Trip Report: Hiking Smith Rock State Park
When: 6/14/2018
Location: Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, OR
Usefull links: smithrock.com
The park is open year-round.
The Bivy Campground is first-come, first-serve.
Day-use visitor hours are from dawn to dusk!
Close-toed trainers and or hiking boots are ideal, but you know yourself and your comfort most! Dogs are preferred on leashes. A $5 day-use permit or a current state park camp pass is available from the self-service pay stations and is needed for EACH vehicle. A yearly permit is $30, two-year permits are $50, and both are available at the Welcome Center and online. Be aware of the weather, dress appropriately and pack plenty of water and snacks as needed. Take plenty of photos of the beautiful landscape but drones are not allowed.
Difficulty depends on activity/adventure of choice! You can run/hike the 12 different trails around the area. Bike or horseback-ride (not on misery ridge). Rock climb and even walk a slack-line! The two most popular trails are Misery Ridge and the River trail. Misery Ridge is the topic of choice in this report. I have completed this trail several times, each time complaining about my sore calves, but the views make up for it. Beauty is pain, remember! The trail is short but steep. Hence the name, (misery). Don't let that name throw you off though. Many people of all ages and shapes/sizes complete this trail every day.
At Smith, there is 'side of road' parking and two medium-sized parking lots, after parking you can follow signs to your adventure of choice. My partner and I have both completed the Misery Ridge trail several times, not saying it gets easier, but still breathtaking each and every time. Breathtaking physically by the hike BUT mostly from the views. Haha! We did this hike in the middle of June, this last year. The weather was at a high of 92°F, with a slight breeze. That temp during summer is common as the temps can get above 100°F during certain seasons, so pack accordingly. NOTE: if you do the trail in the cold, that does not mean to pack less water. Water is essential for this hike.
This hike is almost a mile but not quite, it is all uphill going to the summit of about 3,360ft from the point of the bridge crossing the river. The area/trail is rocky with sand and dirt that can slide under your feet at times, so be aware and SAFE! Once you submit you can walk several ways or hop up onto a rock formation to get a better view or photo op. Again though, BE SAFE. My partner and I had hydration packs that carry about 2 liters each, which we both went through during the two-hour time frame of our hike. Time varies for each hiker, we walked up slowly taking pictures and water breaks and sat at the summit for a lunch with a view. I hope you can enjoy this hike as much as I do and that this review is helpful!
Close-toed trainers and or hiking boots are ideal, but you know yourself and your comfort most! Dogs are preferred on leashes. A $5 day-use permit or a current state park camp pass is available from the self-service pay stations and is needed for EACH vehicle. A yearly permit is $30, two-year permits are $50, and both are available at the Welcome Center and online. Be aware of the weather, dress appropriately and pack plenty of water and snacks as needed. Take plenty of photos of the beautiful landscape but drones are not allowed.
Difficulty depends on activity/adventure of choice! You can run/hike the 12 different trails around the area. Bike or horseback-ride (not on misery ridge). Rock climb and even walk a slack-line! The two most popular trails are Misery Ridge and the River trail. Misery Ridge is the topic of choice in this report. I have completed this trail several times, each time complaining about my sore calves, but the views make up for it. Beauty is pain, remember! The trail is short but steep. Hence the name, (misery). Don't let that name throw you off though. Many people of all ages and shapes/sizes complete this trail every day.
At Smith, there is 'side of road' parking and two medium-sized parking lots, after parking you can follow signs to your adventure of choice. My partner and I have both completed the Misery Ridge trail several times, not saying it gets easier, but still breathtaking each and every time. Breathtaking physically by the hike BUT mostly from the views. Haha! We did this hike in the middle of June, this last year. The weather was at a high of 92°F, with a slight breeze. That temp during summer is common as the temps can get above 100°F during certain seasons, so pack accordingly. NOTE: if you do the trail in the cold, that does not mean to pack less water. Water is essential for this hike.
This hike is almost a mile but not quite, it is all uphill going to the summit of about 3,360ft from the point of the bridge crossing the river. The area/trail is rocky with sand and dirt that can slide under your feet at times, so be aware and SAFE! Once you submit you can walk several ways or hop up onto a rock formation to get a better view or photo op. Again though, BE SAFE. My partner and I had hydration packs that carry about 2 liters each, which we both went through during the two-hour time frame of our hike. Time varies for each hiker, we walked up slowly taking pictures and water breaks and sat at the summit for a lunch with a view. I hope you can enjoy this hike as much as I do and that this review is helpful!