A summer filled with guided outings.

Byline: MIKE STAHLBERG The Register-Guard

There's much more to the Willamette National Forest than the trees.

To see that, just check out the variety of nature walks, talks and experiences being offered this summer by ranger districts east of Eugene-Springfield.

The McKenzie Ranger District this year is adding a series of six nature walks to its long-running program of nature talks at popular campgrounds and tourist sites. The district also is again offering a five-day "Heritage Expedition" adventure in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

Meanwhile, the Middle Fork Ranger District will offer an extensive series of educational programs at Waldo Lake.

The new nature walks series features guided outings of up to five miles with interpretive presentations on a variety of themes. All outings begin at 9 a.m. and are free of charge. However, pre-registration is required (call 822-3381), as space is limited on several of the walks.

The series begins July 13 with "Forestry, Politics and Common Myths." Forester Monty Wilson and silviculturist Jim Mayo will discuss some of the unique aspects of the Northwest Forest Plan.

"The Santiam Wagon Road and Fish Lake Remount Depot" is the theme of a July 17 walk. Archeologist Eric Bergland will discuss the historic wagon train route and its most famous remount station.

A follow-up program on July 27 - "Historic Facilities of the Fish Lake Remount Depot" - will take a more in-depth look at the historic waystation near Fish Lake. History buff and restoration carpenter Jim Denney will lead the walk.

On Aug. 3, wildlife biologists Ruby Seitz and Penney Harris will present a program entitled, "Wanted! Wildlife Trees: Dead or Alive." The outing will explore the vital role snags play in the forest ecosystem.

"Exploring the Historic Hogg Railroad" will take participants along remnants of a never-completed railroad line over the Santiam Pass. The walk is led by Bergland.

The nature walk series will conclude Oct. 26 with "Old Growth Forests and Fungi," led by botanists who will assist in mushroom identification.

This is the second year that a "heritage expedition" will be offered. The event is a five-day journey (Sept. 9-13) that explores the history and archeology of the central Cascades. Participants spend four nights camping in the Obsidian Area of the Three Sisters Wilderness. For reservation and fee information, contact Eric Bergland at 822-3381.

Finally, the McKenzie District will offer several free nature talks and "interpretive experiences" throughout the summer. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, July 5 - "An Evening with a Spotted Owl Researcher," by wildlife biologist Tim Fox, 8:30 p.m. Paradise Campground Amphitheater, four miles east of Blue River.

July 6th - "Lake Borne of Fire," a slide presentation about the origins of Clear Lake, 8:30 p.m. at the Clear Lake Day Use Shelter. This program will be repeated Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.

July 13 and Aug. 4, 18 and 31 - "Land of Fire and Ice: Our Changing Landscape", a 30-minute guided walk led by Forest Service interpreters along the Lava Trail; offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Dee Wright Observatory near the summit of McKenzie Pass.

July 20 - "Plate Tectonic, Builder of Landscapes," a slide presentation by Bob Lillie, a professor of geosciences, on the potential for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Northwest, 8:30 p.m., Delta Amphitheater.

July 21 - "Plate Tectonics: How the Three Sisters were Formed," a walk with geosciences professor Bob Lillie, who will explain the types of volcanoes and flows that created the McKenzie Pass, 1 p.m. at Dee Wright Observatory.

July 27 - "Trees of History: Exploring Old Growth Forests of the Pacific Northwest," a slide presentation by Forest Service interpreters, 8:30 p.m. at Paradise Amphitheater at Paradise Campground, four miles east of McKenzie Bridge. The program repeats Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. at the Delta Campground Amphitheater.

Aug. 3 - "Life Beneath the Surface, Aquatic Insects," stream ecologist Randy Wildman's slide presentation dealing with the key role aquatic insects play in our rivers and fisheries, 8 p.m. at the Delta Campground Amphitheater.

Aug. 10 - "Native Tools: Obsidian Use in the McKenzie Valley" by archeologist Eric Bergland, 7 p.m., Paradise Campground Amphitheater.

Aug. 17 - "20,000 Legs Under Your Feet" a slide presentation on insects by entomologist Andy Moldenke, 8 p.m., Delta Campground Amphitheater.

Meanwhile, the Middle Fork Willamette Ranger District offers an extensive "Love the Lake" series of programs every Saturday at 7 p.m. from Aug. 3 through Sept. 7 in the amphitheater located near the North Waldo boat ramp.

Topics include "Fire and Fungus in Waldo Lake Mountain Hemlock Forests" (Aug. 10), an excerpt from the play "The Lost Wagon Trail," which focuses on historical accounts from the early pioneers of the area, including Judge Waldo, the lake's namesake (Aug. 24), and "Waldo Lake's Unique History" (Sept. 7.) Also, a program on Friday, Sept. 6, will focus on "Forest Predators."

The district also offers a series of educational day hikes, bike rides and canoe/kayak paddles, with an outing scheduled every Saturday morning from Aug. 3 through Sept. 7. The outings begin at either the Shadow Bay or the North Waldo boat ramps.

Finally, for those willing to travel a little farther afield, the Willamette Forest's Sweet Home Ranger District has scheduled a half-dozen guided "heritage hikes" this summer. There is a $10 fee for these hikes ($5 with a Golden Age card). All begin at the ranger district office in Sweet Home. Reservations are required (contact Joanne West, 541-367-9206).

The schedule is: July 11 - Tidbits Mountain, five miles, moderate difficulty; July 27 - "Berry-picking Extravaganza," easy meandering; Aug. 3 - "Iron Mountain Weed Pull," hikers help remove invasive plants from a prime wildflower area; Aug. 8 - Trappers Butte, a moderate to difficult five-mile hike; Sept. 5 - South Pyramid, a moderate to difficult six-mile hike; and Oct. 18 - "Hackleman Creek Mushroom Hike," easy meandering while looking for forest fungi.

CAPTION(S):

MEGAN SLOTHOWER / U.S. Forest Service U.S. Forest Service intern Cindy Petersen (left) leads an interpretive outing on the Lava River Trail.