Trout Creek Camp

Oooh Trout Creek, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! If you're heading sobo on the SHT then you have the option of hiking the east side or west side of the Cascade River. Trout Creek campsite is on the east side but is best accessible during dry season as the bridge is out on Trout Creek, right beside the campsite, and you have to traverse it to continue on the trail. Luckily it's August and the creek is dry as a bone. Also nice is that the creek goes into a raging Cascade River so you have plenty of accessible water to drink and play in. Anywho the east side trail down to Trout Creek (or after it if you're heading nobo) is gorgeous. Traversing up and down along the river is a rocky, Cypress filled wonderland. When you arrive at the campsite you're surrounded by tall, dream inducing cypress that put you straight into a fairy tale. The Cascade river is a lulling rush of water that is as fun to play in as it is to listen to as you fall asleep. The area is large and has about 5 sites for tents as well as some great hammock camping possibility. Because you're right beside the river your journey to the latrine is a bit farther then normal but then you're graced with a gigantic dead cypress as you sit upon the throne. It's really quite a site. I recommend a visit on a weekday as I can only imagine how busy this site would get on the weekends. It's only about a mile from Cascade River State Park so you'll have quite a few hikers starting their journey from there. You are also visible from the trail so that's something to note. We were there on a Tuesday night so we saw about two people and they were just day hikers from the SP.