South of Oregon highway 18 at roughly milepost 25, between Willamina and Grand Ronde in Polk County, trees on Hampton Lumber land form a giant smiley face each fall. Hampton Lumber created the design by planting a mix of Douglas-fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Larch trees(Larix occidentalis) during a reforestation of the area in 2011. Larch trees are deciduous conifers and their needles yellow and drop in autumn. The larch make up the body of the face, which is about 300 feet across, and Douglas-fir trees form the eyes and mouth. The smiley face is especially prominent in fall, and it should appear in this season for the next 30-50 years, until the trees are ready to be harvested for lumber (based on the Oregonian).
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