Vicki and I visited Willamette Pass and Odell Lake where the PCT crosses the highway, then continued west down Salt Creek to visit Salt Creek Falls, Too Much Bear Lake, and McCredie Hot Springs.
After a long drive from the town of La Pine, we finally arrived at Willamette Pass. We parked at a pullout on the side of the highway, and I got out to take a quick hike on the PCT in both directions, north and south. We were still too early to meet any Thru Hikers, so I fired up my Far Out PCT app and made a comment about the current conditions, which were that the trail was mostly, but not entirely, snow free. There were still old drifts melting in shady regions, even though it was almost Summer. It turned out that 2023 had been a big snow year even in Oregon.
Looking at the map, I realized that Odell Lake was just down a side road, so we headed there next. Shelter Cove Resort was a favorite resupply spot for thru hikers, and they had everything ready for an onslaught of hungry hikers. We went into the store and Vicki bought an ice cream treat. We also went out by the lake and docks to see what was going on. They had a big tent for hikers, complete with power strips to charge up depleted electronics. It was a very hiker-friendly place.
We continued west along the highway, and saw signs for Salt Creek Falls. We had no idea what it was, but waterfalls were always high on our list of things to see, so we pulled into the parking lot. It turns out that Salt Creek Falls was the second highest waterfall in Oregon! Nice. It was typical of waterfalls in the volcanic cascade region in that it was formed by the erosion of vertical basalt columns after a lava flow once filled the canyon long ago.
There was an asphalt walkway with high railings along the rim of the canyon affording good views of the waterfall. We walked all the way to one end to get a better overall view, then headed back toward the waterfall itself, to get another view, of the water pouring over the edge. This was less satisfying, as waterfalls are usually enjoyed the most from down below and/or further away.
We tended to use Google Maps while driving, and when we looked at our phones while visiting the falls, we zoomed in to see what trails they had. We like to get in a short dayhike whenever possible, to stretch our legs if nothing else. When we looked, we saw a nearby lake. Its name was “Too Much Bear Lake.” We started laughing. What a crazy name! It wasn’t until I got home that I googled how it got its name: “A packer wanted to go fishing but discovered the lake east of Oakridge crowded with bears.” I would have left the bears alone, just like he did. But Vicki and I wanted to hike, so we packed a lunch and headed down the trail to check out the lake. If there were bears we were prepared to run for it!
When we got back to the car, Vicki drove while I consulted Google Maps. There was supposed to be a hot spring just ahead, along with a spot called the Blue Pool. This sounded interesting, so we pulled off the highway and took a short hike up Salt Creek. McCredie Hot Spring turned out to be directly on the creek. On both sides, really. We visited a cloudy pool that was kept full of water by folks who removed the rocks and made a small wall around it. It was cloudy and not very appealing. Meanwhile, across the creek were supposed to be several more hot springs. We could see people hanging out over there. One of them may have been high on something based on his behavior. Harmlessly high, we could tell, but there was no need to bother him with our presence, we felt.
We got back in the car and drove a block or so downstream to the Blue Pool Day Use Area, and took another hike. There was a campground there, as well. The Blue Pool was formed by an eddy in the flow of Salt Creek. There was a tall rock that you could jump from into the pool, if you dared. I did not dare. But I did take some photos and videos. That’s more my style.
After that, it was time to continue downhill to the west, along the Willamette River Valley, toward Eugene. We needed to get some food supplies before heading northeast up the McKenzie River Valley, and Eugene was a big enough town. We also stopped at a couple of fish hatcheries along the way. But that story is on the following page…
For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page
Fish Hatcheries >>
hikingtales.com 