Revision as of 13:57, 26 May 2015

Looking up at the Eagle Cliffs from the middle school (bobcat)

Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana), Chenoweth Tableland (bobcat)

• Start point: Sevenmile Hill Trailhead
• End point: Devils Hole Viewpoint
• Trail Log:
• Hike Type: Loop
• Distance: 4.8 miles
• High point:1980 feet
• Elevation gain: 1260 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Seasons: All year, but spring is best
• Family Friendly: For older, adventurous kids
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: No

Hike Description

Sevenmile Hill stretches from Badger Creek to McCall Point on the Oregon side of the Columbia River and fronts a section of the Washington Gorge from the Klickitat River to The Dallesport scablands. There are no official trails between McCall Point and Badger Creek, although it is doable as a cross-country jaunt if you pay keen attention to private/public land boundaries. However, the Forest Service owns a substantial parcel of land on the southeast slope of Sevenmile Hill, and these open slopes, which exhibit some of the most magnificent flower displays in the Gorge in the spring, can be hiked to viewpoints overlooking the Rowena Gap and Devils Hole. In reality, you can hike anywhere on this property, but the description sends you on a loop to the western boundary fence, then to the north rim, and lastly down the eastern boundary fence.

Hike up from the parking area on a grassy track and pass over the top of a knoll with a small rock windbreak. You will get a view of Mount Hood to the left and sweeping views back to The Dalles and the Columbia Hills. The slope here is thick with blooming balsamroot, lupine, milk-vetch, popcorn flower, tarweed, and fiddleneck, to name some, in late April/early May. Head up gradually to your left, reaching a draw. Walk across the broken fence line here and cross a small bench. Continue hiking up to your left. At some point, you should see the southwest boundary corner of the property and a fence line ahead. This is the western boundary, so head towards it.

Go right along the fence line, but do not cross it even though it is in disrepair. Periodically, signs will remind you that you cannot trespass. Eventually, reach a thicket of scrubby oaks. Keep through the oaks - you will find a deer trail that roughly parallels the fence. Poison oak flourishes here: if you want to avoid head down around the oaks. When you reach the rim in oak woods, turn right and begin heading down the slope, keeping the rim to your left.

At a gap in the oaks, head out to a viewpoint over the Devils Hole and the Ortley Pinnacles. Mount Adams is also visible on a clear day. Drop down on an open meadow, with oaks to your left and a collapsed ponderosa pine to your right. Reenter the oak woods and find another viewpoint on the rim. Now wind down out of the oaks to an open grassland. With more oaks below, begin to head to your right down the slope and find the eastern property fence. Cattle graze on the private side, where the lush balsamroot/lupine carpet has disappeared. On the Forest Service side, however, the slope is brilliant with blooms in mid-spring. Coming above a steep-oak lined draw, go right to cross it, be careful of the poison oak here. Cross another draw to reach the parking area.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Green Trails Maps: Columbia River Gorge East, OR-WA #432S (Shows property boundaries only)

Regulations or restrictions, etc

• Respect all private property signs

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Sevenmile Hill Loop Hike

• Sevenmile Hill to Gardner’s Point
• Seven Mile Hill & Rowena Plateau 05-05-2012

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Sevenmile Hill Loop Hike
• Seven Mile Hill Wind Project Dies

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• Curious Gorge by Scott Cook

More Links

• #91 Seven Mile Hill route (Curious Gorge Blog)

Contributors

• bobcat (creator)