Dave’s Detours: Gerdemann Garden
By Dave Powell
For the TODAY
April showers bring May flowers (or for some, spring allergies).
It is time to cover my two flowering beauty detours. First, the rhododendrons at Yachats. As every year is different, I can’t guarantee the rhododendrons at peak bloom — but it is the season for blooms and it’s time to visit Gerdemann Garden.
According to the garden’s website: "There are two parts to Gerdemann Garden. One is the public trail and the other a private garden with many specimen and exotic plants. From the public trail, you glimpse the private garden and find multiple rhododendron and other native and non-native plants. The private garden is only open by appointment and occasional public openings. Request a tour at “Gerdemanngarden@gmail.com." Hiking on May 13, the private garden was in bloom, and the public trail big leaf rhododendrons were about two weeks away from bloom.
A short history of the Gardens: in 1981, Jim and Janice Gerdemann purchased an acre of property on the edge of the Siuslaw National Forest in Yachats. Over the years, it grew to 3.5 acres. In 2008, the property was purchased by Jerry and Kathleen Sand and, as of the summer of 2015, the property has been under the care of Andreea Ghetie.
Now the detour. As you head south on the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) toward Yachats, you leave the beach and start traveling the 804 Trail. About half a mile further south, you come to the Overleaf Motel. At the southwest corner, take the cindered pathway 250 yards to Highway 101, cross safely, turn right/south, and then hike 100 yards to Diversity. Turn left/east and proceed 200 yards to the back of the parking lot to the start of Ya'Xaik Trail. A note about the Ya’Xiak Trail — it can be steep, and there are plenty of stairs. I have had the privilege of working with the Yachats Trail Committee on this and other trails. They generally meet the first and third Saturdays of each month at Yachats Commons to work from 10 am to noon. For more information about the trails and local history check out: www.yachatstrails.org.
The start of the Ya'Xaik Trail has three plaques covering the “Ya’Xiak life,” the “Prison Camp Years” and the “Evidence They Left.”
The first 250 yards is uphill to the SE corner (200 feet elevation), then it’s all downhill — a prep after all the flat hiking to get ready for the 800 feet of the Amanda and St. Perpetua Trails at Cape Perpetua.
Another 300 yards has a divide, those with dogs are not permitted into Gerdemann. Walkers keep to the right and 50 yards later enter Gerdemann. About 35 yards is a decision point — I go right around the small circle. After another 35 yards is the “Grandmother Spruce,” which has straddled Mitchell Creek for more than 300 years. The next 200 yards has several big leaf rhododendrons before you leave Gerdemann. Returning to the OCT is simply going 150 yards back to Highway 101, again please cross it safely, turn to the left/south, hike 150 yards to Overleaf, and then 150 yards retracing back to the OCT.
Hiking Update:
Work continues at Cape Lookout. Last week’s scheduled four-day work attempt only had three work days since the North Coast director of Trailkeepers of Oregon just moved to Washington state. Looking at the TKO schedule, I don’t see more work scheduled there. I don’t figure on a set date for the trails to open. Check out Cape Lookout at Oregon State Parks for trail advisory.
Final Tally:
The entire walk off the Oregon Coast Trail to the Gerdemann via the Ya'Xaik Trail and back is just over a mile. But as you continue hiking along the OCT/804 Trail in Yachats keep your eyes open, there are several yards with abundant flowers in their private gardens.