GRANT COUNTY — Sometimes exploring the forest can be as easy as pulling off the road.

The Swick Old Growth Interpretive Site in Grant County offers a peaceful visit to the woods without having to travel far off the beaten path.

Located right off Highway 395, the site features a wide, paved, loop trail that gently wends through an old ponderosa pine stand.

The trail is just under a mile long and is easily accessible for visitors of all ages and abilities.

Other welcoming amenities include picnic tables, benches along the trail, a vault toilet and ample parking. There’s even room for an RV or two.

The only thing not available at the site is water, so bring your own.

At the heart of this little gem is some mighty magnificent scenery. Crane your neck upward at the mighty, towering pines — some of them 200 years old — stretching for the clouds.

Peer far through the branches for a peek at woodpeckers and other feathered friends. And bend low to take in the scents and colors of wildflowers and other lush ground cover.

Interpretive signs at the trailhead and along the paved path offer information about local wildlife, plants and forest service fire suppression efforts in the area.

Occasional traffic on the nearby highway is a surprising reminder that civilization isn’t far away, yet it isn’t enough to mar the serenity of this peaceful grove.

This day-use area is managed by the Malheur National Forest. It’s an ideal pitstop for highway travelers and also worthy as a day-trip destination all on its own.

Don’t forget to bring a pair of binoculars. And the bug spray.

To get there

The Swick Old Growth Interpretive Site is 17.5 miles south of John Day and 7.5 miles north of Seneca. Signs easily mark the turn east, which is directly across the highway from the Izee-Paulina Road.

A paved road leads a short way to the trailhead.