Travelrific® Travel Journal
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A Big Smile in Oregon
By Linda Tancs
Oregon Route 18 (commonly known as the Salmon River Highway) is a 60-mile scenic route connecting the Willamette Valley wine country to the Oregon Coast. This time of year one of its key attractions is the giant smiley face in a forested hillside owned by Hampton Lumber that appears near mile-marker 25 between the towns of Grand Ronde and Willamina. In 2011, Hampton Lumber created the design by planting a mix of Douglas fir and larch during a reforestation of the area. The eyes and mouth were planted with Douglas fir; the “yellow” of the smiley face was created by planting larch trees. Larch is a conifer with needles that turn yellow and drop off in the fall, which is why the smiley face is best visible in autumn. It should be visible every fall for the next 30-50 years, until the trees are ready to be harvested and processed into lumber at the company’s sawmills.
