It's the Annual Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt

This forested corner of the Willamette Valley—between Detroit Lake, the McKenzie River, and the city of Albany—offers river views, waterfalls, and more.

Here are the trails where we've placed ornaments in the Sweet Home Ranger District:

• Gordon Lakes Trail #3386: Head through a diverse forest of hemlock and Douglas-fir before descending quickly to the two Gordon Lakes.
• Cascadia Day-Use Area and Trail #4171: Follow this mellow, 0.4-mile trail along the South Fork of the Santiam River—with pleasant views of the historic Short Covered Bridge. (accessibility info: trailhead | loop hike) Limited ornaments remaining!
• Santiam Wagon Road: Mountain House Section: Follow the most intact piece of the historic Santiam Wagon Road, with trips through pockets of old-growth forest and crossings of Elk Creek. Limited ornaments remaining!
• House Rock Trail #3406: Cross the South Santiam River on a footbridge, and enjoy views of the 40-foot-tall House Rock Falls. Limited ornaments remaining!
• Yukwah Nature Trail #3421: The wheelchair-accessible trail offers excellent views of the South Santiam River in the heart of a verdant forest.
• Walton Ranch Interpretive Trail #4170: *Delay: Begin Hunting on Saturday 11/16. Follow the wheelchair-accessible path across Trout Creek and enjoy two viewing platforms—one that shows off the Walton Ranch site and the other showcasing a scenic meadow where elk occasionally congregate in winter.

Follow Highway 58 east of Eugene to enjoy quiet rivers and creeks, old-growth forests, and remote summits.

Here are the trails where we've placed ornaments in the Middle Fork Ranger District:

• North Fork Trail #3666 (Segment 1): The mellow trail follows the North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River (between the Office Covered Bridge in Westfir and Forest Road 1910), with gently sloping hikes through Douglas fir and western hemlock.
• Salmon Creek Trail #4365: Enjoy views of the namesake creek along this path, which begins in the heart of Oakridge. A parking area is at the intersection of Salmon Creek Road and Flat Creek Road, just east of Oakridge.
• Greenwaters Trail #4250: This wheelchair-accessible, 1.1-mile trail heads through stands of old-growth Douglas fir and offers pleasant views of the Middle Fork Willamette River.
• Larison Rock Trail #3607: The steep, four-mile (round-trip) path passes through a forest of Douglas fir and western hemlock—and, from its namesake crag, offers great views of the Oakridge area. Limited ornaments remaining!
• Hardesty Trail #3469: The steep, 10-mile (round-trip) trail dates back to 1910, making it one of the oldest hiking trails in the region, and passes the concrete pillars that once propped up a fire lookout.
• Dead Mountain Trail #3566: This steep trail measures 10 miles (round-trip) and gains more than 2,500 feet along the way. Enjoy views of open meadows, the Salmon Creek Valley below, and (from the summit) the community of Oakridge. Hikers can start from the lower trailhead along Salmon Creek Road or the upper trailhead near the summit of Dead Mountain.
• Alpine Trail #3450: The nine-mile (round-trip) trail gains about 1,600 feet while climbing through a stately forest broken up by the occasional meadow. Ornaments along this trail will be hidden below the Forest Road 1910-Forest Road 683 access point; start from Trailhead #3 or the Kate's Cut-In Trailhead.
• Wren Loop: This wheelchair-accessible route is accessed from the Middle Fork Ranger Station in Westfir.

Follow Highway 126 east of Eugene—and into the Cascade Range, where you'll see raging waterfalls and the thundering McKenzie River.

Here are the trails where we've placed ornaments in the McKenzie River Ranger District:

• Waterfalls Loop Trail #3503: *Delay: Begin Hunting on Saturday 11/16. Enjoy views of Sahalie and Koosah Falls while walking through an old-growth conifer forest along the magical McKenzie River.
• McKenzie River Trail #3507: Hike through the southern portion of this trail—below Frissell Boat Launch—in the midst of an old-growth forest and along the raging river.
• McKenzie River Trail: Follow the trail's namesake river through an old-growth forest of Douglas-fir and western red cedar. Ornaments will be hidden between Tamolitch (Blue Pool) and Sahalie Falls #3507.
• King-Castle Trail #4326: Cross several streams and enjoy the spectacle of a towering old-growth forest on this quiet trail.

This region, in the Cascade Range east of Salem, centers around the Detroit Lake reservoir.

Here are the trails where we've placed ornaments in the Detroit Ranger District:

• Stahlman Point Trail #3449: Walk through a young Douglas fir forest while enjoying views of Detroit Lake—all before ending at the site of a former fire lookout, where you’ll enjoy views of Mount Jefferson.

• Tumble Creek Trail #3380: Along the 5.3-mile path (which climbs 3,000 feet along the way), hikers enjoy views of Mount Jefferson, Detroit Lake, and the wider Tumble Creek Canyon.

• Detroit Flats Day-Use Area: Enjoy an easy walk along the park’s nature trail, which boasts picnic tables and excellent views of Detroit Lake. (accessibility information)

• Upper Arm Day-Use Area: The wheelchair-accessible trail heads into a cove along the Breitenbush Arm of Detroit Lake—where you'll enjoy views of the broader lake and nearby hillsides. (accessibility information)

Head southeast of Eugene and into the Cascade Range for scenic creek views and to see the 65-foot, two-tiered Brice Creek Falls.

• Brice Creek Trail #1403: Head upstream from the Cedar Creek Campground, through a scenic canyon, and enjoy excellent creek views.

• Upper Trestle Creek Trail #1403D: The highlight of the lush trail is the chance to walk behind the upper portion of the 65-foot, two-tiered Brice Creek Falls in the midst of a green forest. Limited ornaments remaining!