Don't get lost in the Labyrinth. It is easier said than done...there are a ton of old goat trails out here. The hiking book I used to explore Catherine Creek was a tad vague. I didn't get lost, but I did fly right past the meditation arch that was built by Northwest Indians and didn't even realize it until I had come all the way around the loop and found myself staring down at it below. Whoopsies. I guess I'm not used to these 3-milers any more. Also, that arch was pretty tiny. I saw some mounds that were blocked off, but from the images I found online I assumed this sucker was BIG. Nope.
Usually you can escape poor weather by heading to the Gorge. It's a little secret. You're welcome. I was not so lucky on the day I visited. A storm was brewing...so dramatical.
The arch is located directly beside the old horse corral. It is gated now, so that people can't disturb the area which has begun to erode. I think you can see from the rock picture below why I blew past the arch. I saw no arch. I saw a bunch of boulder-like thingies. I assumed they were mounds and didn't poke around to the other side. Silly me.
Since this hike was such a shorty, I piggybacked the Mosier Plateau afterwards.
This one creeps through an old cemetery past a waterfall and up to a lookout of the gorge. It was basically deserted when we went. I wasn't thoroughly impressed by the view. What I think is so interesting about this area is that the land is privately owned, but they allow hikers to use the area and share the beauty with all of us, which seems pretty fucking rad. Make sure you sign a waiver before you hike. The box was out when we went.