Yesterday, I went to Opal Creek for the first time ever. I know. A true Oregonian who has never hiked Opal Creek? What have I even been doing with my life?

The place was beautiful. It really lived up to the hype. But what made more of an impression on me was the eerie abandoned mines near the creek. Me and two girls were exploring off the main trail when we found some of these mine entrances that give off total horror-story vibes. I wrote a nosleep story to go with one of the pictures I took – will post later.

The girls I went with are currently in high school, and I’m so glad I went with them instead of the usual crowd. They dragged me all the way up the river. Like, literally through the river. We didn’t hardly even hike the main trail, and it was great. At one point, I slipped on a rock and fell completely in the water. Yes, I was wearing my camera. But don’t worry; I made sure to fall backwards.

There’s something great about finding friends that are willing to go out of their comfort zone and just dive into the water. Find yourself a couple people you can always rely on to go on adventures. You’ll be surprised at the places they’ll take you.