A few weeks ago, I climbed Kings Mountain in the forested hills of Tillamook State Forest. On Sunday, I returned to hike its neighbor, Elk Mountain, with Aunt Judy. We completed an 8-mile loop by connecting to Elk Creek Trail (2,140' gain).
Reaching the summit of Elk Mountain is not easy. The trail climbs nearly 2,000' in under 2 miles, and the steepness is compounded by loose footing much of the way.
The summit (2,788') offers views of the surrounding forest, including Kings Mountain. Another glorious day! (Yes, I chopped off my long locks again in order to make a third hair donation).
From here, several options become available. Retreating down the trail is not recommended due to its steepness. By continuing on the ridge that follows off the back of Elk Mountain, it is possible to return via Elk Creek Trail or by connecting to Kings Mountain. Aunt Judy and I navigated the ups and downs along the ridge for two miles before arriving at the junction to Elk Creek Trail or Kings Mountain. There we ultimately opted for the easier Elk Creek Trail.
The Elk Creek Trail presents a different view of this section of forest with fir trees giving way to alder. With the legacy of the Tillamook Burn fires up through 1950, this is a young forest, but the recovery has been swift with no sign of fire damage.
Aunt Judy and I hit the trails from 9am-2pm, but this loop is doable in 4 hours. Perhaps someday I will tackle the Elk Mountain-Kings Mountain loop!
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| A clear shot of Mt. Hood on our drive back |
