Oregon Desert Trail
The Oregon Desert Trail is a hiking trail and equestrian trail under development (as of June 2013) across the Oregon High Desert. The trail is between 750 and 850 miles (1,210 and 1,370 km) long,[1] with termini located near Bend, Oregon, and near the Idaho border at Lake Owyhee State Park.[2][3]
The route is on existing trails and across tracts of public land—mostly Bureau of Land Management, much of it wilderness study area. The west end of the trail is on the northern border of Oregon Badlands Wilderness and heads south. It meanders widely to take in public land throughout southeastern Oregon: Diablo Peak, Fremont National Forest, Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Steens Mountain, the Pueblo Mountains, the Trout Creek Mountains, and the Owyhee River Wilderness. It passes through the tiny cities of Fort Rock, Christmas Valley, Paisley, Plush, Frenchglen, Fields, McDermitt, Rome, and Adrian.[4] The overall shape resembles two broad legs and feet with hints of toes.[5] The right big toe touches the Oregon-Nevada border south of Fields. The route zigzags eastward to within 15 miles (24 km) of the southeastern state corner while following the West Little Owyhee River downstream and then turns northward as it merges to form the Owyhee River. The trail's ends are west-northwest to east-southeast (96° true) of each other by 195 miles (314 km). The route was developed by the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA).[1]
The route is not easy and its long stretches without water sources require hikers to manage either by caching supplies or arranging collection points with a supply team.[4] Bikes are allowed on parts of the trail,[6] but are not practical in some areas[6] and are not allowed in wilderness areas.[7]
The first thru-hike was made in the summer of 2013 by 33-year-old Bend resident Sage Clegg and took just under six weeks.[2][3][8] During her hike Clegg reported trail conditions to ONDA, and gathered information to help make the route traversable for other trail users.[1]
Route
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Burns, Joe (8 June 2013). "Bend woman blazing trail to preserve high desert". KTZV. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Morical, Mark (5 June 2013). "Bend hiker hopes to hike trail first". The Bulletin. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Across the Oregon Desert Trail". Oregon Natural Desert Association. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Richard, Terry (6 October 2012). "Oregon Desert Trail envisioned as 750-mile Bend-to-Idaho crossing". The Oregonian. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ↑ See detailed map
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Richard, Terry (6 June 2013). "Sage Clegg, first through hiker on the Oregon Desert Trail, begins 800-mile trek". The Oregonian. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ↑ Bradley, John (16 February 2010). "Spurning Rubber". Outside.
- ↑ Heidi Hagemeier (16 July 2013). "Into Oregon's Outback: The Oregon Desert Trail". Oregon Natural Desert Association. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
External links
- Oregon Desert Trail full screen map from the Oregon Natural Desert Association
