Hike #9: Upper Saltzman

Trailhead: Upper Saltzman Road (NW Saltzman and NW Skyline Blvd)

What I listened to in the car: Radiolab Things. One of my favorites.

Companions: Just Tummy. I didn't even take my camera.

Trails hiked on: Firelane 5, Wildwood Trail, Saltzman Road

Miles hiked: 3.4 miles (1 hr 30 minutes)

Unique miles hiked: 3.1 miles

Total challenge miles: 18.3 miles

Weather: Not too rainy - what a winter!

Amenities: There are poop bags and a garbage can at the parking area there on NW Saltzman Road. The couple hundred yards of Saltzman between NW Skyline and the gate is graveled and potholed. There is not a "parking lot", but plenty of parking along the road.

Notes:

This is another of my favorite hikes. It's close enough to town that it doesn't feel onerous to drive out, but it's far enough out that you might have the hike mostly to yourself. Saltzman Road is a graveled and graded road that runs uphill/downhill through the park (I did a hike from the Lower Saltzman trailhead earlier in the year already) and Firelane 5 is also an uphill/downhill path. The upper part of Firelane 5 is maintained as a two track fire road, but the portion just above the Wildwood Trail is very muddy and overgrown.

The hike I did today was straight down Firelane 5 to the Wildwood trail and then about 1/3 of a mile to the left on the Wildwood. There are a couple side trails off Firelane 5 that take you to place where there's a bit of a view of Mt. Hood, or just a flat place where kids makes fires and party. The Wildwood Trail is beautiful in this stretch, going through an old burn to the left of Firelane 5 and across a lovely bridge on the way to Saltzman Road. I generally like to choose hikes that go uphill first, but having the uphill be on the wide, graveled road of Saltzman Road makes it seem less onerous. This is a popular hike for a reason.