Gales Creek Trail

In early March, I went on an interesting eight-mile out-and-back hike along the Gales Creek Trail, leading to Bell Camp Road, beginning on the western slopes of the Coastal Mountains.

Bell Camp Road crowns the summit of the Coastal Mountains. To the west, the Nehalem River carves its way towards the Pacific Ocean, while to the east, Gales Creek flows into the Tualatin River,on the eastern side of the Coastal Mountains.

Bell Camp Road

I started the day by driving to the Reehers Camp Trailhead west of Timber, a fitting name for a small logging town in Western Oregon. The trail initially hugged the Nehalem River before crossing a bridge. Then the challenging 1,500-foot ascent to Bell Camp Road begins. At one point, the trail intersected the remnants of the long-abandoned Tillamook Railroad track.

The poorly marked trail presented a challenging yet rewarding experience. Close to the summit, I encountered approximately 3-4 inches of wet, slippery snow on the steepest part of the hike. Numerous elk and deer had traversed the area, leaving their fresh tracks in the snow. Unfortunately, I did not spot any of them.

Aside from encountering one other hiker on our descent, the trail was mine. It was, without a doubt, a memorable day.