I hiked at Sevenmile Hill yesterday and used the Field Guide directions for parking (previously, I'd always parked on the road shoulder). In any event, there were two barrels that said "no trespassing" before the parking area described in the field guide. I asked about this in the Oregon Wildflower group and Paul Slichter made the following comment "that is the beginning of Wasco County land. The county sheriffs use the small quarry at the end of the paved road for target practice, and they confronted people trying to hike or drive up there last year and kept them from entering. A narrow strip of USFS land is on the other side of the creek just to the east (right in the pic). We park at a wide spot on this gravel road nearer the main paved road, then veer northwest, crossing that creek before heading up hill. Check either the USFS Gorge Scenic Area map or the Wasco County website for a better understanding of property boundaries there."
In any event, I feel like both the parking description and the hike description (as the hike description is relative to the parking area) should be updated. I have not yet pulled up the maps he mentioned but will in the future. I'm just hoping that you can update this site so other people won't be led astray. (To be clear, I ended up parking further down but was hiking further west than I probably should have until I got high enough to know exactly where I was then I headed east).
Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14425
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
what it says currently is
"After exiting, turn right for the Discovery Center. In 0.1 miles, turn left at a Stop sign for The Dalles.
Drive 0.3 miles and turn right onto Chenowith Loop Road.
After 0.6 miles, come to a T-junction and turn right onto W. 10th Street.
Drive 0.6 miles, and turn right onto Sevenmile Hill Road.
Drive 1.1 miles and see a dirt track heading up the hill to your right.
Turn right here and drive up the track 0.4 miles, crossing a creek bed and reaching a large, flat, graveled parking area with a couple of rusting barrels decorating its edges. This road should be suitable for most passenger cars, but if in doubt, park along the narrow shoulder of Sevenmile Hill Road and hike up the hill to this spot."
Exactly what text should be replaced with what?
"After exiting, turn right for the Discovery Center. In 0.1 miles, turn left at a Stop sign for The Dalles.
Drive 0.3 miles and turn right onto Chenowith Loop Road.
After 0.6 miles, come to a T-junction and turn right onto W. 10th Street.
Drive 0.6 miles, and turn right onto Sevenmile Hill Road.
Drive 1.1 miles and see a dirt track heading up the hill to your right.
Turn right here and drive up the track 0.4 miles, crossing a creek bed and reaching a large, flat, graveled parking area with a couple of rusting barrels decorating its edges. This road should be suitable for most passenger cars, but if in doubt, park along the narrow shoulder of Sevenmile Hill Road and hike up the hill to this spot."
Exactly what text should be replaced with what?
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
Hopefully this helps clarify things. The barrels are just past the parking allowed area.
(click for full size)
(click for full size)
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14425
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
so, are the field guide instructions okay or exactly what should be changed?
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
The directions are not specific enough and the given coordinates (45.64329, -121.25029) are for the wrong parking area (the forbidden one). A photo / map is much easier to understand.
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
Thanks, Webfoot. The No Trespassing signs must be relatively new. It is public land; they just don't want us using it (or it may be O.K. on weekends - I suspect last year's confrontations were during the week.
Thanks very much for the map. If it's O.K. I'll add it to the Field Guide when I change the directions.
Thanks very much for the map. If it's O.K. I'll add it to the Field Guide when I change the directions.
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
Yes, of course. I think the closed part is owned by the county so I suppose the local authorities can close it if they want? The main area is USFS if I recall.bobcat wrote:If it's O.K. I'll add it to the Field Guide when I change the directions.
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
O.K. it's done now, coords and all.
I'll take issue with Paul Slichter's explanation, though. The 'sheriff's patch' is on USFS land, but if they've commandeered it, I'm not going to argue. The 'new' trailhead is courtesy of Wasco County PWD (The road doesn't exactly follow the USFS strip that connects with Sevenmile Hill Road). Let's hope they can tolerate the weekend hordes, or it's back to the narrow shoulder on the road.
I'll take issue with Paul Slichter's explanation, though. The 'sheriff's patch' is on USFS land, but if they've commandeered it, I'm not going to argue. The 'new' trailhead is courtesy of Wasco County PWD (The road doesn't exactly follow the USFS strip that connects with Sevenmile Hill Road). Let's hope they can tolerate the weekend hordes, or it's back to the narrow shoulder on the road.
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
Took this picture last year. Folks being sent to park (at left) in that outer lot will (presumably still) need to walk past this affront to public access in order to get up to the inner lot and beyond.bobcat wrote:Thanks, Webfoot. The No Trespassing signs must be relatively new. It is public land; they just don't want us using it (or it may be O.K. on weekends - I suspect last year's confrontations were during the week.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14425
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Sevenmile Hill Parking directions
thanks
You've created a lot of field guide entries, it's great!
You've created a lot of field guide entries, it's great!