Hike Oregon
  • Home
  • *Store*
  • About the author
  • How to use this site
  • Resources
    • Videos
  • Best Oregon Hikes
    • Top 10 Oregon Winter Hikes
    • Sno-Parks In Central Oregon
    • Top Low Elevation Winter Hikes
    • 20 Best Oregon Waterfall Hikes
    • Top 10 Oregon Hikes for Kids
    • Top 10 Oregon Spring Hikes
    • Top One Night Backpacking Trips in Oregon
    • 5 Weekend Backpacking Trips in Oregon
    • Top 10 Swimming Spots In Oregon
    • Top 10 Oregon Summer Hikes
    • Top Fall Foliage Hikes In Oregon
    • Top 10 Oregon Fall Hikes
  • Portland
    • Hamilton Mountain
    • Dog Mountain
    • Coyote Wall
    • Mitchell Point
    • Forest Park
    • Powell Butte
    • Table Rock
    • Multnomah/Wahkeena Falls
    • Latourell Falls
    • Trillium Lake
    • East Zigzag Mountain (members only)
  • Salem
    • Abiqua Falls
    • Silver Falls State Park
    • Little North Santiam
    • Henline Falls
    • Opal Creek
    • Whetstone Mountain
    • Marion Lake to Marion Mountain
    • Jefferson Park
    • Olallie Butte (members only)
    • South Breitenbush Gorge (members only)
    • Battle Ax Mountain (members only)
    • Dome Rock and Tumble Lake (members only)
  • Sweet Home
    • Crescent Mountain
    • Iron Mountain
    • McDowell Creek Falls
    • Middle Santiam River (members only)
    • Lower Soda Creek Falls (members only)
    • Rooster Rock (members only)
  • McKenzie Bridge
    • Macduff Mountain
    • Proxy Falls
    • Clear Lake
    • Sahalie/Koosah Falls
    • Blue Pool
    • Erma Bell Lakes
    • Olallie Mountain
    • Horsepasture Mountain
    • Tidbits Mountain
    • Rainbow Falls Overlook (members only)
    • Frissell Point (members only)
    • Chucksney Mountain (members only)
    • Substitute Point (members only)
    • Castle Rock (members only)
  • Sisters/Santiam Pass
    • Coffin Mountain
    • Ray Benson Sno-Park
    • Three Creek Sno-Park
    • Maxwell Sno-Park
    • Potato Hill Sno-Park
    • Black Butte
    • Tam McArthur Rim
    • Three Sisters Loop
    • Black Crater
    • Scott Mountain
    • Scott Trail/Obsidian Loop
    • Three Fingered Jack Loop
    • Canyon Creek Meadows
    • Patjens Lakes
    • Chush Falls (members only)
    • Rockpile Lake (members only)
    • Santiam Lake (members only)
    • Camp Lake (members only)
    • Park Meadow to Golden Lake (members only)
  • Bend/Redmond/La Pine
    • Chimney Rock
    • Tumalo State Park
    • Tumalo Falls
    • Tumalo Mountain
    • Broken Top to No Name Lake
    • Green Lakes
    • Moraine Lake
    • South Sister Summit
    • Muskrat Lake
    • Paulina Peak
    • Peter Skene Ogden Trail (members only)
  • Eugene
    • Ridgeline Trail pt. 1
    • Ridgeline Trail pt. 2
    • Mount Pisgah Summit
    • Mount Pisgah Arboretum
    • Shotgun Creek
    • Mt. June
    • Lawler
    • Tire Mountain
    • Goodman Creek
    • Brice Creek
    • Trestle Creek Falls
    • Moon Falls
    • Elijah Bristow State Park
    • South Willamette Trail (members only)
    • Eula Ridge (members only)
    • Eagle's Rest (members only)
  • Oakridge
    • Big Bunchgrass Ridge
    • Gold Lake Sno-Park
    • Deception Creek
    • North Salmon Creek
    • Salt Creek Falls
    • Waldo Lake Loop
    • Rosary Lakes
    • South Waldo Lake loop
    • Fawn Lake Loop
    • Windy Lakes
    • Divide Lake
    • Diamond Peak Summit
    • Timpanogas Lake to Cowhorn Mtn.
    • Wall Creek Warm Springs (members only)
    • Moon Point (members only)
    • The Twins (members only)
    • Bobby Lake (members only)
    • Lillian Falls (members only)
    • Middle Fork Willamette Trail (members only)
    • Pool Creek Falls (members only)
    • Flat Creek to Dead Mountain (members only)
    • Larison Creek (members only)
    • Larison Rock (members only)
    • Eddeeleo Lakes (members only)
    • Waldo Mountain Lookout (members only)
    • Blair Lake to Mule Mountain (members only)
    • Rigdon Lakes loop (members only)
  • Oregon Coast
    • Drift Creek Falls
    • Sweet Creek Falls
    • Alsea Falls
    • Kentucky Falls
    • Marys Peak North Ridge
    • Marys Peak East Ridge
    • Hobbit Trail to Heceta Head
    • Cooks Ridge (members only)
    • Horse Creek (members only)
    • Siltcoos Lake (members only)
    • William Finley Wildlife Refuge (members only)
  • Southern Oregon
    • Fall Creek Falls
    • Watson Falls
    • Mt. Thielsen
    • The Watchman
    • Mount Scott
    • The Pinnacles
    • Lower Table Rock
    • Pilot Rock
    • Mt. McLoughlin
    • Fern Falls (members only)
  • Eastern Oregon
    • Painted Cove
    • Mount Howard
    • Anthony Lake Loop
    • Schneider Cabin (members only)
    • Strawberry Lake & Falls (members only)
  • Oregon PCT sections
    • PCT: Hwy. 58 to Charlton Lake
    • PCT: Santiam Pass to Rockpile Lake
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Leave No Trace
    • Top Tips For Hiking With Infants And Toddlers
    • Poison Oak, Ivy and Sumac
    • How to dress for cold weather hikes
    • Hiker Holiday Gift Guide 2019
    • Outdoor Holiday Gift Guide 2018
    • Hiking Holiday Gift Guide 2017
  • Reviews
    • Outdoor Herbivore Backpacking Food Review
    • Osprey Aura AG 65 Backpack review
    • Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 review
    • REI Quarter Dome 1 review
  • Adventure Stories
    • Hiking The Rae Lakes Loop
    • 110 Miles on the PCT
    • The Loop Around Three Fingered Jack
    • Jefferson Wilderness

Shotgun Creek

​
The owner of Hike Oregon and friend Kali Drugan standing at the side of Shotgun Creek trail next to Shotgun Creek
Click here for a printable version of this hike and a topographical map
The GPS map of the Shotgun Creek hiking trail system
Shotgun Creek Recreation area is the perfect spot to go when the weather isn't very good but you still want to get out into the woods. This popular area is open year round and parking is $3 per day (or $15 per season). In the winter season there are very few people here, which is great for those seeking solitude when hiking. 
The Shotgun Creek Recreation sign, park hours 10am to 8pm
There are multiple trailheads along the upper parking area, which are short paths creating short or longer loops. If you are wanting to do an extremely short hike, feel free to start at one of these trailheads, however the entire Shotgun Creek loop is only 4.7 miles.
The trail head to the Shotgun Creek loop hike
To start this loop you will have to go around the large field to the left of the upper parking area. You will see a sign for doggy poop scoop bags, and this is where the trail starts.
Shotgun Creek along the Shotgun Creek loop hike
You will walk along Shotgun Creek for 1.1 miles. This part of the trail is absolutely gorgeous, and during heavy rain seasons the creek is more like a raging river! After the 1.1 miles, the trail takes a turn away from the creek, heading into the woods. 
Beautiful woods at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
Beautiful woods at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
Coral Fungus at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
(Coral Fungus)
After another mile of hiking through these mossy woods, you will come to a trail junction with a few different paths. If you want to end your hike here, you can head downhill for .3 miles to get back to the parking lot. If you are looking to continue on the loop, you will take the trail to the left at the sign that says Drury Ridge.
The start of Drury Ridge hiking trail
From here you head up the hill for 1 mile. The top is a bit inconspicuous in the sense that you don't really realize that you're at the summit of Drury Ridge except that the trail all of a sudden heads back down the hill. The top is rather dark, and there are lots of tree stumps from huge old growth trees. You can tell that there is some type of old logging road near the top of the trail here. 
The summit of Drury Ridge at Shotgun Creek recreation area
The top of Drury Ridge at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
From the top, the trail meanders downhill for another mile. Here you will enjoy a more open and sparse forest with southern exposure, so on sunny days you can enjoy some rays. After 1 mile you will come to a T junction. To the right is the Tiki trail which will lead you .6 miles back to the previous Drury Ridge junction, then you could head the .3 miles down to the parking lot. Or you can continue to the left on Tiki trail and take the .7 mile trail back down to the parking lot. 
The sign for Drury Ridge trail at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
The sign to Tiki trail at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
The start of Tiki trail at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
The Tiki trail to the left switch-backed down the hill. During this .7 mile section of the trail you will see a few smaller creeks flowing down to join Shotgun Creek. And the view you see of Shotgun Creek from the trail above is pretty neat, because you can really see how the creek winds through the landscape. Tiki trail comes out at Lower Shotgun trail, which is right next to the bridge at the beginning of the upper parking area.
Mushrooms growing in moss at the Shotgun Creek recreation area
Overall, this is a great hike to do for any age and experience level. It is a perfect short day hike for the winter season since it is very close to town and with such limited daylight hours it can be tough to get a good hike in. Even during the fall and winter when this area is not maintained, the trail is still well groomed and a very easy surface to walk on. 
Approximate hike time: 2 hours w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Suggested seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter
(Best time to go is November, December, January, February and March).
Trail usage: Light to moderate (light use in the late fall and winter)

​Directions: Take the Springfield exit of Interstate 5 and drive east on I-105 to the 42nd St./Marcola exit. Turn left on Marcola Rd and drive for 15 miles. Continue along this road for another 3 miles past the town of Marcola and then turn left at the sign for Shotgun Creek Recreation area (on Shotgun Rd.). After 1.6 miles you will see the recreation area on your right. Parking pass is $3 per day (or $15 per season). Your Northwest Forest Pass does not work for this trailhead.
​
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer:  the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes. 

HIKED HERE RECENTLY?! PLEASE LEAVE A TRIP REPORT BELOW:

© Hike Oregon 2020
P.O. Box 41911
​Eugene, OR 97404
Proudly powered by Weebly