The Old Swimming Hole at Gales Creek Traditional Cache

In 1844, Joseph Gale was the first to settle in this area near the present day intersection of NW Gales Creek Road and NW Stringtown Road. He homesteaded there and built a grist mill and sawmill operated by the family. In 1862, Joseph and his family moved to Eagle Valley in northeastern Oregon where he died in 1881.

This hide is located at the creek named in his honor. 

You are looking for a nano sized cache in disguise! It is hidden in plain sight at the end of the railroad bridge near an old swimming hole in the creek where many hot summer days of my youth were spent fishing and cooling off in the creek. Parking is available near the railroad tracks on Elm Street and it is about 0.38 miles to the cache from there if you walk along the tracks. (Pay careful attention for trains if you do so!) Alternate parking is available along the side of Hwy. 47 at a pull-off access road about 1/4 mile north of the B Street intersection where there is a steel cable across access road to the field below. You can then navigate a trail to the side of the railroad tracks and swimming hole. Some light bushwhacking may be required depending on the time of year. Also please note this area can flood during high water times. Rated the terrain a 3 due to walking on rocks and slopes along side the tracks. Hide is difficult unless you know what you're looking for! BYOP and some tweezers with you. It is not necessary to go under the bridge or down along the creek bank- so be safe!!! Congrats to snosrfpolo for the FTF! ***UPDATE 12/3/2014: If you don't mind helping us to clean up this area, please bring a small garbage bag with you and pick up some of the litter that other muggles have left here. This was once a beautiful place!