The Grouse Loop Trail with an option to see the Bigfoot Trap

Starting at Swayne Viewpoint, this hike is about 6 miles with 700 feet of elevation gain. For those wanting to see the Bigfoot Trap add another 1 1/2 miles and 200 feet more elevation gain. Walking poles might be helpful. There are some rocky portions.

At 9:45am, we'll meet near the parking lot in front of the Jacksonville Library. There are public restrooms here.

We'll carpool by taking Highway 238 to Ruch. Turn left on Upper Applegate Road. Turn left at Swayne Viewpoint at Milepost 15 on the left, the starting point of our hike. There are public restrooms here.

We may want to take a few minutes to enjoy Swayne Viewpoint before beginning our walk along Applegate Lake on the Da-ku-be-te-de Trail to Hart-Tish Park (about 0.6 miles).

Hart-Tish Park has picnic tables at the marina at Applegate Lake. We should regroup there if necessary.

A paved, unmarked trail begins about 100 yards to the right of the point where the Da-ku-be-te-de Trail meets the marina. This will take us to the upper parking lot, then across Upper Applegate Road to the beginning of the Grouse Loop Trail.

Once on the Grouse Loop Trail, walk 0.1 mile, and turn left. We'll walk clockwise around the loop.

The Grouse Loop Trail ascends about 500 feet in 1.2 miles. It is a forested meditative walk. After 1.2 miles, the trail mostly levels off for about 0.7 miles before descending back down.

At a little over 2.5 miles on the Grouse Loop trail, a view of Applegate Lake, and the snowy Red Buttes opens up. It's a south facing, warm slope and is a nice place for our lunch/snack stop. Sitting on the trail itself might be the most comfortable option.

After lunch, we'll descend the remaining 0.6 miles of the Grouse Loop Trail & turn left 0.1 miles to cross Upper Applegate Road.

At this point, it's about a mile back to Swayne Viewpoint the way we came through Hart-Tish Park and on the Da-ku-be-te-de Trail.

For those wanting to see the Bigfoot Trap, adds another 1.5 miles before returning the final mile back to Swayne Viewpoint.

To get to the Bigfoot Trap, we'll walk 0.1 miles on the shoulder of Upper Applegate Road. Turn right at the Collings Mountain Trail. The Collings Mountain Trail drops at first then gains 200 feet of elevation. At 0.6 miles, look for a brown sign on a tree above eye level with a foot on it, and an arrow pointing left. Take this trail a short distance (0.1 miles) to the Bigfoot Trap.

From the Bigfoot Trap we'll retrace our steps back to Upper Applegate Road. Cross Upper Applegate Road, and keep going on the trail. Turn left at a trail junction a bit further which takes us to the upper parking lot at Hart-Tish Park. From there, we'll retrace our steps to Swayne Viewpoint where our cars are parked.

Feel free to reach Chris by Meetup Message or text at (541) 261-8167.