Free Bridge (Deschutes River) 4-8-21

[bobcat]

On a windy, partly cloudy day, I motored out along Fifteen Mile Creek Road and then took Freebridge Road up through the Columbia Plateau wheat fields. The road is sunken into the plateau loess, but very recently has been graded nicely as far as the summit. Then there’s a short stretch of decent road to a place where you can pull off at a large and faceless sign. From here, I walked the 1.9 miles down the rest of the road to the Deschutes River. The route makes use of the south slopes of Allen Canyon and, within 400 yards, I came to a gate, which is secured by a chain latch. The gate marks the beginning of state lands to the north of the road, the road itself forming a boundary. Opening the gate released the stacked tumbleweeds to the mercy of rather stiff winds. Yes, you can drive all the way down to the railroad tracks (a sign giving fair warning of the "primative" [sic] conditions) but I was not going to chance my Subaru when you need either a dirt bike or a not-too-large vehicle with about 30 inches of clearance and four-wheel drive.

As I descended, views opened up to the Deschutes itself, across to Gordon Ridge, and downriver past Gordon Canyon. The Deschutes River Trail, upon which I spotted not a single soul, ran winding along the eastern bank. You can see as far south as the big bend at Mud Spring Canyon. There were scattered wildflowers in an open sagebrush landscape: some desert parsleys, balsamroot, phlox, blue-eyed Mary, fiddleneck, milk-vetch, lupine, etc. The narrowness and roughness of the road is readily apparent as you descend (some tow truck drivers from The Dalles have stories to tell), and it should probably not be attempted in a vehicle without walking it first. It would be extremely challenging to back out of.

At the BNSF tracks, I found the Kloan triangulation station. First, I descended to a beach on the alder-shaded bank of the river, but finding the riparian brush too thick to reach the Free Bridge site from there, I returned to the tracks and descended via the remains of the Freebridge Road, which ends at the bridge’s western abutment. Across the river are two piers still standing as well as the eastern abutment. Other piers lie in the river. A man named John E. Harris constructed the road, as a wagon road, in 1873 and built a toll bridge here. Wasco County purchased the bridge in 1887 and made it a “free” bridge. A truss bridge, with the piers that you now see, replaced it in 1905. However, the entire structure was found mysteriously collapsed in the river one dark day in 1914. Since the other bridges across the Deschutes were private toll bridges, it has always been surmised that the Free Bridge was dynamited by the disgruntled competition.

[Edit note: amended the above to give a fuller history.]

I had hoped for a longer day, but the shore to the south is a very steep loose scree slope. I didn’t want to hike the tracks, so attempted the slopes just above them (state land) finding an old wagon track that stopped at a gully. By then, however, the wind gusts were knocking me off balance, and I turned back. The idea would be, however to find a legal way to Mud Spring Canyon, where another 4WD road comes down and then follows the river a few miles on state land almost as far as Harris Ranch.

[drm]

Those two metal-clad poles on the east side are a standard destination for me, a little over seven miles in from the trailhead. You can do most of it on the riverside trail. Then I have dinner a Freebridge Brewery in The Dalles, and show them a picture.

[cfm]

Thanks for the history and report Bobcat! I went there about 2 weeks ago, hope you dont mind if I add a bit of my trip here. Like you I parked up top(climbed over the fence because the sagebrush was too thick to open it), and walked down the road. What a delightful path!

I camped at the big bend, in the trees on the right side of the river in your last picture. I did quickly walk part of the rail line to avoid a steep scree slope. Made me nervous, I was on alert for trains and patrollers.

First time I've seen cement railroad ties:

I set up camp and looked across the river at the slopes on the east side:

ps I love my chair!

As evening neared, a herd of bighorn sheep came over the ridge and began descending. Very pleasant to observe with my can o' wine.

There were six ewes and a youngster I decided to call "Randy".

While the other six grazed and calmly moved about, Randy sprinted up and down with glee, very entertaining!

They all looked rather mangy. I am hoping it's just the shedding process.

There were tics around, but they didnt get me this time!

[retired jerry]

I didn't know you could get there from there. I'll have to check that out sometime, thanks. I was just looking at it on topo map.

[Webfoot]

Yes, you can drive all the way down to the railroad tracks (a sign giving fair warning of the "primative" [sic] conditions) but I was not going to chance my Subaru when you need either a dirt bike or a not-too-large vehicle with about 30 inches of clearance and four-wheel drive.

Has it really gotten that bad?

The mountain sheep amaze me no matter how many times I see that.

[bobcat]

I have dinner a Freebridge Brewery in The Dalles, and show them a picture.

I seriously considered hijacking Chip Down's brand and bringing some Freebridge Navigation Impossible to pose on the western abutment.

I did quickly walk part of the rail line to avoid a steep scree slope.

Two 100-car trains came by when I was down there and I realized I might have been caught in the cutting above the scree slope. Still would like to find a legal way to get around that obstacle, but the wind was too vicious for me to persevere on Thursday.

Thanks for the photos of the sheep! I was also scanning the cliffs for them, knowing they should be there, but they were probably around the bend just out of sight.

Has it really gotten that bad?

Well, I might have exaggerated a little. 20" of clearance should do it; also 4WD, a dry road bed, and good tires. I probably could have eased my Subaru down there, barely, but I was out for a hike, not a walking pace trundle in a vehicle. There are about three spots with big embedded protruding rocks that could rip off your converter/muffler if you're not judging perfectly correctly. No room for error given the narrowness of the track, and no place to turn around either.