Take a tour through classic old-growth forest, an hour and fifteen minutes east of Eugene.

Residents of Eugene are lucky to live so close to a magnificent living legacy: The old-growth forests of the Oregon Cascades. Some of the finest of these ancient forests are located in and around Lookout Creek, north of the town of Blue River. The Forest Service's recently completed Lookout Creek Trail will take you on a moderate difficulty tour of this globally outstanding natural resource.

For almost fifty years, the entire 16,000 acre Lookout Creek drainage, located in the heart of the Willamette National Forest, has been designated as the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest. Although much of the research traditionally done at Andrews has been devoted to finding the most efficient way to convert ancient forests into tree farms, much of the scientific knowledge that we have of old-growth ecosystems comes from the long-term studies being conducted here by the Forest Service and OSU.

Directions: Take Hwy. 126 east from Springfield for approximately 35 miles. 2.5 miles past the turnoff for Blue River, turn left onto Forest Service Road 15 (sign for Blue River Reservoir). Take Road 15 for 3.5 miles, around the reservoir. Turn right onto FS 1506 (sign for Lookout Creek). Take 1506 for 7 miles to the lower trailhead, or 10 miles to the upper trailhead. 1506 becomes a well-maintained gravel road after two miles. This road is well marked- stay to the left for the first two turns, and stay to the right after you go over the first bridge.

The one-way trail roughly parallels Lookout Creek for three and a half miles.You could leave a vehicle at each trailhead and shuttle your party, but after hiking the length of this trail, you won't mind seeing everything again on the return trip.

From the lower trailhead, the path descends from the road and crosses the creek on a rustic bridge made from one of the large trees that has fallen across the stream. The first mile of trail will take you through a classic cathedral forest. The ground cover is composed primarily of wild rhododendron, vine maple, Oregon grape and dew drenched ferns. Shafts of green and yellow light pierce the canopy, falling on a springy carpet of fir needles and moss, some of it more than a foot thick. My friends and I actually prefer this trail on rainy days, when a fine mist settles over the creek and the entire forest feels like a giant sponge, every leaf shiny with drops of water.

The Lookout Creek forest is composed primarily of giant Douglas fir, some more than 8 feet in diameter, 300 feet tall and 700 years old. In some areas, the forest is dominated by large western red cedar. Shade tolerant western hemlock makes up the understory. There are several fine examples of Pacific yew along the trail, easily identified by its short shrubby shape, reddish-tan bark and flat, stubby needles. The yew tree grows extremely slowly- the largest examples along the trail are almost as old as the towering Douglas fir overstory.

As you walk the trail, you'll notice many of the unique characteristics of old-growth forests which separate them from "managed" stands. Old-growth is very diverse in terms of age and species composition, with both young and very old trees that create a multi-storied canopy. The ground is littered with rotting logs; some parts of the Lookout Creek drainage have more than 200 tons of down trees per acre. Once dead, old-growth trees have only begun to contribute to the ecosystem. Rotting logs return nutrients to the soil, provide homes for hundreds of moisture loving plant and animal species, and serve as nurseries for new seedlings.

To the casual observer, an old-growth forest is a chaotic jumble of vegetation. Scientists understand this apparent disarray as "structural diversity." The messy forest floor and multi-storied canopy provide thousands of niches for a myriad of wildlife species to make a living for themselves. You are walking through the most biologically rich environment on earth, with twice as much biomass per acre than any other terrestrial ecosystem.

The Lookout Creek Trail climbs steadily through old-growth forest for a mile and half after crossing the creek from the lower trailhead. The trail crosses several small creeks and winds around some interesting rock outcroppings, and then flattens out as it takes you through a slightly younger and more open forest.

Enjoy your visit to this rare natural treasure.