Oregon Coastal Mountains

It was a beautiful spring day, perfect for an outing to the Coastal Mountains. My destination was L.L. “Stub” Stewart Memorial State Park, which sits right alongside the scenic Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail.

Upon arriving at the upper parking area—a spot frequently used by equestrians—I was greeted by a doe and her two yearlings grazing near the treeline. They were remarkably cooperative, lingering long enough for me to capture a few expressive photos.

Boomscooter Pond

The hike up to Unfit Settlement View is quite pleasant, although the viewpoint itself has become largely overgrown. From there, I headed downhill and took the trail toward Skycar Viewpoint. The view from the top offers a glimpse of Boomscooter Pond nestled in the woods below, which inspired me to extend my outing and hike down to the water’s edge. The detour was well worth the effort.

To cap off a wonderful day, I spotted another blacktail deer lounging in the sun, beautifully framed by a patch of purple lupine.