Powder House Trail

Peavy Peak Trail area is located to the west of Peavy Arboretum, and includes Section 36 Loop and the Powder House Trail. This is an excellent choice for people looking for a little longer of a trek. These trails carry carries hikers past the Forestry Club Cabin and Cronemiller Lake, and display fantastic views of the surrounding landscape from Peavy Peak and other viewpoints along the way.

Powder House Trail can be accessed from the Forestry Club Cabin in the Peavy Arboretum area of McDonald Forest. The Forestry Club Cabin is located at the intersection of the 500 Road and the 520 Road. From the Forestry Club Cabin, Powder House Trail can be accessed by following the Section 36 Loop Trail west. This trail can act as an extension of Section 36 Loop Trail. Powder House Trail is a hiker-only trail that is one mile long with a 100 foot gain in elevation. Powder House Trail passes through an area of McDonald Forest that is managed for high-quality wood products. This area of the forest demonstrates plantations with moderately long rotations that emphasize growing high-quality Douglas-fir wood. The wood produced in this area is used mainly for exposed beams and other high-quality structural products. Powder House Trail offers visitors a small taste of logging history. At the trail's entrance, a big wheel sits in front of the Forestry Club Cabin. Big wheels were used as a means to transport logs from the late 1800s through the 1930s. An interpretive sign is located in front of the big wheel providing further information. This relic serves as a reminder of the importance of the timber industry in the area and provides visitors with a first-hand look at historic logging equipment and practices. Other remnants of the logging industry are located along this trail including a powder house and a cap house. The dynamite stored in the powder house was used for logging and road building during the 1930s. Caps were the ignition source for the dynamite and had to be stored in a separate structure for safety. An interpretative sign is located at the powder house describing the powder house, the cap house, and their significance. Stop by and explore a bit of logging history!

Trail description by: Oregon State University College of Forestry