Cloverpatch Trail Hike

The Cloverpatch Trail, outside of Oakridge, is a jack-of-all-trades trail with a variety of rewards ranging from a small but beautiful waterfall to several mountain meadows painted with late spring wildflowers. The trail dips down from National Forest Road 5821, where the trailhead's marker can be found on the side of the road. A short section of second-growth forest leads to a stream crossing punctuated by a small waterfall gently flowing over moss-covered stone. From here it is well worth the effort to scramble higher to find a picturesque fall cascading over a series of mossy steps. The forest transitions to old-growth as you approach a series of alpine meadows overlooking the Middle Fork of the Willamette River and several smaller peaks beyond. Visiting these idyllic meadows in late spring will reward hikers with wildflowers painting the mountain side. Look for wild iris, camas, large Solomon's seal, and a sea of sunflowers. After several meadows, the trail continues to climb through a forest green with ferns and sourgrass until reaching National Forest Road 5824-124. From here you can head back or cross the gravel road to continue toward the Tire Mountain Trail. While the trailhead can be a little tricky to spot, it is well worth the minimal effort to find this off-the-beaten-path trail.