Menagerie Wilderness Hike
- Abigail
- May 4
- 2 min read
44.58999°N, 122.39328°W
4/5/25
I found this trail on accident while on the hunt for another trail head. It turned out to be a beautiful mistake. As far as I know this trail does not have a name, but it is in the Menagerie Wilderness near the Willamette national forest. It is a logging trail that is accessible from Quartzville Rd. It is open to hikers but I would recommend going on the weekends because it is an active logging area and there will be workers during the week. No permit is required here, but be respectful of the time you decide to go. I would recommend that you go with a buddy, because it is pretty isolated. Also use caution when on logging roads, because many of them will lead nowhere and it can be easy to get lost.
There is a nice big place to park at the beginning of the trail. After a relatively steep hill, you get a beautiful view of the hills.
Once at the top of the hill, it starts transitioning to forest. It was really hot outside the day I hiked this, so the shade was much appreciated.
After you exit the denser forest, you get a to a bridge and a rushing river where the trees are more sporadic. The most refreshing thing about this is there is an air tunnel on part of the path over the river. There is about a two foot column of cool air that feels like an air conditioner (spoiler... this feels unbelievably good on the way back down from the sun exposed hill).
Once you get past the beautifully cool temperature by the creek you enter direct sunlight for the remainder of the hill. I only went to the top of the first hill, but the path continues and there is a beautiful ridge line that can be observed. Since I was not hiking with a buddy and it was getting later in the day, I chose not to keep going. I definitely plan on going again with a buddy and seeing how far the road goes.
Not gonna lie I was very out of breath getting to the top of this hill. The sunlight was hot and the hill was steep. It was, however, short lived and the view from the top was definitely worth it! Photos definitely do not do this one justice, but here you go.
The top of this hill was far enough from the road that I could not hear any cars and could sit and enjoy the sounds of the trees and the birds. The Menagerie Wilderness is a favorite of mine for short hikes away from the sounds of town. There are so many different trails and I would recommend exploring. As always, use an appropriate degree of caution and be respectful of other hikers and campers.
Rating: 7/10
Difficulty: 6.5/10
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