Bird's dive does trick to raise spirits.

Byline: John Rezell The Register-Guard

This time of the year you have to grab the sure thing, and surveying the snowcapped peaks in every direction surrounding the placid Cougar Reservoir, the East Fork Trail appeared to fit the bill.

On my third consecutive day bumming around Blue River, Rainbow, McKenzie Bridge and beyond, I had to make sure I found a worthy hike for the entire family.

The pressure was on, considering the past two days had provided somewhat mind-boggling adventures that I'll share in the next three weeks.

I didn't know much about the East Fork Trail (No. 3308) other than it followed the East Fork McKenzie River, and it appeared to be unhindered by snow.

With the river roaring down the valley, you dip over, or through, a small creek dribbling down the hillside just a few hundred feet in. Combine that with the wide view of the East Fork tumbling toward the reservoir, and bang, you're off to a soaring start.

Not long after that, the trail transverses the river on a double-railed wooden bridge that offers an amazing view upstream and downstream smack dab in the middle.

That's where we were, just leaning on the railing, listening to the tumbling rapids and soaking in the ambience when my daughter Taylor spotted a little bird playing around the river. She pointed it out, and it took a few moments for me to find it.

Just as I did, it hip-hopped from moss-covered rock to moss-covered rock on the edges of the river, bolted 10 feet out over the main channel, dive-bombed and with a tiny splash disappeared into the water.

I'm not exactly sure the type of sounds that blasted out of the two of us, but it got Debbie and Sierra's attention in a nano-second. A few seconds later, he popped out of the water and darted back to the safety of another green base.

With all four of us locked in on him, he flew over to a partially submerged rock, standing atop it, with the water rushing through his legs.

He lifted again, and kerplunk, disappeared into the water on another submarine mission.

This wasn't your standard waterfowl, say, a duck or goose or cormorant. It was a small bird, not much larger than an average black bird.

Just 10, maybe 15 minutes into our hike, and the tone was set for a grand adventure.

Once on the other side of the bridge, we were greeted by the largest array of trilliums I've seen in one area. As Taylor eventually pointed out, it seemed like a trillion trillium.

Every where you looked, they were stretched out, stretching open for viewing. A couple atop a mossy rock. Three together alongside the path. Four lining a downed tree. Here. There. Everywhere.

It's a nice trail that gradually lifts you along the riverside (rising a total of 1,700 feet in six miles), pulling you away for a time or two for some more-than-interesting and eye-popping crossings of side stream gullies feeding the East Fork.

The trail pulls you back to the banks time and again for typical Oregon wonders of whitewater splashing through an emerald kingdom.

The heavy spring flow only enhances the experience.

We did eventually run into snow on the trail before we could ascend the complete six miles to the intersection with the road, and the trail to O'Leary Mountain.

No matter. We had our magical story for the day, thanks to that little aerial divebomber.

See video of the diving bird or contact John Rezell at [e-mail].