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We’re always on the lookout for good trails to hike with kids near Eugene. Browsing some local hiking guides, the Goodman Creek Trail was recommended more than once. Only 25 minutes from Springfield, and promising log bridges over trickling creeks, ending on a pebble beach. Sounds like a great way to run off some winter energy from our busy kids.
Goodman Creek Trail is off the Hardesty Mountain trailhead.
Hardesty Mountain Trailhead
The Goodman Creek Trail is off the Hardesty Mountain trailhead, located on Highway 58 between Dexter and Westfir. The parking lot is ample, which is good, because on a nice day the parking lot had quite a few cars! (I’ll note, however, that we only saw a few people on the trail.)
A vault toilet is provided, as well as a couple of well-situated picnic tables overlooking an arm of the Lookout Point Reservoir. I suspect during certain times of the year this part of the lake may actually be empty, but on our visit the reservoir is full and the view was lovely.
A couple of picnic tables are available with a nice view of the lake.
A small part of Lookout Point reservoir is visible from the picnic area and parking lot.
Recently, we bought two new local trail guides. Both lauded the Goodman Creek Trail as a great hike for kids. We were actually headed all the way to Oakridge, and I read the guides along the way. After these rich descriptions, we literally turned around and backtracked to the Hardesty Mountain trailhead.
Best Hikes with Kids Oregon boasts “A gentle walk through stunning old-growth forest, leading to a footbridge across a lovely, wide stream…”
Oregon & Washington 50 Hikes with Kids describes a “whimsical old-growth forest” leading to log bridges over three small creeks.
Proof that we were there, haha!
Goodman Creek Trail
Head down the Hardesty Mountain trail, and immediately you’re enveloped by the trees and forest flora. Foresters by education (if not by trade) my husband and I take every opportunity to mix education into our trips. We stopped near a patch of green leafy things, all looking similar. But not the same!
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- Bigleaf Maple
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- Thimbleberry
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- Vine Maple
Before long there’s a fork in the trail. Take the right fork for Goodman Creek. Of course this calls to mind Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Technically, we took the road more traveled, but who’s counting?
The Goodman Creek Trail is probably beautiful anytime of year. But in May, it sparkles with the color of a dozen types of wildflowers.
Keep your eyes open…in May you might see the elusive wild iris.
Note: Wild Irises are incredibly beautiful, but also very delicate, and for this reason, digging or picking them from Forest Service land is prohibited. As with most plants on public land, take photos, not flowers.
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- False Solomon’s Seal
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- I don’t know. Do YOU?
For a 60-second look at the trail and surrounding area, check out our video below. Unedited, so you get our family in all our noisy glory!
Storm Damage on the trail
As we traversed the trail, evidence of winter storm damage was everywhere. Downed trees were scattered like toothpicks through the forest. And freshly sawdust littered the trail regularly from where volunteers and Forest Service workers had cleared the trail.
The smell of cut logs hung in the air. A few were cedar, and they smelled like fresh pencils! Photo by Camille.
Other things to see along the trail
The Goodman Creek Trail has lots to see, if you’re looking closely. Besides flowers and a ton of storm damage, there are critters! The guide books both mention rough-skinned newts (look, but don’t touch! Their skin has a neurotoxin.) We did see a couple of small salamanders or newts, I assume these are the ones the books referred to, but I’m not up on my current newt identification!
We saw two newts, and both were tiny. Maybe they were babies? They were maybe 3″ long. Photo by Camille.
Maybe I’m aging myself, but I always think of the movie Fern Gully whenever we’re in a fern-lined drainage. And this photo demonstrates the need for a good quality camera: my iphone couldn’t capture the depth needed to show the ferns on a hillside. Our daughter’s DSLR did a much better job showing these gorgeous ferns!
Ferns line the hillsides along the trail. I have very fond memories of these ferns from my forestry days!
My daughter poses on a fallen log near the trail. Logs seem to bring out the ninja in everyone!
At the 0.9 mile mark, you’ll cross your first creek. Rocks are strategically placed so that {most people} can cross without getting wet! My son was soaked, but he was happy about it.
Ford the stream by hopping on rocks like lilypads.
End of the Trail…for us
The trail goes on for another mile, and reportedly has log bridges crossing three more creeks before ending at a pebble beach along the water. However, with four little ones under 6 years old, our trail was over here, at 0.9 miles. One sat and refused to walk another step, so he went up on my husband’s back in a Deuter carrier. Another one was so tired he could hardly walk, so he went up on my back in a Toddler Tula carrier (and indeed, he was asleep within minutes and slept the rest of the way). Even my teen daughter carried a kiddo for a distance. They were all happy to have snacks back at the van, and we’re already planning another trip to finish the trail, maybe from the other end, if that’s possible.
Let’s Go!
The amenities at Hardesty Trailhead are simple, but adequate.
If you go, and I hope that you do, here are the nitty gritty details.
Fee – none
Bathroom – vault toilet, no sink
Parking – paved parking lot with plenty of space
Pets – welcome on leashes
Horses – Yes! There’s even a hitching post just off the parking lot.
Stroller & Wheelchair Accessibility – Not past the parking lot
Things to be aware of – we did see a little poison oak in one spot, and a Facebook commentor mentioned bees
Directions: From Eugene, Oregon, travel East on Highway 58 approximately 19 miles (Highway 58 milepost 19). The Trailhead is located on the South side of the Highway 58.
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2 comments
I just hiked the upper section of the Goodman Creek trail on Sunday – the 1.8 mile segment that goes past Ash Swale shelter between 1600 and 2600 feet elevation. It took me about an hour going each way, I saw two hikers and (repeatedly) a half dozen mountain bikers.
I think that your flower is probably a strawberry (Fragaria genus). Our forests are graced with small strawberries that lie low and under taller plants with the flower the highest part of the plant – even the three heart shaped leaves of the sour grass (Oxalis) are often taller than the strawberry. When they are ripe they are small succulent tastes, the berries only the size of my pinky fingernail.
I also love Oregon Iris (Iris tenax – tough leaved iris) and all the Trilliums that are about. I think the iris you photographed might be ground flag (flag iris). The SLR shot of the ferns really brings out their shape and color and the depth of the field… nicely done and evocative of how lovely the many shades of green we can be grateful for living amongst.
Thank you! We’ve never done the upper portion, but I’m hoping to this summer. It’s so close to home that it’s silly we haven’t done it, but with little kids it’s hard to plan longer hikes.
The irises and trilliums are so lovely this time of year!