Buxton Trestle

When awesome homeschooling dad Craig hosted a gathering at the Buxton Trestle, we knew it was time to check out this famously lovely spot. The trestle is on the Banks-Vernonia Trail, which is  a 21-mile former rail line now paved and much loved by joggers, bikers, equestrians, and wanderers alike. As the name suggests, it runs between Banks and Vernonia, and connects to the on-road 30-mile Tualatin Valley Bikeway.  The Buxton Trestle is a former railroad trestle that straddles Mendenhall Creek, and it's quite impressive.  It stands 80 feet high and 600 feet long. At the Buxton Trailhead, trails lead both over and beside the trestle, and cross the creek with a small bridge.  Our kids spent most of their time splashing around in the creek catching crawdads, and investigating an unexpected sight- lots and lots of beautiful caterpillars!  (The street address for the Buxton Trailhead is 24600 NW Bacona Rd., Buxton, OR.)

Western tent caterpillars.

Caterpillar lace!

A small crawdad.

The last of the bleeding hearts.

Jasper sets this crawdad free.

Mushrooms. Photo by Jasper.

Forest tent caterpillar. Photo by Jasper.

Rusty tussock moth caterpillar. Photo by Jasper.

Mourning cloak butterfly caterpillar.

Canada thistle.

Rusty tussock moth caterpillar.

Cuckoo wasp.

Rusty tussock moth caterpillar. Photo by Jasper.

Aphid. Photo by Jasper.

Forest tent caterpillars. Photo by Jasper.

Birdsfoot trefoil. Photo by Jasper.