No Name Trail

The No Name Trail is a moderate 1.3-mile loop trail that descends through picturesque mountainside forest and offers access to a couple streams inside the Oregon Caves National Monument. While most visitors to the park stick to the cave tours and the visitor center, No Name Trail tends to see even fewer visitors than the other trails, which all begin immediately behind the lodge.

Accessing the No Name Trail requires hikers to walk to the far end of the lodge parking area and continue past what appears to be a garage for park vehicles. After the paved road becomes a double-track forest road, hikers will see a sign pointing out the track as it heads into the forest.

Dense trees shade the trail as it switches back on its descent toward No Name Creek. While the main trail itself doesn't reach the stream, a couple clearly marked spur trails descend to the creek. We found a couple scenic cascade waterfalls by walking along the streambed and straying from the end of the spur.

Eventually the trail loops around and crosses over Cave Creek on a small wooden bridge. Here the path intersects with the Cave Creek Trail, which leads down a steep path to Cave Creek Campground. From this intersection, the path heads upstream, paralleling the creek, before it reaches the chateau and reemerges at the lodge parking area. With many of its trails generally remaining pretty quiet once visitors leave the lodge area, No Name Trail is especially quiet, and a good destination for those looking to explore the park's sloped valley landscape.