Smith Rock State Park, Redmond

This is an impressive park. We hiked Misery Ridge Trail (in reverse). Instead of going to the right and going straight up, we went to the left and followed the river then went up to the ridge and down the steep part. It was in the 90's when we were there with hardly any shade and the signs posted say to bring water and drink 16-ounces per hour! The trail was difficult in some areas, especially going down Misery Ridge Trail. It is steep and zigzags and you can easily lose your footing and slip. My toes were actually sore and even a little bruised the next day because it was so steep. Using hiking poles would have been a good idea (if I had any). We stopped a lot to take pictures, so it actually took us around 3 hours to do the hike. If we do it again, I would like to go in the spring and start early in the day when it is cool. The views from up top though are amazing! So bring lots of water, where good shoes and bring those hiking poles. There are some flush toilets at the park which is always a plus for me.

No rock climbers in our group, but our group really enjoyed hiking in the rim and river trails in this beautiful park. The rim trail offers nice views for hikers and non-hikers alike. Wide, flat trails, offer easy access to the river and canyon trails below. We had limited time there, so we didn't climb the steep, exposed trails to the top of the mountains. Instead we hiked along the river snapping photos of the impressive cliff faces and scads of climbers. The park was crowded on a cool, sometimes stormy, Spring day, but the trails were never crowded. It's a beautiful place, so I can see why! We'll return to hike over the mountains soon. It will surely be worth the effort.