Hike Coordinators: Penny Groth and Diane Rannow
Eight hikers began this wonderful hike along the beach. It was a picturesque Oregon morning with that blend of clouds, patches of blue, and mist that us ocean people love! We encountered rocks, shells, jelly fish, goose neck barnacles, seaweed, and more. You know, the stuff we come across quite often at the ocean. And always, it reminds us why we love it, as we explore and take in the view with awe.
Then hippity hop up the hobbit trail; oh what a treat with its tunnels and wonderfully unique tree formations! And to boot, those huge, absolutely gorgeous, rhodies in bloom. It’s quite a climb but one does not notice while entranced with the distinctive surrounding scenery.
Emerging from the hobbit trail, we headed toward the lighthouse. This portion of the trail was covered in a forest of spruce trees with their smooth bark, and at times, twisted trunks. Lush foliage in this coastal climate are a beautiful feast for eyes: False Lily of the Valley, ferns gently unfolding to face spring, salal with its graceful blossoms, young nettles, and salmonberry . Diane was able to identify some for us; whatever their names, we soaked in their beauty! Views of the ocean below from on top were amazing!! And then the lighthouse slowly came into view from the trail. What a beaut!! One of the prettiest and most photographed within Oregon. And we added to those numbers…click, click, click!
After lunch, the drizzle began to increase. We were thankful it had held off this long, but decided to pick it up a little. We did skip the Valley Trail portion of our original planned route and re-hiked the hobbit trail and along the beach. But who can complain, it’s the Oregon coast, and even in its somewhat typical drizzle was, as Diane would say, “lovely, lovely lovely”. For sure! I believe we all were glad we’d come. There was some discussion before we left Roseburg that morning as to possible change of hiking location due to the dim forecast and possible traffic in Florence of the Rhododendron Festival. But we decided to stick with the plan, and so thankful we did. It was a good one!!
Pictures by Penny Groth
