The only part of Willow Springs Preserve accessible to the public is the Rim Trail.

On a weekend I was looking for a quick, remote hike in the woods, Willow Springs Preserve near Sisters did the trick.

Despite its name, a tiny portion of the 1.8-mile loop crosses into the 130-acre Willow Springs Preserve via the Rim Trail, while the rest resides in the Deschutes National Forest.

The Rim Trail is the only section of the preserve open to the public. It’s protected by the Deschutes Land Trust to conserve habitat for native fish and wildlife, such as salmon, steelhead, mule deer, rocky mountain elk, raptors and songbirds. The Rim Trail nudges against rimrock cliffs overlooking Whychus Creek, offering views of the open space below with a smattering of homes on the opposite ridge, just outside the boundaries of the preserve.

Signage clearly marks the transition from forest to preserve along both points of the path. Given the preserve is part of a multi-year restoration project, usage of the trail is limited to pedestrians, and dogs must be kept on a leash.

The parking area sits at the edge of a neighborhood, leading to a trail with a decent variation in scenery for its short distance. Hiking the loop clockwise, my partner, my dog and I wove through ponderosa pine trees, open spaces and past twisted trees almost entirely enveloped in moss before reaching the bluffs of the Rim Trail. On an overcast day, the yellow-green moss seemed to glow against the muted landscape of browns and greens.

A few sections among the trees proved slippery, and I almost lost my footing where a skiff of snow had settled over a sheet of ice. But for the majority of the trail, the near-freezing temperatures were in our favor, freezing the ground and turning what would have otherwise been mud into solid terrain.

Only one other vehicle sat in the dirt parking area and we didn’t run into another soul on the trail, allowing us to enjoy precious solitude.

According to the Land Trust, stands of cottonwood and aspen turn yellow along this trail each fall. To experience the preserve beyond the Rim Trail, contact the Land Trust for guided tours or educational offerings, or learn more about restoration efforts via a story map on its website.

Getting there: From Sisters, turn onto North Locust Street, which becomes Camp Polk Road and curves across Indian Ford Creek. Make a right onto Deer Ridge Road and follow to the end, where you’ll arrive at the trailhead.