Lyle Cherry Orchard
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Hikes to this location:
- Lyle Cherry Orchard Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
- Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
- Latitude, Longitude: 45.68660, -121.24653
- Elevation: 800 feet
Description
One of the earlier attempts at agriculture in the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge was a cherry orchard perched on a hilltop east of Lyle. The orchard has been abandoned for decades and now thanks to the public access granted by Friends of the Columbia Gorge, hikers can visit the area.
It's hard to say how many trees were originally here, but only two seem to survive. These are very old, broken trees and the fact that any are struggling at all is impressive. The trees typically bloom in mid-April, with leaves and a a few cherries following. This is a private, contemplative place. The old broken, yet surviving trees seem somehow to link us to a past time when the hill was more heavily used. The people are gone, the business is gone, and yet for now, the trees survive, refusing to give up on a world that has passed them by.
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Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)