Lacamas Heritage Trail — Sunday, Jun. 9, 2024

On Sunday June 9th, I was hiking down the Woodburn Trail from the Access Road Trail in LaCamas Regional Park. The Woodburn Trail is very narrow with shoulder high bushes on both sides of the trail, including  a lot salmonberry bushes in dense forest. I had almost reached the point where the trail splits 3 ways when I heard something rustling in the bushes on my right. Next, I saw a brown colored small bear, which I later learned was a black bear. He ran away from me a short distance, put his paws at the base of a tree and then looked right at me. Since he was not threatening me and was afraid, I just stood there speaking calmly to him. Then he ran further to my right disappearing from my sight. So, I continued down the trail. About a minute later the bear jumped out of the forest back onto the trail at the 3 way split and bounded down towards Woodburn Falls, so I turned around because the trail is narrow and has steep cliffs at the end, so there would be no way to escape a bear. Also toward the end of the trail where the falls is, there is a pipe that dumps water on the trail in a spot where brush extends over the trail. Hiking poles are recommended, especially, if you plan on continuing to the bottom of the falls. On Tuesday June 11, 2024, I hiked the trail again and did not see any signs of the bear.