Mosier Plateau, Oregon

Great weather, gorgeous views, and good company made for a wonderful short hike up the Mosier Plateau Trail today. A spur-of-the-moment decision based on a newspaper article led my parents and I to go on this half-day adventure, and I’m so glad we did!

Views from the adventure

I’m on a short break between boats, visiting my parents at their home in Oregon, and I’m enjoying the restful pace of life that exists when you have your own time. That’s a funny thing about boats – your time is never your own. Even when you’re off duty, you’re never really off duty. A radio call, a knock at the door, or (although I hope it never happens) an emergency … and you’re right back at work. I’m digressing, but suffice it to say, I enjoyed sleeping in and sipping my coffee slowly this morning, before we decided to head out.

After reviewing an article in the Oregonian that listed good hikes for wildflower viewing, we loaded up ourselves and the dog and drove East out in to the Gorge. The city quickly faded in to beautiful scenery as we drove. After about an hour or so, we arrived to the little town of Mosier (population 480), parked, and head on our way. We had no idea what to expect for this trail. The newspaper barely gave directions, let alone any real information about the trail itself, so we were surprised when, less than half a mile in, we came across a small cemetery!

The graves of Mildred Phillipps and Jane & Benjamin Mosier, along the Mosier Plateau Trail.

There were several headstones, including one of Benjamin and Jane Mosier (who I have to assume were part of the founding family of the town…) but the most striking of which was that of a young girl, Mildred Phillips, born in 1894 and departed in 1901. We paused and took this in, before continuing.

Before long, we saw another unexpected site: a swimming hole! Below the trail, right under a small rush of rapids, there was a perfectly formed swimming hole and several locals sunbathing on a boulder nearby. A fun surprise, and good to know about!

Beautiful swimming hole along the trail.

The trail began to rise semi-steeply, but several sets of stairs and switchbacks made it very doable and before long, we were nearly to the top of the plateau. Now… didn’t I say we found this hike through a wildflower article? Well, yes. But the article was a few weeks old, so by the time we went, most of the flowers had already cycled through. Nonetheless, we saw several species: vibrant poppies, beautiful blue cornflowers, and even a few remaining yellow balsam root flowers.

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Although the trail didn’t have what we thought we went there for, we thoroughly enjoyed the stunning views from the top of the plateau: the Columbia River on one wide, and rolling hills with orchards on the other. We could even see the peak of Mt. Hood peeking out from behind a hill!

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My parents & River!

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Pretty hills & Mt. Hood saying hello!

As we head back down the trail, it got more and more busy – great to see so many people outside and enjoying the weather. We finished off our adventure by stopping about halfway back in Cascade Locks for a yummy dinner and beer at Thunder House Brewing, before heading back home.

Cheers!

This trail felt really special to me – it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea that the only “good” hikes are ones way off the beaten path, or the only “cool” places to travel are foreign countries or faraway places. This hike started right from the middle of a town, and for the half of the trail was right near several houses. It didn’t fit the bill for “wilderness” or “unknown gem,” and it didn’t have to – it was a well-maintained, easily accessible trail for those in the area, with a great payoff to effort ratio. I travel a lot, through work and through personal interest, and I never want to forget that adventure can be found right at home too – whether that’s my Alaska home or my Oregon home – adventure is available when we seek it out.

A short hike, but a good lesson. Thanks, Mosier Pleateau!