Wrapping Up Oregon

I never realized how many National Scenic Trails there are in the US.  Growing up in PA, I was aware of the Appalachian Trail, which runs 2180 miles from Georgia to Maine over the mountain range of the same name.  In the west is the Pacific Crest Trail which runs 2650 miles from the Mexican to the Canadian border along the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges.   I know there's a Continental Divide Trail that follow the continental divide from border to border,  along with shorter trails like the Natchez Trace and our Arizona Trail.  (Although I'm confused how that can be a national scenic trail when it's only in one state.)  Backpacking any of these scenic trails is one of those things that sounds really cool, but I couldn't have done even in my younger days.  I would need somebody to carry my 60 pound pack and bathrooms along the way.  And at 7 miles a day, it would take me, well, a long time.

Happily, it seems there are also many lesser known trails designated as National Recreation Trails and Ron and I ran across one following a recommendation at the forest service visitor center in Lakeview, OR.  It's the Fremont National Recreation Trail - 135 miles long, but we didn't go that far.  :-D

It's well marked with these distinctive signs.

We accessed the trail at a high point, so it wasn't long before the view opened up.

We spotted some wildlife . . .

And our first signs of autumn.

Speaking of the PCT (well, I was before), I recently read a book about a young woman who hiked 1100 miles of it by herself.  Wild (From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail) by Cheryl Strayed is a really interesting story of both the hike and her transformation while accomplishing this feat.   I highly recommend it.

I'll finish with this yard art that Ron spotted in Lakeview.  Pretty cute, huh?