In 2011, Hampton Lumber co-owner David Hampton and his forester friend, Dennis Creel, came up with the idea to plant the smiley face forest.
They planted a mix of Douglas firs and Larch trees to make the face, and every year, when the needles on the Larch trees change to a bright yellow-orange color, with eyes, mouth, and the surrounding area remaining dark green, the smiley face appears.
Fall makes me happy too.
It wasn't rocket science. But the thing that's amazing is, is that it really came out so good. You know, we stuck a stake in the ground, went around, made the circle and then planted all the trees.
If you're a leaf-chaser, you can go see the unique Fall foliage for yourself along Oregon Highway 18, between the towns of Willamina and Grand Ronde.
The face, which is about 300 feet wide, is expected to remain smiling each Fall for the next 30-50 years until they are ready to be harvested for lumber.
