Tidbits Mountain
Tidbits Mountain is the perfect late spring and summer hikes for kids in the McKenzie River area, and it offers beautiful views of the Three Sisters from the top. The .2 mile gravel road that takes you up to the official parking area and trailhead is very steep so make sure your car can handle this. If not, you can park along the side of the gravel road at the bottom of the hill and walk up the extra .2 miles.
(where the road splits to go to the upper parking area)
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The first 1.3 miles of the trail trends uphill through beautiful dense old growth forest. The southwest facing hill that this trail goes up, is lined with rhododendron bushes which will be in bloom between late May and early June, depending on the weather. Depending on the time of year you are hiking in, this area also has an abundance of wild ginger, vanilla leaf and star-flowered smilacina.
After the 1.3 miles you will come to a trail junction. The trail to the right leads to Road 1509 which is likely the road they used in the 1930's to send supplies up to the Forest Service shelter that once stood at the top of Tidbits Mountain. The shelter has since collapsed and fallen down the mountain, but you can still find a few remains at this very spot today. Take the trail to the left to continue on to Tidbits Mountain.
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After the trail junction, the trail gets a bit steeper and you will have a bit more exposure to your right.
The trail along this section of the trail is quite rocky, but the rocks that you are walking on are fairly large, and even though some of them can be wobbly, they are not going to slide down the hill. |
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Overhead you can see the huge pinnacles of Tidbits Mountain and there are even a couple of caves up there. If you are adventurous, you could definitely scramble up and check them out. This exposed section is not more than .3 miles long and then you enter the woods again, although on the northwest side of the mountain and the higher elevation, the trees are smaller and the ground is a bit rockier here. As you come around the northwest side of the mountain, you will see another trail junction, this time without a sign. The trail to the right heads downhill .3 miles to Road 335. Take the trail to the left and continue heading uphill another .2 miles to the Tidbits Mountain summit. |
There is a great lookout point to the east towards the Three Sisters, and if you are with smaller children, I would suggest stopping here. If you are traveling with friends or with older children, you can scramble up a bit farther where the lookout hut once stood. It is a fairly easy scramble and the top is a few hundred square feet of flat rock. The 360 degrees views from the top are spectacular!
(A view of the Three Sisters to the East through the fog)
On the way down, you can take a little side trail that goes to the second pinnacle of Tidbits, but this trail looked like it was rarely used, and eventually it did just dead end at the base of the pinnacle. From here instead of going back to the top, you can make it a small loop and scramble on the rocks, back down to the main trail. This little side excursion didn't really have any awesome views or anything else cool, so unless you really want to explore some more, I don't really recommend it.
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Overall, this is a must-do hike for everyone! This hike is perfect for children ages 7+. It is not very challenging, yet it has so much to offer as far as variety of landscape, plants and flowers, and views!
(From the road below the parking area, you can see both pinnacles of Tidbits Mountain)
Approximate hike time: 1 hour 45 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.1 mph
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is mid-June when the wildflowers are blooming).
Trail usage: Moderate
Directions: Follow Hwy 126 east of Springfield for 44 miles. Past the town of Blue River near mile post 44 turn left onto Rd. 15 at the Blue River Reservoir sign. Follow this road for 4.8 miles and then continue straight on gravel road 1509 for 8.3 windy miles. Turn left onto road 877 and park .2 miles at its end. This road is rough and steep, so feel free to park at the bottom and walk the .2 miles up to the trailhead.
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is mid-June when the wildflowers are blooming).
Trail usage: Moderate
Directions: Follow Hwy 126 east of Springfield for 44 miles. Past the town of Blue River near mile post 44 turn left onto Rd. 15 at the Blue River Reservoir sign. Follow this road for 4.8 miles and then continue straight on gravel road 1509 for 8.3 windy miles. Turn left onto road 877 and park .2 miles at its end. This road is rough and steep, so feel free to park at the bottom and walk the .2 miles up to the trailhead.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*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.
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