Elk Trail - Elijah Bristow State Park

Overview: The Elk trail is a short flat hike in a small portion of Elijah Bristow State Park. It starts along Lost Creek, continues past Channel Lake, through a meadow being restored to native species, then finaly along the Willamette River. In the spring you will find a variety of wildflowers along the trail.

Elijah Bristow State Park is an 847-acre collage of meadows, wetlands, ponds and scattered woodlands along the south bank of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. It is the centerpiece of a complex of parks on the river below and above Dexter Dam.

Mountain bike riders, horseback riders and hikers share nearly 12 miles of trails that lead to great fishing holes and quiet places for watching wildlife, such as deer, elk, beaver, great blue herons, hawks, bald eagles and coyotes. Professional botanists and student naturalists are lured by the park’s diverse ecosystems, model restoration efforts and prime breeding grounds for the Western pond turtle. Seasonal salmon runs present added spectacles for sightseers and enticements for anglers.

Tips: Take Hwy 58 East of Eugene for 9 miles and turn left on Wheeler Road. Turn right into the park and keep left at the junction. You will see the Lost Creek Parking area on your left.

For longer hikes combine with one of the other many loops in the State Park.