Dirt bikes on Bald Butte?

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justpeachy
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Dirt bikes on Bald Butte?

Post by justpeachy » May 31st, 2023, 12:42 pm

What's the deal with all the dirt bikes and ATVs going up to Bald Butte on the Surveyor's Ridge Trail? We saw quite a few on a 5/20 hike and I wondered if the rules had changed, because I thought they weren't allowed up there. I contacted the Mt. Hood National Forest afterwards and this is what they said: "OHV's are only allowed to ride in designated OHV areas such as La Dee Flats, McCubbins Gulch and Rock Creek OHV."

I've been up there on beautiful spring Saturdays before and only seen one or two. This time I saw at least two dozen. I know it's been a long-time problem, but it seems like they are more blatant and more abundant than before. So what changed?

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adamschneider
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Re: Dirt bikes on Bald Butte?

Post by adamschneider » May 31st, 2023, 12:47 pm

I saw some motorbikes up there on Memorial Day. They rode up to Bald Butte on the Surveyor's Ridge Trail and then went down the very steep trail that goes downhill to the east from the top of BB.

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teachpdx
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Re: Dirt bikes on Bald Butte?

Post by teachpdx » June 1st, 2023, 10:20 am

It seems like one of those areas that is very, very hard to close off to ATV traffic, considering that the trail in that location is a passable road and there is really nothing stopping even a truck from driving all the way up to Bald Butte from 1700-630. There isn't even any signage prohibiting vehicles north of the parking area at the powerlines.

When I was there in early May I even saw evidence of at least one dirt bike heading south from the powerlines, making it nearly to the Oak Ridge trail before it got too snowy for them. Again, no signage southbound either (but an empty bulletin board that I assume once had anti-ATV signage).
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