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Canyon Crek Meadows/Three Fingered Jack

© Wayne R. Brown

It's nearly 1:30 in the morning and I just returned from one of the most awesome hikes I have ever experienced. I will try to stay awake long enough to tell you about it.

Every single weekend since last October (when there proved to be too much snow) I'd been itching to try a hike recommended to me by a friend and chronicled in William Sullivan's book about hiking the Central Oregon Cascades. Today, after all that waiting, I finally got my chance.

This article will cover two very different kinds of hikes in one location. Canyon Creek Meadows is a beautiful place to visit for a quiet walk in the high country and a chance to see vibrant wildflowers. It's a serious, four and a half mile trek suitable to most hikers.

The saddle next to Three Fingered Jack is an even more serious, seven and a half mile hike suitable only for those in fairly good shape.

To get to the trail head for both these hikes, take highway 20 east out of Salem. Cross the Cascade range at the Santiam Summit and start down the far side. Pass the Suttle Lake exit. Take the next left (road 12) and follow it north. Turn left on road 1230. Turn left again on road 1234. Rattle your teeth out over several miles of washboards. When the road ends in a parking area, it's time to put on your hiking shoes.

It should be noted that these high elevation hikes are only appropriate destinations in the summer months when the snow has melted away. July through September would be the best time to visit.

To hike Canyon Creak Meadows, head north from the parking lot toward Jack Lake. Fill out a trail pass. Follow the path around the east and north sides of Jack Lake. A little ways west of Jack Lake, the trail splits. Stay on the left hand trail as it winds and climbs over a ridge. Eventually, the trail will descend toward Canyon Creek and meadows of wildflowers. Continue along the trail as it takes you west, toward the towering spires of Three Fingered Jack. As you near the mountain, the trail splits. Stay right, on the lower trail, to enjoy more of the meadow.

When you're ready to return to your car, hike back down the trail. Instead of hiking back over the ridge, take the left fork of the trail which follows the creek as it twists and turns through some truly beautiful country. At the waterfalls and the log bridge, bear right for the trail back to your vehicle.