Trip Report
Oxbow Lake Loop - Day hike
As a scouting trip, before meeting a friend for Otter Falls and Big Creek Falls, I stopped to see this gem of a trail as my warmup.
Courtenay Schurman
- Fri, Nov 21, 2025
- Oxbow Lake Loop
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The road as far as Oxbow is in great condition; a few places there was evidence of recent tree/branch removal but perfectly smooth sailing.
Nobody was in the parking lot or on the trail at 7:45 AM, and I traveled at 3.5 mph along a raised gravel path that is also in great condition. I went clockwise from the south lot (shorter way) to reach the bridge faster. No mud despite all the recent rain, and cloud breaks gave me a nice view from the bridge.
This morning I did a quick stop at the Oxbow Loop Trail as a warmup for Otter/Big Creek Falls and Garfield Ledges. I enjoyed a few birds (golden-crowned kinglets, a varied thrush, a downy woodpecker, stellers jays, raven, towhee, Pacific wren) and a few frogs croaking as I went.
No trees or branches blocked the path, and without a drop of rain all day I was able to shoot a few photos of the lake from the bridge before heading back to my car. I covered .93 miles in 17 minutes as a great warm-up for the rest of our hiking. I'll have to go back and do the whole loop someday. I thought about doing this AFTER Otter/Big Creek but my hiking partner was running late so I squeezed it in before.
