Sometimes, when you least expect it, something truly remarkable happens - Kismet - and so it was for me this past Sunday.
This temperate rain forest is populated by many species, with
Douglas fir, Western hemlock and Western red cedar
providing a rich canopy.
I was out walking a 5 mile loop that took me over the Sandy River Bridge, along the East Barlow Trail road, past the Sandy Ridge Trail where the 1st Annual EFI Ride was being held, and on to a turn around point which I believed would be about one-half mile further down the road.
It was this decision to walk an additional ten minutes that introduced me to one of the most awe-inspiring places I've found in many a year, the Barlow Wayside. Its 1.5 miles of meandering and graceful trails are pure pleasure, taking one away from the noise and the traffic on Highway 26, and blanketing the sojourner with splendid solitude and scenery. It's truly a sacred oasis which graces all who enter with pure pleasure.
The ever-present Oregon Oxalis provides shelter
for many mushrooms at the Wayside.
I returned the next day with camera in hand to capture some of the multitude of fungi that inhabit this forested wetland. They were everywhere and in great diversity. Please enjoy these several photographs, and hopefully one day you'll be able to savor the sights and sounds of Barlow Wayside in person.
Not all mushrooms look alike; they are as
individual as the people who seek them.