Length: 7 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 1000 Feet
Trail Surface: Gravel road – very little if any car traffic
Corvallis Oregon has a real gem in its backyard, McDonald
Forest. The forest is the research forest for Oregon State University and is
riddled with miles of logging roads.
This hike follows Patterson Road from the gate on Oak Creek
Road. To get there you had out Harrison Blvd going west. At the end the road
Ys,, take the right leg on Oak Creek.
The hike is an out and back route which continuously gains
elevation on the way out.
The roadway is a well maintained gravel road that generally
does not have vehicle, you will want to keep an eye out for bicycles coming
downhill at breakneck speeds.
You will see billboards that could have important information regarding closures or any warnings.
Enjoy the way; you will see some very large fir trees. Since this is a research forest there are a
wide variety of forest experiments with trees of different ages and densities.
Near the top is an intersection where four roads come together, one leg is a continuation of Patterson Road, take the right leg.
Stay on the logging road to the end. To get the best view
you should hike a 100 yards or so down a trail that heads down the face to get
below a grove of fir trees. The face drops off very steeply so be careful.
Mary’s Peak, the tallest point in the Oregon Coast Range.
