Wooded valley, Lovely Creek, and Wildlife.
Near: Florence, OR
Distance: 4.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 256 ft
Hike Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
Hike Type: Out and Back
This little-known hike follows a forest service road up to the once settled Enchanted Valley. The settlers abandoned it and it is now rangeland abundant with deer, elk, and other wildlife.
The road crosses bailey creek .75 of a mile down the road. Stop and sit by the creek, maybe toss in a few rocks, maybe not. It has the magical ability to stop time for however long you sit by the bank. Five minutes or Five hours will seem the same.
Continue along the road 1 mile to where bailey creek forks. Leave the road for a minute and explore the creek. The sandy bottom is loaded with Iron Pyrite, giving it the look of gold. Back on the road, follow it uphill to an old pioneer apple grove. Numerous side valleys beg for exploration, but I leave that up to you.
Trailhead
From Florence, drive north on 101 3.5 miles to Mercer lake road. Turn left onto Mercer lake road and follow it 3.7 miles as it winds its way around Mercer Lake. After 3.7 miles, the road ends at a gravel cul-de-sac, where the “trail” begins on a gated dirt road (Lat:44.05876 Lon:-124.05329)