Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

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arieshiker
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Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by arieshiker » May 19th, 2020, 5:44 pm

Finally a report not as old as I am.....Delightful Monday walk-about above the Deschutes.

Talk about a perfect day – slight drizzle at the parking lot, then just cloudy most of the early walk, then some muted sun with some slight swirling breeze that a long-sleeve took care of, and the trail was in really nice condition. Only two puddles, where they normally stay longer after showers, and more flowers are returning.

Only saw three people – two really happy ladies each walking two really happy dogs on leash and one (lady, not dog) on a bike. I think there were a couple more people down on the lower riverside trail, but I never saw them.

I got on the trail at 8AM and made it to the boundary just past the two-mile marker before 9, sat for a few minutes then scooted on out to the three-mile marker, then headed back, and got back to the trailhead just before 11AM.

As drm stated in his earlier report on Soda Peaks Lake, I didn't realize how out of shape I was. I now know.

The weather just mostly went back and forth between breezy, calm and muted sun, and wanting to sprinkle. Today, apparently our area in under some sort of flood watch, where the report says some areas might get 16 inches of rain.

The park is in excellent condition, and more wildflowers are starting to take hold, post fire. After about a dozen hikes on this trail, I saw my first snake. The closure might have been their roaming time, so now they have to get used to us upright walkers again. As I'm sure many will be saying shortly - man, it was good to be back out there.
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retired jerry
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by retired jerry » May 19th, 2020, 6:39 pm

So the state park is open?

The parking area must be open for day use only, no overnight parking?

arieshiker
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by arieshiker » May 19th, 2020, 7:03 pm

The park, along with several others, opened Friday, day use only, no camping or fishing permits at this point, and no backcountry camping, so yes, no overnight parking yet. I'm not sure how closely they're checking but with the outhouses closed in all the parks, I'm sure they won't be appreciating violators. I was told camping maybe by the 25th, or maybe not until June 8th - or later - as circumstances warrant. In short, it's really all up to the governor, which is likely dependent on the feedback she gets from all the open parks and her medical advisors. Cottonwood Canyon is also open under the same conditions, including fishing. Naught to do but keep watching the state parks website.

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retired jerry
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by retired jerry » May 20th, 2020, 5:24 am

Thanks, I guess we have to be patient :)

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adamschneider
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by adamschneider » May 20th, 2020, 6:38 am

If you really want to hike in to a camp along the Deschutes, I think you could legally walk into the BLM section further upstream, from Macks Canyon.

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retired jerry
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by retired jerry » May 20th, 2020, 7:07 am

I suspect that all those campgrounds will have closed signs on them, including the trailhead at Mack's Canyon. And you're not allowed to dispersed camp.

Maybe camp along road just before the trailhead and then walk from there.

Except don't do that, it's violating Governor Brown's stay at home order. At least if you're doing it, don't post on the internet :)

If it was posted, "hey, you can camp at Mack's Canyon", there might then be crowds of people trying to infect each other, then there will be more aggressive actions taken to prevent. Although that's pretty far from anywhere so maybe not.

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adamschneider
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by adamschneider » May 20th, 2020, 8:16 am

retired jerry wrote:
May 20th, 2020, 7:07 am
And you're not allowed to dispersed camp.
I don't think the BLM has restricted dispersed camping. Or is it NEVER allowed along the Deschutes?

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retired jerry
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by retired jerry » May 20th, 2020, 8:38 am

dispersed camping is never allowed on that road from Sherar's Bridge to Mack's Canyon

it's all pretty sparse, desert. There's just the one road. If people dispersed camped they'd be visible from the road.

You can park at Mack's Canyon and backpack. I suspect you could park at many places along that road and backpack. How far does one have to hike from their car to not be dispersed camping but backpacking?

I only go there in the off season when there are few people. I suspect it gets crowded sometimes.

arieshiker
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by arieshiker » May 20th, 2020, 8:47 am

From what I was told, BLM lands are mostly open with no to few resources available - like outhouses etc., Access would only be difficult if one has to go through closed state lands, but BLM is opening more and more of their lands. Might be an idea to contact a BLM office by phone or email before wasting a trip - all the offices are closed but staff is working. The BLM main site is https://www.blm.gov/oregon-washington/c ... strictions.

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drm
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Re: Deschutes Upper Trail, 5-18-20

Post by drm » May 20th, 2020, 9:31 am

I actually backpacked from Macks Canyon a couple weeks ago. Nothing was closed, there were no signs. A few of the campsites in the campground at the end of the road were in use. I hiked in about 7 miles. There were no visible established sites at all (I'm just referring to worn smooth pieces of ground). This was the first time I had gone in from that side. I saw nobody on the trail. More areas are open now, but it might be one of the few open places that will also be dry this coming weekend.

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