Coastal Mountains

On a mid-summer day, I decided to take an outing to the Coastal Mountains.

L.L. “Stub” Stewart Memorial State Park was the destination. It is situated next to the Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail.

The original railway line was built in the 1920s to move logs and lumber from a company mill in Vernonia, as well as freight and passengers to Portland. The railroad line was abandoned in 1973. One year later Oregon bought the right-of-way. In 2007 the State Park opened adjacent to a segment of the rail-trail.

I drove to the upper parking area, used primarily by equestrians. 

Skycar Viewpoint

It’s a pleasant uphill hike to Unfit Settlement View, which has become mostly overgrown. Then I turned downhill until I made a turn onto the trail leading to Skycar Viewpoint. From the Viewpoint, Boomscooter Pond can be seen in the woods below. I decided to extend the outing and hike down to the pond. It was very pleasant.

During the hike, I had spotted a small garter snake that quickly ducked into the underbrush. To my surprise, later in the hike a rubber boa snake was stretched across the trail. That was new for me. I don’t recall every seeing a rubber boa snake in the wild.

One of the fun things about hiking in the Park is that most everything has a name that comes from the days of the old-time railroads – – – skycar, boomscooter, caddywhomper, etc.