Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with Facebook
Terwillerger also known as Cougar Hot Springs is runned by the Forest Service and maintained by Army Corp. of Engineers as well as local volunteer groups. At first sight, you know both nature and man has been hard at work. Festoons of hanging moss and mammoth cedars and firs give the place a special, almost magical quality. A series of four pools cascade down a slope in a lovely dense forest. Large river rocks surround the pools making it easy to climb about; strategically placed tree stumps provide handy spots for changing and storing one's belongings. Yet, it is so naturally done that it appears to be a wonderful accident of nature that accommodates man's needs and cool water is diverted into the hot springs, making them just right for soaking. Clothing is optional and is often taken off.
There is a $5 charge for the whole day at the trailhead where you'll find a person to pay and a information kiosk. The charge is for the up keep of the springs and helps maintain the integrity of the crowd and enviroment which has had vandelism issues in the past. There is also rudimentary bathroom facilities and pet area near by.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Helpfulness
From the top you return through the flowers you came up through - maybe not sweating as much - and return to your car after crossing US 20 and heading east for a final mile along the trail following the old Santiam Wagon Road. Hard to imagine wagons rocking along in these high forests.
Written Jul 24, 2004
Helpfulness
Atop, you find grand views of the Cascades from Diamond Peak in the south to Mt Hood in the north. The lookout is manned during the fire season and is not open to the public. You can peer through the door when it is not in use at the simple interior within. A earlier lookout was literally blown off the summit by autumn storms and one of the lookouts also fell to his death here - a memorial is placed just to the south of the lookout.
Written Jul 24, 2004
Helpfulness
From Cone Peak you continue west across a flower-bedecked saddle in to forests at the base of Iron Mountain. Going much of the way around the mountain, you come to a trail going up to the lookout atop the peak. Many swithcbacks take you up through flowered gardens.
Written Jul 24, 2004
Helpfulness
The best direction from the parking lot on Tombstone Pass is east - you need to buy a $5 day parking pass or have an annual NW Forest Pass. You switchback up Cone Peak and eventually come to pumice meadows ablaze with color in July. Iron Mountain, with its lookout and the southern spire, looms to the west.
Written Jul 24, 2004
Helpfulness
The Cone Peak/Iron Mountain hiking loop off US 20 at Tombstone Pass - just west of the highway junction below Santiam Pass - is one of the best places to experience the magnificense of the Cascade Mountain wildflower show. The whole loop is only a little under 7 miles and the views and flowers are truly grand.
Written Jul 24, 2004
Helpfulness
The Upper Proxy Falls ends in a splash pool at the base of huge lava flows. The pool never overflows as water percolates down through the lava reemerging with waters from the nearby likewise lava-dammed Linton Lake, a couple miles down the canyon in huge springs recreating lost creeks.
Updated Jul 3, 2004
Website: www.waterfallswest.com/or_upperproxy.html
Helpfulness
From an overlook, you can make your way down closer to the base of the falls on rough bootpaths and the occasional downed tree. Mists surround you as you gaze at the dancing waters tumbling down mossy cliffs.
Written Jul 3, 2004
Website: www.spectacularoregon.com/fallslakes/proxyfalls.htm
Helpfulness
9 miles east from OR 126, the McKenzie Highway, OR 242, will take you the Proxy Falls Trailhead. A short hiking loop - one mile - takes you to the base of two waterfalls - Upper Proxy and Lower Proxy. The falls tumble off glacially-carved cliffs, cut over 6000 years ago. More recent basaltic lava flows have covered the canyon floors, damming the outlet splash pool of the upper falls.
Your trail wanders up and through the old lava flows and in no time you are at the Lower Proxy Falls, two main cascades breaking into many on the green clad cliffs in deep ancient forests.
Written Jul 3, 2004
Website: www.spectacularoregon.com/fallslakes/proxyfalls.htm
Helpfulness
The blues of the river are incredible as they rush downstream hypnotically. Crystal clear, this is not bather friendly water being only a few degrees from a frozen state. It is possible to take a loop trip around both Koosah and Sahalie Falls on both sides of the river. Foot bridges both upstream of Sahalie and downstream of Koosah enable the 2.6 mile circuit to be made.
Written Jul 3, 2004
Website: www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/recreation/tripplanning/pointsofinterest/sahalie_koosah.html
WATERFALLS ALONG AND NEAR THE UPPER MCKENZIE
Belknap Hot Springs is a small resort that dates back to the late 19th Century. A 102 F swimming pool is the main attraction here along with the splendid lodge set among huge forests deep in the upper...
We stayed one night at BHS on the recommendation of our son who shared a cabin on the river there. Since we were now traveling with 2 dogs, we were limited to the "dog cabins". What a huge...
Build your own Belknap Springs page
Comments