Explore the most popular trails near Astoria with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
This is a beautiful hike. There are actually 2 parts that combine to make up the 6.6 miles. We hiked the upper Gnat Creek trail, which when looped from the fish hatchery parking lot was 5 miles. This is not an "Easy" hike. I would suggest it is more "Moderate". There are several fairly steep, but short climbs and over all you gain quite a bit of elevation. The path is mostly clear and well maintained, but there are some slick spots that should not be considered "easy" to navigate either on their ascent or descent. We hiked about 1 week after some pretty heavy rainfall in late January. There were a few muddy spots, but not bad at all. I had expected it to be much worse. The hike is a beautiful, lush forest full of mosses, ferns and some old growth timbers. There are many views of the creek, which was running pretty full and fast. You get to enjoy the sounds of the water pretty much the entire hike. I definitely want to make this a seasonal hike and explore it as the seasons change. We hiked the 5 miles in about 2.5 hours, going at a slow but steady pace, with a short break at the top.
Short and sweet. Steep descent.
This is a good trail to do in conjunction with Geocaching! Great view at the top and lots of opportunities to learn along the way.
really nice hike though went on a hot summer day trying to escape Portland heat. didn't succeed but enjoyed the hike. called gnat Creek for a reason. lots of bugs! but really nice when you get up into the redwoods and have the nice Creek to cool off
Couldn’t find the trailhead so we just walked down to the river and admired the falls. Didn’t see the trash and feces mentioned in other posts, but we didn’t hike the actual trail either since we never found it.
Awesome for the whole family. 6 yr old granddaughter made it to the end and back as did this Nana! Beautiful scenery including Elk. Had a nice little snack and rest at the end to get us back to the hatchery. Wonderful day!
Nice and easy hike! Scenic route to the Astoria column. I would highly recommend!
Trail area is used by the homeless. Human feces and toilet paper on the trail. Trash everywhere. This area could use cleaning up and security. What a shame.
Beautiful little walk in a majestic old growth forest.
great running
Well maintained, trails are clean and not sloppy muddy. Nice peaceful walk in the woods that takes only a morning or an afternoon.
Great forested hike including a grand tree. The destination provides a stunning view of the surrounding area including Saddle Mountain.
E. E. on Gnat Creek Trail
Nice trail, good place to stop on your way to Astoria. Not crowded for a weekend, did the whole trail and there were only seven other hikers. There were a few red and blue huckleberries.
This was a gorgeous hike. I just moved to this area from a very flat area of Texas, so some of the inclines were a little difficult for me, but mostly it was a fun and easy hike. I will definitely go back as there were many trails off the main one that I would like to explore.
The hike was so spectacular and the views were so stunning! Bring good shoes and a lot of water!
This hike was insanely beautiful.
This was a nice easy trail for family and I. My 3 and half year old was able to hike the majority of the trail while holding a grownups hand. It’s convenient to get to, you quickly feel like you are outside the city and the views from the column are amazing on a clear day.
We completed this hike with 4 kids (two 9 yr olds, 7, and 6 yr old) and it was great! Not too much elevation gain, lots of beautiful scenery including the creek and waterfalls, and no mud! The fish hatchery was a great resting place and the kids loved being able to feed the fish. We would definitely do this hike again!
We completed this trail on 5/20/18. It was a perfect day to complete the hike as there was a nice breeze and little sun. We started at the lower trail adding an additional 2.5 miles. This hike is a little strenuous so be prepared.
Honestly, this trail is really amazing. While it may be an easy hike, it truly is a gem in Astoria. You can climb all the way up to the Astoria Column, or you can explore the various branch points in the trail. There are a few perpetually muddy spots, but they are easy to navigate around. I run this trail many times a week, and it never gets old. There are also edible oyster mushrooms hidden throughout! Great outdoor adventure for the young and old alike!
Great hike, easy to find, some hills, beautiful scenery, only saw 2other people before we hit the fish hatchery. Went early March , still some muddy spots, looking forward to doing it again in summer.
Beautiful January day. Trail was a bit muddy but worth the hike.
great trail. there are a few trails off the main one that can distract you, but the main trees is well marked
Great short walks to see some highlights in Astoria
The scenery is amazing and would do it over again in a heart beat
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Neat hike to the top to see the Astoria column. Also a way to save the $5.00 parking fee! Steep incline with many tree roots. We hiked this and then did the 164 stairs to the top of column. Beautiful views.