In the winter months, it’s often best to look for hikes at lower elevations and close to home unless you’re set up to deal with real adventures with possible snow, downed trees or road washouts. This year, so far, it’s easier to get to higher elevations (thanks climate chaos!), but it’s still nice to find a good hike close by. One of my go-tos is the South Willamette Trail, just 30 minutes from downtown Eugene.
Never heard of it, you say? The trailhead is better known as Eula Ridge, and you can find it just a few miles past the large and well-marked Hardesty Trailhead along Hwy 58 between Eugene and Oakridge. At milepost 24 look for a small pullout on the right side of the road, at the end of a guard rail and marked with a hiker symbol. No parking pass is required here like at the Hardesty Trailhead, where you’ll find restrooms and other trail options.
While the trailhead may not look like much, this forest trail within the Willamette National Forest is a gem and rarely busy, though you do have to contend with highway noise and use caution at intersections where mountain bikes may be coming down hill…