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Difference between revisions of "Horse Rock Ridge Hike"

From Oregon Hikers Field Guide

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[[Category:Central Oregon]]
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[[Category:Northwest Oregon]]
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[[Category:Willamette Valley]]
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[[Category:Bureau of Land Management]]
 
[[Category:Easy Hikes]]
 
[[Category:Easy Hikes]]
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[[Category:Wildflower Hikes]]
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[[Category:Viewpoint Hikes]]
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[[Category:All Season Hikes]]
 
[[Category:Off the Beaten Track]]
 
[[Category:Off the Beaten Track]]
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[[Category:Hikes]]
  
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[[Image:Horserockview.JPG|thumb|400px|The meadows of Horse Rock Ridge]]
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[[Image:Horserockview.JPG|thumb|400px|The meadows of Horse Rock Ridge ''(cfm)'']]
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[[Image:Ridgetrail.jpg|thumb|250px|]]
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[[Image:Ridgetrail.jpg|thumb|250px|Another view of Horse Rock Ridge ''(cfm)'']]
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[[Image:Map.jpg|thumb|250px|Insert map image here]]
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[[Image:3sisview.jpg|thumb|250px|View of the Three Sisters ''(cfm)'']]
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[[Image:Horse Rock Ridge map.jpg|thumb|400px|Map of the route]]
  
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* Start point: [[Horse Rock Ridge Trailhead]]
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{{Start point|Horse Rock Ridge Trailhead}}
 
* End point: [[Horse Rock Ridge]]
 
* End point: [[Horse Rock Ridge]]
 
* Trail Log: [[Horse Rock Ridge Hike/Log|Trail Log]]
 
* Trail Log: [[Horse Rock Ridge Hike/Log|Trail Log]]
 
* Hike Type: Out and Back
 
* Hike Type: Out and Back
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* Distance:  3 miles  
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{{Distance|3.2 miles}}
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* Elevation gain: 500 FEET
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{{Elevation gain|660 feet}}
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* Difficulty: Easy
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* High point: 2,815 feet
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{{Difficulty|Easy}}
 
* Seasons: All seasons, except after winter storms
 
* Seasons: All seasons, except after winter storms
 
* Family Friendly: yes
 
* Family Friendly: yes
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=== Hike Description ===
 
=== Hike Description ===
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From the [[Horse Rock Ridge Trailhead]], go over the boulders and through the chain link fence and travel up the revegetating forest road. The trail is not well maintained and there is likely to be some small windfall to navigate around.  
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<b>NOTE: To protect sensitive vegetation dogs must be on leash at all times.</b>
  
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After just under a mile, you will emerge from the dense forest onto the first of a series of south facing meadowed slopes. You will see many critter trails cris-crossing the hillside, but try to stay on the main upper trail to prevent erosion of the thin fragile topsoil. Travel west for about .7 miles to reach the Horse Rock formation- a basalt dike that seems to flow down the hill. There is a small cave on the upper portion of Horse Rock, and there are many flat grassy meadows on the top, perfect for a picnic. On clear days, the views of Jefferson and the Three Sisters are spectacular from here.
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This is a short easy hike with big rewards in the form of wildflower meadows and views of the nearby volcanic peaks. However, you will have to try to ignore the sight of dozens of clearcuts and tune out the sounds of nearby dirt bikes, ATVs, and target shooting.
 +
 
 +
From the [[Horse Rock Ridge Trailhead]], either climb over the rocky berm and walk through the chain link fence -or- walk to the left of the fence on a very short path. Then travel up the revegetating forest road, which climbs gradually. The trail is not well maintained, and there is likely to be some windfall to navigate around.
 +
 
 +
After just under a mile, you will emerge from the dense forest onto the first of a series of south facing, meadowed slopes. You will see many critter trails criss-crossing the hillside, but try to stay on the main upper trail to prevent erosion of the thin, fragile topsoil. Travel west for about 0.7 miles to reach the [[Horse Rock Ridge|Horse Rock]] formation, a basalt dike that seems to flow down the hill. There is a small cave on the upper portion of Horse Rock, and there are many flat grassy meadows on the top, perfect for a picnic. On clear days, the views of [[Mount Jefferson]] and the [[Three Sisters]] are spectacular from here.
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At the end of the last meadow, there's a small path leading to the radio tower, but there are no views from the top.
  
 
=== Maps ===
 
=== Maps ===
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=== Regulations or Restrictions, etc. ===
 
=== Regulations or Restrictions, etc. ===
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LIST ANY REGULATIONS, LIKE HIKE PARTY SIZE, OR HIKING PERMITS NEEDED
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* Dogs must be on leash at all times.
  
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{{TripReports|{{PAGENAME}}}}
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{{TripReports|Horse Rock Ridge}}
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[http://portlandhikers.com/forums/thread/14112.aspx| Horse Rock Ridge RNA by Chubby fm]
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* (Click [http://portlandhikers.com/forums/AddPost.aspx?ForumID=8 here] to add your own)
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=== Related Discussions / Q&A ===
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{{RelatedDiscussions|Horse Rock Ridge}}
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* (Click [http://portlandhikers.com/forums/AddPost.aspx?ForumID=141 here] to ask a question or start a conversation)
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=== Guidebooks that cover this hike ===
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=== Guidebooks ===
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* ''Title'' - 1st Edition, by Author
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* ''Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes: Northwest Region'' by George Wuerthner
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* ''Off the Beaten Trail'' by Matt Reeder
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* ''100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades'' by William L. Sullivan
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* ''100 Classic Hikes in Oregon'' by Douglas Lorain
  
 
=== More Links ===
 
=== More Links ===
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* See more information at [http://www.somewebsite.com Describe the link here]  
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* [http://www.npsoregon.org/kalmiopsis/kalmiopsis11/horserockridge.pdf  Horse Rock Ridge (Native Plant Society)]
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* [https://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr571.pdf  Horse Rock Ridge Research Natural Area (USFS)]
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* [http://cherylhill.net/blog/2017/05/31/horse-rock-ridge/  Horse Rock Ridge (Just Peachy)]
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* [https://wanderingyuncks.com/2020/02/16/spencer-butte-shotgun-creek-and-horse-rock-ridge-2-9-2020/  Spencer Butte, Shotgun Creek, and Horse Rock Ridge – 2/9/2020 (wanderingyuncks)]
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* [https://www.shareoregon.com/things-to-do/en/listings/126858-horse-rock-ridge-hike  Horse Rock Ridge Hike (Share Oregon)]
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* [https://www.oregonoutdoorfamily.com/horse-rock-ridge-trail/  Horse Rock Ridge Trail (Oregon Outdoor Family)]
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* [https://www.outdoorproject.com/united-states/oregon/horse-rock-ridge  Horse Rock Ridge (Outdoor Project)]
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* [https://hikes.wehikeforfood.com/horse-rock-ridge-trail-oregon/  Horse Rock Ridge Trail – Oregon (We Hike For Food)]
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* [https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/horse-rock-ridge--3  Horse Rock Ridge (All Trails)]
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* [https://www.registerguard.com/article/20160521/LIFESTYLE/305219969  "Ridge with a view" (Register-Guard)]
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* [https://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/blog/post/summer-color-in-the-coburg-hills/  Summer Color in the Coburg Hills (Eugene Cascades Coast)]
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* [https://nwwildflowers.com/places/Horse_Rock_Ridge  Horse Rock Ridge (Northwest Wildflowers)]
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=== Contributors ===
 
=== Contributors ===
−
* [[User:chubbyfm|chubbyfm]] (creator)
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* [[User:CFM|CFM]] (creator)
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* [[User:justpeachy|justpeachy]]

Latest revision as of 23:10, 30 December 2022

The meadows of Horse Rock Ridge (cfm)
Another view of Horse Rock Ridge (cfm)
View of the Three Sisters (cfm)
Map of the route
  • Start point: Horse Rock Ridge TrailheadRoad.JPG
  • End point: Horse Rock Ridge
  • Trail Log: Trail Log
  • Hike Type: Out and Back
  • Distance: 3.2 miles
  • Elevation gain: 660 feet
  • High point: 2,815 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Seasons: All seasons, except after winter storms
  • Family Friendly: yes
  • Backpackable: No
  • Crowded: No

Contents

Hike Description

NOTE: To protect sensitive vegetation dogs must be on leash at all times.

This is a short easy hike with big rewards in the form of wildflower meadows and views of the nearby volcanic peaks. However, you will have to try to ignore the sight of dozens of clearcuts and tune out the sounds of nearby dirt bikes, ATVs, and target shooting.

From the Horse Rock Ridge Trailhead, either climb over the rocky berm and walk through the chain link fence -or- walk to the left of the fence on a very short path. Then travel up the revegetating forest road, which climbs gradually. The trail is not well maintained, and there is likely to be some windfall to navigate around.

After just under a mile, you will emerge from the dense forest onto the first of a series of south facing, meadowed slopes. You will see many critter trails criss-crossing the hillside, but try to stay on the main upper trail to prevent erosion of the thin, fragile topsoil. Travel west for about 0.7 miles to reach the Horse Rock formation, a basalt dike that seems to flow down the hill. There is a small cave on the upper portion of Horse Rock, and there are many flat grassy meadows on the top, perfect for a picnic. On clear days, the views of Mount Jefferson and the Three Sisters are spectacular from here.

At the end of the last meadow, there's a small path leading to the radio tower, but there are no views from the top.

Maps

Regulations or Restrictions, etc.

  • Dogs must be on leash at all times.

Trip Reports

Related Discussions / Q&A

Guidebooks

  • Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes: Northwest Region by George Wuerthner
  • Off the Beaten Trail by Matt Reeder
  • 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades by William L. Sullivan
  • 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon by Douglas Lorain

More Links


Contributors

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Oregon Hikers Field Guide is built as a collaborative effort by its user community. While we make every effort to fact-check, information found here should be considered anecdotal. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. Please contact us if you notice errors on this page.

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