PalisadesRecent Trip Reports
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Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Bugs
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I set out on this hike in the early afternoon with my brother today. Reading that it was a "little...
I set out on this hike in the early afternoon with my brother today. Reading that it was a "little known" trail appealed to me, as I enjoy the solitude that the lesser known hikes offer. The trail was in excellent shape, with no blowdowns or crazy obstacles. I definitely wouldn't consider this hike a "little known" hike, however, with all of the people we saw on it. We saw a few groups of hikers, but we encountered many cyclists (probably about 20 in all) coming down the trail as we were going up. If you do this hike, be prepared to jump out of the way for cyclists!
We reached the Little Ranger Peak summit in about an hour and a half and were greeted with a pretty view but lots of clouds today. The peak offers great views, but to get the really good ones you have to risk your neck and climb down some rocks to a landing that is a little lower. I wouldn't recommend this hike to large parties, because there really isn't any room for more than 3 people to fit comfortably and safely out on that peak. We decided to continue on towards the Palisades trail, which offers many switchbacks and a good workout. We found the three sided log shelter that looks perfect for camping, at about 2 miles or so from Little Ranger Peak. We followed the trail about .5 miles farther, but the cloud coverage was very low and there was little to be seen.
White River, Palisades, Skookum Flats
— Jun 18, 2011
— shaderunner
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Snow on trail
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Starting at Buck Creek we headed to the Palisades trail via the White River Trail. Fairyslipper and wild ginger...
Starting at Buck Creek we headed to the Palisades trail via the White River Trail. Fairyslipper and wild ginger are blooming near the creek on the Palisades Trail.
We hoped to reach the cabin at the junction to the Ranger Creek Trail, but we were not too surprised to find enough snow to turn us back at 4800 feet, about a mile/mile and a half from the cabin. The day was cool, the snow was hard packed and it was too much trouble to kick steps into the drifts with trail shoes. Traction devices might have worked. Once back at Buck Creek we stopped for a snack and then did another 2.5 miles on the Skookum Flats trail heading toward Road 73 before turning back for the day. All the trails had some blowdowns but we managed to get over/under or around them all without difficulty. Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns
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We began our hike from a small parking area on the north side of HWY 410 just after The Dalles...
We began our hike from a small parking area on the north side of HWY 410 just after The Dalles CG and just a few yards before the Camp Sheppard Boy Scot Camp. After climbing about 0.2 mile you reach a junction with the White River Trail which goes right. You continue up on the Palisades trail. We hiked 4 miles to the second North viewpoint gaining 1850 feet. The moss covered forest is pretty and the trail follows Dalles Creek for most of the first mile. The 3 creek crossings are easy, the 3rd is bridged and the other 2 have boards which are easily walked. When we returned to the TH we saw that a tree had been sawed lengthwise and a new plank was waiting to be put across the first creek crossing. Wild ginger, small flowered blue-eyed mary, and small flowered yellow monkey flowers were seen along the trail. Paintbrush was present at the 2 overlooks. The falls was full and beautiful! There were 9 easily stepped over or gone around trees across the trail from the first north viewpoint to the second viewpoint.
Day hike
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Saw a report on this trail earlier in the week and decided it's time I do it again. I arrived...
Saw a report on this trail earlier in the week and decided it's time I do it again. I arrived at TH a bit before 9 AM and headed up. I packed rain gear and traction not knowing what to expect with this crazy weather we are having. The snow levels looked pretty low today. Around the falls there were traces of snow and the higher I got the more snow there was. I went to North & South Points and to the open slope where I had lunch and turned around. Didn't see a single person in the 4 hours I was out.
Hit Federation Forest on the way home tried to find the hobbit house but never did see it. Did around 12 miles today. Glad to get a good hike in before the next round of storms..
Ranger Creek, Palisades, White River, Noble Knob, Dalles Ridge
— Jul 05, 2009
— rnnrgrl
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Snow on trail
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This was a group trail run, training for the White River 50 mile run. We started at Buck Creek (road...
This was a group trail run, training for the White River 50 mile run. We started at Buck Creek (road 7160) and took the White River trail out to The Dalles. This is a gently rolling trail that goes by the Boy Scout camp. There was only one blowdown. Then we turned up the Palisades Trail and the going gets much tougher. The trail switchbacks steeply up to a set of stairs. It is a beautiful area, but today it smelled like there was a dead animal in the bottom of the canyon which wafted all the way up the hill. After the stairs the trail mellows out a bit but still climbs steadily to the first viewpoint. Rainier just peeks over the opposite ridge, and Suntop lookout is also in view. After climbing another miler or so the real reward is revealed. Beautiful panoramic views of the valley below including the river, the airstrip and Mt. Rainier in-your-face style. Then the trail turns away from the ridge and to a cabin. From there we continue up on The Dalles Ridge trail and follow that until it ends at the Noble Knob trail. We turned south there and climbed around the ridge through some snow patches and glacier lillies. The trail levels off just after the Noble Knob turnoff and is just rolling hills (with the exception of one thigh burner) until we reached the road at Corral Pass. This top part is in full sun exposure, and today sunscreen was necessary. But the views or Mt Rainier were spectacular. The huckleberries are numerous, but not ready to eat yet. We met a crew with water and snacks there, then turned back and retraced our steps. At the cabin, we took the Ranger Creek Trail down. This trail is popular with Mtn Bikes. Lots of shade, soft tread and switchbacks on this gradual hill, in our case it was going down, down, down, and down until we finally reached the road just across from Buck Creek. This made for a ~25 mile loop, and a fabulous day!
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