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Sweet Home Ranger District (US Highway 20) [A group of people hike along Browder Ridge with mountains in the distance](http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd540095.jpg)Sweet Home Ranger District is in the middle part of the Willamette National Forest. This area is accessible from the west via Highway 20 from Albany, OR, or from the east on Highway 20 from Sisters. Let the Sweet Home Ranger District give you a taste of the sweet life! You’ll find mountain biking adventures, incredible wildflower hikes, swimming areas to keep cool on a hot summer day, and much more. Guided Hikes Sweet Home Nature and Heritage Tours offer incredible opportunities to learn about the plants, animals, geology and cultural history of the Sweet Home area, located on the edges of the Willamette Valley and within the spectacular Cascade Mountains. Camping Keep cool on a warm summer day at one of the popular campground and swimming areas such as Fernview Campground, House Rock Campground, or Trout Creek Campground. Hiking If you like wildflowers take a hike in the Old Cascade Crest Trail Area or the Tombstone Pass Trail Area (especially Iron Mountain Trail). The Hackleman Old Growth Trail is a short 1/4 mile hike, but offers spectacular sightings of old growth trees and views of the South Santiam River. [Wildflowers cover a rock face on the Iron Mountain Trail](http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd540093.jpg) Other Recreation Grab your bike and get your legs and heart pumping on the Santiam Wagon Road Trail Area and Iron Mountain. Uncover the past at Longbow Organization Camp.
The rangers were very friendly and knowledgeable. My daughter and I have gone on two different guided tours out of the Sweet Home ranger station and greatly enjoyed them both.
I was personally threatened by badge toting FS ranger from this office last year. He tried to claim that I was guiding my girlfriend and my friend and his gf without a guiding license. One of the many things i pointed out to him was that my GF had the map so how was I "guiding". He also over and over creepishly asked my GF is she "felt safe and if she needed a ride back". Do not trust any FS ranger IMHO, Get to a real sheriff.
I was working to schedule an event for September and a person, who works with the ranger district and represents the Santiam Kalapuya was very disrupting, and quite frankly rude, so much that I have no desire ever work with the ranger district again on a tour of the Cascadia Caves. I have a permanent negative impression of the Santiam Kalapuya. I would advise all to avoid working with them in the future.
Sweet Home district is my favorite place to explore and the folks at the Ranger Station have been, by far, the most helpful office in Oregon for me to find trail information. On one occasion they sent me a large info packet on a trail system and another time they had their resident botanist call me back with current trail conditions. These rangers are amazingly friendly and helpful, and go above & beyond their counterparts in other districts.
Had a bad experence at this ranger station too. Got talked down to by one of the employees. Because i did not want to buy a mushroom permit. They have a free 10 day permit but you have to cut the mushrooms in half in the woods ridiculous In my opinion. I am not a commercial picker we eat them and cutting them in half restricts the shelf life. Plus the mushrooms get dirty.
