Most of these routes are way above my pay-grade!…read more The only route of climbed is the left side of "The Beard" This area has a lot of history and a decent selection of 5.Hard routes It is relatively close to the parking lot, as far as crags in Smith go. It's next to The Dihedrals and very close to the infamous Asterisk Pass.

My family climbed at Smith Rock with Chockstone on a thankfully partly cloudy August day. Daniel…read morewas our guide for the full day outing and he skillfully worked with my inexperienced children and my friend and I who had a bit of sport rock experience. Daniel made it fun for everyone and we had a great time. Organizing the trip was easy and Anne answered any questions we had quickly. I highly recommend Chockstone if you want a great experience with a pro guide at Smith Rock.

I had the most amazing time with guide Evan for two days in Smith Rock. I was blown away by his…read morewillingness to really work with me on skill building and not only get a lot of climbing in (he even managed to keep us in the shade in the August heat wave!) but also refine skills I already had and develop new ones. I could not have wished for a better experience in my wildest dreams and came away from my two days of climbing with Evan feeling strong, confident, and capable.

3.9 miles, 932 ft elevation gain, 1 hr 38 minutes to complete…read more We started the hike around noon which is probably the least advisable time to complete it. Aside from that the weather was fairly mild and the skies were blue! The trails and grounds are well maintained by the staff. The bathrooms available are also very well kept. The hike itself is supposedly easiest if done clockwise. I decided to go counterclockwise to get the hardest part out of the way. Several stops were made along the way to the top. The entire trek was gorgeous and while you're catching your breath you can look out over the river. There's lots of wildlife down at the river level you can watch as you trek by. It's also neat to see rock climbers up above you. A fun little surprise!

Misery Ridge Trail (in my opinion) is the epicenter/main attraction hike while visiting Smith Rock…read moreState Park. If you complete this hike, you'll comprehend what makes Smith Rock so stunningly beautiful, especially for being nearby an under the radar town like Terrebonne, Oregon. Misery Ridge is a difficult 3.7-mile round trip loop gaining almost 2000 feet in elevation. And, if you begin the hike located just past the entrance area, there'll be a warning sign stating..."steep, rough trail", but that should not deter you whatsoever. When I was here, everyone was hiking this pathway without hesitation. Starting out past the trailhead, you'll confront the hardest part to it all, the stairway incline going up the mountainside. Within the first few moments, the ascent is pretty vertical that if you turn and look back down below, you realize how high you've climbed. But think, if you get past this part...the rest of the way will be pretty easy, especially arriving at the summit/plateau portion of the hike. Then, it's flat ground where you can sit down and relax at any point in time (maybe even have a picnic) and overall, just enjoy the gorgeous scenery from high above. So while walking along the plateau area...you'll have plenty of moments for picture taking. I'd describe the vast Oregon landscape as primarily flat level with small towns and green grass surroundings set in the distance. And it's sort of interesting that this part of Oregon is not mountainous at all, but when you arrive here in Smith Rock SP...the rugged terrain makes for a rock climbers' paradise! Towards the latter part of the hike, you'll confront the well-known "Monkey Face", a 350-foot rock spire standing high and mighty that's the primary focal point of the park. The views are so rewarding, like out of a postcard scene. And if you look closely, it's truly unbelievable...you'll notice rock climbers dangling off the cliffs of Monkey Face. It's thrilling to look at, you think..."how do these people hang on without a fear of heights"??? Just past Monkey Face, the trail winds down with a series of switchbacks from the plateau and back towards the base. During these switchbacks, I'd advise to be cautious when descending as there are no handrails to grab onto and the downslope can be unsteady if you're not wearing sturdy hiking shoes. Finally returning to the bottom...the trail is easy for the remainder of the way. You'll walk among a pretty nature setting while passing beside a pristine lake with the jagged peaks hovering above you. This Misery Ridge Trail will take a few hours to half a day to complete depending on how much time you afford yourself at the summit plateau. Once finished, if you're still interested in hiking more, I'd recommend the Wolf Tree Trail. In the end, Misery Ridge Trail is a fantastic hike to embark upon. Smith Rock State Park opens at 7am and for those early birds, you can venture out here first thing in the morning and get in some great hiking exercise for beginning your day.

Alder Springs Trail is a 6 or so mile in-and-out moderate hike located in the Crooked River…read moreNational Grassland. It is spectacular. The trailhead is found at the end of five miles of fair to somewhat rough road off Holmes Road north of Hwy 126. The trail runs along Whychus Creek which, like the nearby Crooked and Deschutes Rivers, has cut a deep canyon in the overlying lava. If you hike the entire length, you will end up at the confluence of the Whychus and the Deschutes, right across the river from the Scout Camp Trail (another awesome hike). Trail condition is mostly good with a few steep parts but relatively flat overall. You do have to descend from the lava plateau to the creek but it's more gradual than with some other nearby hikes, such as Scout Camp and Otter Bench. One thing, though: at about the halfway point, you'll have to ford Whychus Creek. There is no bridge, makeshift or otherwise. The creek is not too wide at the crossing point and unless you're there during peak snow-melt time, it's easily crossed. But unless you like hiking with wet boots, it's best to take along a pair of water shoes. The creek-bed is composed of slippery river rock and I don't recommend flip-flops. Along the trail, you'll experience varied terrain: high desert, sparse juniper forest, some big ponderosas and where the trail cuts close to the creek, lots of reeds and other wetland plants. Beware that the trail is known as a rattlesnake den. We even ran across one on the trail (coming and going!) when the weather was a bit cool. I don't think I've seen an account of someone hiking this trail where they didn't see a rattler. But they're cool and will scurry out of the way as soon as they sense your presence, which is well before you see them. The road to Alder Springs Trail at the Holmes Rd gate is closed to motor vehicles from Dec 1 to March 31. So unless you want to add the extra ten miles round-trip, take note.

We took the river trail on our last visit to the park. The trek is great, meandering along the…read moreCrooked River directly below the wall of rock and climbers above. The trail itself is fairly flat, and should be pretty accessible for almost anyone. There are countless offshoots down to the water and up into the rocks. My only slight disappointment was that it's an out&back. Would be so great if there was at least one place to cross over the river to enjoy a trip back from the other side. There's plenty of parking along the drive in the park, and bathrooms at the start AND down the trail a ways. This time of year there are some gorgeous fall colors to take in along the water. Great, easy hike...and many more to take nearby.

A nice, mellow, gentle trail that takes you around a good section of Smith…read more The grade is calm enough that you'll frequently see families with strollers. I use it mainly to get to climbs. As a destination in and of itself, it's kind of a snooze.

This is the East-bound cousin of the simply-named "River Trail"…read more It also is mellow and follows the Crooked River. If you want to get some elevation in, you can take a left and cutoff onto the Misery Ridge trail. This trail connects to the Burma Rd Trail and Homestead Trail, the latter of which ends at the area of Smith Rock known as "The Marsupials".

We took the loop trail that crosses in and out of the preserve and Deschutes National Forest…read more Apparently this rim trail is the only portion of the preserve that you can venture onto without permission. We parked in the turn-around at the end of Deer Ridge Road; not really marked as a trailhead when you arrive, but you can discern the trail. From here you enter a Deschutes section for a while, and when you enter in and out of the preserve you'll know as the signage is good and info provided. It was a really fun loop with...on this clear day...crazy mountain views, and on any day, nice views from the rim of the preserve valley and Whychus Creek below. We didn't meet anyone on the loop last Saturday morning. Just incredibly peaceful and beautiful start to finish.

Once the Wolf-Tree Trail starts to leave the river, it junctions with this trail…read more If you're a climber, this trail takes you to the "Monuments" and "Marsupials" areas of the park. If you're a hiker, this will take you to a cooler, slightly more secluded area of the park. If you keep hiking you can get a ton of gain and get on top of the park.