The Old Railroad

Abandoned human creations are really fascinating. Our time on this earth is limited, and everywhere you look, there is evidence of that fact. Nothing stays around forever. Even mountains will erode away to become hills and eventually, plains. All the engineering marvels we build will eventually be demolished, or consumed by the elements. 

This particular railroad along the Salmonberry river has only been abandoned for about 7 years, but already the brush was so thick that we could hardly navigate it in places, even though this is winter. From the 1930's through the 1950's, this forest was repeatedly burned to the ground in a series of devastating fires known as the "Tillamook Burn". Prior to the first big fire of 1933, this had all been untouched, old growth timber. Today, even after numerous fires and years of aggressive commercial logging, the forest looks surprisingly good. With a few more years left alone, the vegetation will completely overtake everything in it's path. 

I've been wanting to check out this rail line for some time and finally made it there, although we blazed a path through on the opposite side as people usually do, it was a really interesting walk through history.  

A lovely day for a stroll on the abandoned tracks. 

Moss and leaves cover everything.

I'm always astounded by the rate at which vegetation takes over everything here.

Top secret target practice. 

This large trestle may never see rail traffic ever again. It was super creepy to cross this- our first time walking a trestle.  

Sun in the trees created a really neat tunnel effect. 

The unattended "Attend to derailing switch" sign and switch.