LL Stub Stewart State Park, Vernonia-Banks Bike Trail--and Spring Rain!

We do like to avoid freeways when possible. We chose to do so for our 54 mile journey to Stub Stewart State Park from Champoeg State Park. Here is our route:

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Stub Stewart State Park is Oregon's newest, built in 2007. We really enjoyed our stay here, from May 2 to

Dairy Creek East, our site 91

May 14. There are lots of hills: up to our site from the Welcome Center, further up to the very nice Hilltop day use area, then up some more to the Horse Camp. There are two "loops" for camping/RVing, Dairy Creek West and Dairy Creek East. The West loop is open all year with 43 full hookups (sewer, water and electricity--50 amps!), 12 walk in tent sites, universal access parking, picnic table, fire ring, with a building housing flush toilets and hot showers. A meeting hall is also located in the west loop. Dairy Creek East, our choice because it is more open so we could get sat TV, is open mid March - October. This loop has 35 full hookup sites along with all the features of the west loop excluding the meeting hall. There is a Disc golf area of 3 holes between East and West Loop. The roads and driveway to each site are asphalt. All sites are gravel. Reservations can be made on-line up to nine months in advance. We liked site 91, and on our next visit there will re-arrange the gravel before we back in all the way to aid in leveling!

Dairy Creek East from Hilltop Day Use 

When it rained our first few days there, we walked on the roads to avoid the mud, and thoroughly enjoyed the sights! We walked up to the Hilltop Day use area where there is an open picnic shelter for groups with nice BBQ grills, picnic tables in the shelter as well as several scattered around the grass, an off-leash area for dogs, and of course fantastic views! Did I say there are lots of hills--going up!

Walking past the Day Use area we came upon the Mountain Dale Cabin

Cabin in Mountain Dale Cabin Village

Village where there are 15 cabins, three with two rooms sleeping up to 5 people and the rest of the cabins are  one room, also sleeping up to five. Each cabin has a table and chairs, heat, electricity, beds with vinyl covered mattresses for up to five people One cabin is pet friendly (dogs and cats). Centrally located is the restroom-shower building, and more fantastic views!

We kept walking, up the hill to the Horse Park where there are 14 full hookups each with four-stall corrals and two double size full hookup sites with six-stall corrals. Lindy is ready to get a horse and outfit, for horse camping! This is our first horse park,

Hares Canyon Horse Camp

and we have to say it is very nice!

Yes, Stub Stewart is a premier destination for hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and disc-golfers! In addition to more than 20 miles of multipurpose trails in the park, the Banks Vernonia State Trail passes through the park. This State Trail Park is the first trails-to-rails linear State Park built in Oregon. The Trail goes to/from cities of Banks and Vernonia, hence the name. Most of the route is an eight foot wide hiking and biking trail paralleled by a four foot wide horse trail. When we were

out on the trail, we "gently" passed many horse people as all trail users must yield to horses and bikers must yield to hikers. The Trail follows an abandoned railroad bed that stretches 21 miles between these two towns.

We did not take the time to fully explore the trail to its respective "ends", but the highlight for us was the Buxton trestle, 700 foot long and 80 foot high, toward Banks. This trestle sported a new deck and guardrail. We could still smell the creosote of the old railroad timber. The trail features two trestles, both with the same dimensions. The Horseshoe trestle north towards Vernonia, however, is not a part of the trail. We did not stop and walk to that location.

We did enjoy our rides on this trail. The first was down toward Banks, where we stopped at the Buxton trestle. The ride back is billed as a gentle grade.... It may be, but our older bodies noted the uphill climb! We then rode north, where we found more "gentle" ups and downs--until we came to this sign!

Steep Grade   Walk Bicycles....

Mike rode hers...Lindy started out riding, then had trouble making a switchback so had to stop, and was unable (afraid of going to fast!) to ride again!

Some observations:

• all garbage and recyclables are "pack out" to the main dumpster opposite the Welcome Center
• with a motorhome and toad, it might be best to pull into the Welcome Center as they have marked RV parking, slightly down hill, but still would work to unhook there. We went straight to the East Loop and stopped in front of the bathrooms as we didn't know about the Welcome Center! Fortunately, there were NOT a lot of campers waiting to get in! 
• The West Loop has some nice, shady sites, especially welcome if staying during the warmer months! 

We had to extend our stay due to Bitty's seizure and need for emergency treatment and ultimately the tough decision of euthanasia. Returning to Stub Stewart will bring back those sad memories of losing Bitty. Those memories will be ever-present but the beauty of the park will soften the pain. We shall return!

We are currently in Lincoln City, enjoying walks on the beach each morning! Will be sharing our coast activities with you soon!

Roving Riders (one less, the pain still so fresh!) NOT SWIRVIN down the road for a while!

Thanks for your visit!