After a tough ascent to the top of the ridge, the trail continues to climb to over a mile high at its end where it meets the Divide Trail. There was still snow on the ground in areas.

On the return hike, I enjoyed the wild orchids, lilies, chipmunks, mule deer and many varieties of butterflies.

A big thumbs up to the Badger Creek Wilderness!

Kinzel Mine shaft

Kinzel Mine shaft

Little Badger Creek

Little Badger Creek

Mule Deer Doe (could be a Blacktail) sneaking away

Mule Deer Doe (could be a Blacktail) sneaking away

Golden Balsamroot and the distinctive pumpkin color or a mature Ponderosa Pine

Golden Balsamroot and the distinctive pumpkin color of a mature Ponderosa Pine

Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Yes, those are blowdowns over the Trail (there were many to navigate on the upper trail)

Yes, those are blowdowns over the Trail (there were many to navigate on the upper trail)

Glacier Lily

Glacier Lily

Mt. Hood beyond Tygh Valley

Mt. Hood beyond Tygh Valley

Western Tanager

Western Tanager

An old trail blaze chopped into a Ponderosa Pine

An old trail blaze chopped into a Ponderosa Pine

Solomon Plume

Solomon Plume

Into the Wilderness

Into the Wilderness

Thorny bush

Buckbrush

Categories: Oregon Cascades HikesTags: , , , , , , , ,

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