The sky opened up as we — my husband, three kids and I — neared the trailhead to the Lewisburg Saddle Old Growth Hike in Corvallis. We had expected rain and embraced the low drum of the raindrops as we began our hike along a trail surrounded by old-growth trees. We saw mushrooms varnished by the rain and newts splashing among raindrops in an adjacent pond. Everything was green, smelled of earth and felt alive.
In all honesty, I prefer a dry, blue-sky day when we forge out into nature, but a hike in the rain is quite special, especially with kids in tow. After all, who is better equipped for a tromp in the mud than a toddler in rain boots? Better yet, the Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt takes place mid-November to December. This cherished annual tradition can motivate your kids — and yourself — to get out and hike this winter. Our family’s record is finding ornaments four years in a row.
Here are five great places in the Willamette Valley to experience a rainy-day hike with kids, along with a few tips for how to keep everyone safe while having a lot of fun.
1. Watch the Leaves and Waterfalls Near Salem
Want to see the waterfalls of Silver Falls State Park in all their glory? Come on a rainy fall day. Not only will the trails be less busy, but the cascades will be thundering and the bigleaf maples will be popping with their lemony to amber fall colors. You can watch autumn in action, as leaves tumble through the air into Silver Creek. Collect them, count them, or just simply watch nature put on an acrobatic show.
All the waterfall hikes at Silver Falls are fabulous, but some of them can get a little slippery when wet and may not be suitable for all hikers. The newest trail at Silver Falls — the 0.6-mile North Rim Trail — is wide and graveled with minimal elevation gain, so it works well even when the other trails are too slick. For a bit more distance, follow the 3.3-mile North Canyon Loop, which combines several nearby trails.
When you’re done hiking, stop for a snack or a hot cocoa at the South Falls Cafe in the Historic South Falls Lodge, or drop in for a bite at The Big Leaf Coffeehouse & Grill in Smith Creek Village. It can be easy to forget to hydrate when it is cooler outside, so be sure to keep water bottles handy, and make intentional stops for water and snacks.
2. Admire the Trees in Corvallis
Some of my favorite places to hike in the rain are the McDonald and Dunn OSU Research Forests on the outskirts of Corvallis. McDonald and Dunn have loads of hikes to choose from and some perfectly suited for a rainy day. Admire old-growth Douglas fir trees with their thick bacon-bark trunks and regal mushrooms sprouting out of the forest along the 1.5-mile Old Growth Trail. The 1.25-mile loop on the William Ferrell Forest Discovery Trail is another good option; you can download or borrow materials to teach kids about its ecology from OSU Research Forests.
Many trails in McDonald and Dunn are well graded and maintained to help prevent erosion, making them great options for hiking in the rain. Always avoid hiking on trails heavily impacted by erosion, where you see puddling or rills in the rain. Save these for a dry day.
3. Make an Adventure of It Near Lebanon
If you’re interested in more adventurous terrain, nothing beats the 1.6-mile McDowell Creek Falls Trail, a loop 16 miles east of Lebanon. The trail offers a variety of trail types, including a steep stone staircase, packed — sometimes slick — soil, and wooden bridges and platforms. It is hard work but, oh, so worth it. Not only does the trail pass by two tumbling waterfalls, but the mixed Douglas fir and hemlock forest glistens on a rainy day.
A little preparation is needed to keep everyone safe. Grippy, waterproof footwear will help you avoid cold, wet feet. Bring a rain jacket and rain pants to stay dry with appropriately warm synthetic layers underneath. Ponchos and umbrellas can also work well on a not-too-windy day — don’t forget that an umbrella really brings up the cute factor for photos! Kid experts know to bring fresh, dry clothes for the ride home.
4. Walk Back in Time at a Historic Ranch in Springfield
Enjoy a little history as you stroll through Oregon’s oldest filbert — the local term for hazelnut — orchard at Dorris Ranch in Springfield. The 268-acre park has a living-history village to wander and a variety of habitats and wildlife to view. Ponder what life was like in the late 1800s as you stroll through the historic orchard of hazelnut trees, their many branches reaching to the sky. Continue hiking along the Middle Fork of the Willamette River through stately Douglas fir and riparian forests, home to a variety of birds and other wildlife. If you are lucky, you may see a raptor perched along the water’s edge.
There are many options for hiking at Dorris Ranch with a variety of well-maintained trail surfaces, including some wide, accessible trails appropriate for strollers and wheelchairs. Take a short 1.9-mile loop on a mostly gravel surface to see some of the highlights in the area, or add on a portion of the paved 4-mile Middle Fork Path if you want to stretch your legs further.
5. Views and Mushrooms Along a Ridge in Eugene
With multiple access points and 12 miles of trail to hike, run or bike year-round, the Ridgeline Trail System in Eugene is a favorite of many that live in the area. The one-way, 1.8-mile Blanton Ridge trail is an easy/moderate forested section of the ridgeline that is perfect for a rainy-day hike. Keep an eye out for a variety of mushrooms along the trail as you admire the forest of Douglas fir, pine, oak, maple and ash. About halfway along the ridge, stop and admire the wildflowers in the spring and a brief and lovely view across the valley.
My final tips for rainy-day revelry? On any wet-weather hike, no matter how long, keep a close watch on how you and your little ones are feeling as you go. It is OK to be flexible and adjust plans as needed. Unexpected tumultuous rain might dampen the fun. Sometimes a 4-mile hike needs to be closer to 2 — and that is just fine.
Most of all, have fun. Be curious and engage in the new sights, smells and sounds experienced only on a rainy day. Enjoy the transformation rain brings to a familiar trail, and you may find your family transformed, too, into rainy-day hikers.
