Smith Rock Weekend 2019
A fantastic weekend from Kitsap or Seattle. Go see Smith Rock State Park.
We made a weekend trip from Kitsap down to Redmond, Oregon for running in the Run the Rock race at Smith Rock State Park. I’ll tell you about what we did and then give you an itinerary for your own weekend trip.
Our Trip
We went down after school on Friday, stopped for dinner at Rosie’s in Woodland, WA. Rosie’s is between exit 22 and 21 on I-5 and very easy to get into and out of. In addition, the food was great, and the service was outstanding. We truly enjoyed this stop. After dinner, we made our way to just outside of Portland for the night.
On Saturday morning, we got up and enjoyed a relaxed morning before heading to a late breakfast in Sandy, OR. We ate at the Tollhouse Inn - it was so cute and a fun place to eat. We picked up some candies at the cafe next door (it appears to be all one thing). We planned to check out a couple of forest service spots, so our first stop was the Zig Zag ranger station for a parking pass and some information.
Just a few miles down the road, and we were at Mirror Lake. We parked and hiked up to the tiny lake. It was a pleasant ~ 2 miles hike up hill with switchbacks. The path was pretty popular, especially people with dogs like us. We took the ~ half mile path around the Lake before heading back. On the far side, you can see Mt Hood. I’m sure that, on a good summer day, you could see a reflection of Mt Hood. We couldn’t really see a reflection because of the clouds and ice on the lake. The hike back down was also easy and smooth. I still think the hike was pleasant - without the promised view.
From Mirror Lake, we headed to Trillium Lake. It was a short drive down the highway and a forest road. Trillium is a slightly larger lake, but we didn’t know what to expect. Once we found parking, and we walked to the lake shore, we were already at the best spot to really see a reflection of Mt Hood and the real thing. We took a few pictures and walked around a bit. Honestly, I was a little disappointed that we didn’t have to do any work to get to the good view; I was up for a few more miles of hiking. :)
Our stop for the night was in Redmond, Or, so we headed south again. We were just enjoying the drive and did not have any planned stops. We tried to identify mountains to the west. We sang along to the radio. Car trip bliss. Along came a bridge with a historical marker. We had to stop. What might this be? The marker was not that interesting, something about trade routes that did not even seem to be specific to that spot. However, the parking lot for the marker was right near the edge of a canyon over Mill Creek. We went to have a look, and it was a nice view. The bridge did not have extra space for pedestrians, and it shook when cars went over it, so the experience of checking out the view was less than desirable. We continued with more car trip fun. Just outside of Terrebone, we saw a sign for a Peter Skene Ogden State Park, and we stopped. We were first caught off guard by the sign that warned that there was a 300 foot cliff ahead, dogs had died, and “put your dog back in your vehicle”. Seriously, I have never seen a sign like that. So, Cupcake stayed in the car, and we checked out the cliff. Very impressive drop down to the Crooked River, way more dizzying than our look down to Mill Creek. Pictures do not capture this experience.
We made it to our nest for the night and enjoyed some down time and dinner.
The morning for us was race day, so not completely ideal. Smith Rock delivered with fun trails and amazing views. We spent the morning at Smith Rock State Park and could have spent more time.
On the way home, we had lunch at a Black Bear Diner in Madras. The day was sunny and nice until we got to Government Camp…suddenly clouds came in, rain followed…and somehow it was night. We lost Mt Hood in a sudden onset of weather. I was surprised.
Great trip all around.
Plan Your Trip
Since this was such an easy and rewarding trip, I recommend it as a weekend adventure from Kitsap…maybe from Seattle, too…but I just dunno about those city folk. wink, wink
Big Picture Details
There are a few things to keep in mind:
- The best parts of this trip are outside
- Weather will impact your experience
- The biggest challenges will be finding somewhere to stay near Smith Rock State Park and finding parking at the park
- I only recommend eating places that can meet the needs of gluten-intolerant and vegetarian folks. If we like it, you can find something good to eat.
Basic Itinerary
Here, I give you the low down on how to make a family adventure to Smith Rock State Park. Let me know how you shake it up - especially if you found another hidden gem! I recommend airbnb for lodging; you do you.
Packing List
You will want to have a few things with you to make this trip not require time spent shopping. We are here for adventure, right?
- snacks: You want snacks to get through the drives as well as support a picnic or two. Choose the snacks that make you and your traveling companions happy.
- essentials: Whatever you need to make your life good. I always pack coffee, tea, and soap we like.
- clothes: No one likes to sit around in wet or muddy clothes. You may not need these, but be prepared. Pack rain gear as well as comfortable outdoor layered clothes for two days with extra socks and shoes for each person.
- towels/blankets: We keep a car kit with a thin blanket, a tarp, towels, and emergency (foil) blankets. These are useful for warming folks up, keeping the car clean-er, and making picnics more fun.
- dog stuff: If you bring a dog, don’t forget bowls and extra water. You know how to take care of your pets, so I won’t tell you…just a reminder cuz sometimes we forget the bowls, and dog is not a fan of drinking from my water bottle.
Friday
This is Get-Past-Portland day.
- (Start)
- Drive south as soon as you are free from the last required school, sport, work obligation. It takes about 3 hours windshield time from Kitsap to Gresham, Oregon. Assume you stop for about an hour for dinner/gas.
- Eat some dinner!
- Country Cousin: Right off I-5 in Centralia. Decent food amongst the craziness of this area. You can get just about anything, so it is a decent place to stop and satisfy all travelers.
- Rosie’s: This is the better choice, if you can make it this far before eating. Take Exit 22 (or 21 if you miss it) from I-5. Take a left from exit 22 and follow the road as it curves through town. About 2 miles in, you will see Rosie’s on the right. If you get to the next exit, you’ve gone too far. Feel free to use your GPS. It does not look like much, but you want to eat here. If you can, get a milkshake. They do them right!
- Find your nest for the night: I recommend staying anywhere from East Portland to Sandy, OR.
Saturday
This is Mt-Hood-Ogling day.
- 0830 - 1030 Breakfast at the Tollhouse Inn: This is the only place we’ve been in the area for breakfast. It may not be the best place to eat, but you can’t beat the atmosphere. The place is huge and includes a fun cafe and candy store with local knick-knacks. The food is good, and there is interesting local history up all over the walls. You can learn a little about the efforts of folks to improve safety for people traveling west on the Oregon trail … with a toll. Get the rest of the story at the Tollhouse Inn.
- Drive East on HWY 26 ~ 17 miles
- 1045 - 1115 Zig Zag Ranger Station: You are officially here to get a parking pass to go to the Mirror Lake trail and Trillium Lake. Unofficially, you are here for a selfie with the stuffed raccoon. You also want to pick up maps and guides for the places where you will be stopping; verify everything with the Ranger because local conditions matter. This ranger station is closed for lunch from 1200-1300; make sure your timeline works!
- Drive East on HWY 26 ~ 10 miles
- 1130 - 1400 Mirror Lake Hike and Lunch: Park, display your permit, and get ready for a couple of hours of forest time. This hike is not stroller friendly. However, it also is not technical, so toddlers can walk this trail, and you will have free hands for them. Use the bathroom at the trail head; there is not one at the lake. You are going to climb uphill about 2 miles to the lake and have lunch there. I recommend packing a tarp or blanket to fancy up your picnic. After lunch and picture time, climb back down.
- Not hungry yet? Wait and have lunch at Trillium Lake
- If you have no little kids AND the stamina and interest, take the longer trail from the lake (additional ~3.8 miles one way) up to Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain (This will add about 4 hours to your trip and may be best combined with a completely different plan for your weekend that includes camping at Mirror Lake or Trillium Lake).
- (Drive East on HWY 26 ~ 3 miles and down forest road ~ 2 miles)
- 1415 - 1515 Trillium Lake: Park, display your permit, and walk to the bridge. There will probably be a crowd…not a big crowd, but you will likely not be alone. Take in the view of Mt Hood and reflection - it is so much better than Mirror Lake, right? Walk around the lake ~ 1.9 miles.
- Drive East on HWY 26 ~ 80 miles
- 1645 - 1715 Peter Skene Ogden Scenic Viewpoint: Leave the dog in the car! Walk around and enjoy the dizzying veiw down the cliff. There are a few paths to walk around and see the different angles on the Crooked River. Which mountains can you see? There is a bathroom here
- 1800 - 1900 Dinner at Seventh Street: A brewery/pub in Redmond, OR has a variety of menu options, is family friendly, and has a nice atmosphere and great service.
- Find your nest for the night: I recommend staying anywhere from Terrebone to Bend.
Sunday
This is Smith-Rock-State-Park-Adventure and Get-Home Day. You will be outside all morning.
- 0830 - 1300 Smith Rock State Park: Hike and eat early brunch. Pick your trails before you go, based on who you have with you and what they can handle climbing. There are technical and easy trails here. Plan with Smith Rock This park is popular! Be prepared for a busy place, especially near the parking area and on the easier trails. The harder, steeper climbs are less crowded, but not isolated. Because of traffic, you want to be leaving Smith Rock State Park area by around 1300 to make it home at a decent time. You still have to unpack the car, wash your adventure clothes, and get ready for the week ahead, right?
- Drive West on HWY 26 ~ 80 miles
- 1430 - 1445 Trillium Lake: Park and walk to the bridge. Take in the view of Mt Hood and reflection - is it the same as yesterday?
- Drive Home
Optional Stops
- HWY 26 just west of Warm Springs, OR Mill Creek Bridge: If you like bridges or cliffs or want to read the historical marker. This is a fine place to stretch your legs.
- Madras, OR Erickson Aircraft Collection: For people who really like planes. It is not free, expect to pay about $8/person. On some days, they have events where you can fly in the planes.
- Madras, OR New Basin Distilling Company: Take a tour of the distillery. We always enjoy seeing things being made and talking to makers. You don’t have to be into drinking alcohol to enjoy this.
- Madras, OR Skydive Awesome: Go tandem skydiving. Not a last minute stop. You plan ahead with the company for your tandem time. See the world like never before.
Final Notes
Both Directions warning - You may use up all of your daily allowance of patience driving through Tacoma and Centralia on I-5