Current Condtions
Recreation Report
Summer Trails and Wilderness
Increasing fire danger! High temperatures and recent lightning storms have brought and continue to bring dozens of new fire starts to the Central Oregon area. Just a heads up to be extra cautious when out during periods of thunderstorm activity.
Fireworks are prohibited anytime on National Forest Lands. Please, do not bring fireworks to your National Forest. Fire danger is increasing rapidly and fire fighting resources are already beginning to be stretched early this season. Persons found in possession or discharging fireworks on National Forest Lands may be cited.
Deschutes - Trail Conditions Short Report
Trail Conditions Tables Report:
The information included in this table is an estimate of various trail conditions including clearing of blowdown (trees across trails) and snow conditions. As snow levels can change rapidly and some trails cleared by unknown volunteers this information may not fully reflect conditions on the ground but it should be a close estimate.
Some clarification on a few of the columns:
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Primary use - This indicates the type of use the trail was design and maintained for. While other uses are typically allowed, in some cases ie. Wilderness or Municipal Watersheds, some uses may be prohibited. Also in cases where a trail is designed/maintained primarily for bikers (for example), horse use may not be compatible with the expectations of most horse users on such a trail. The trail may be narrower, twisty, and have special biker features not of interest to equestrians. It may also be a very popular bike trail and horse traffic may not be expected by most bikers creating potential conflicts and safety issues. Likewise, some "Primary" horse trails may have heavy horse use and unappealing to bikers.
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Maint Priority - This indicates a maintenance rating applied to the trail. The rating may be based on popularity of the trail or its connectivity to other high use trails. Typically we try to maintain priority 1 trails before 2-5 trails, but depending on volunteer interest and Forest Service crew scheduling and snow access, some lower priority trails may be maintained first. We apologize if we are unable to maintain all trails within a given maintenance season due to staff limitations.
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% Logged Out - Indicates if maintenace has begun on a trail and how much clearing has been accomplished. If we know the degree of blowdown on a trail, we'll try to note that under "Comments".
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Est. % Snow Covered - Indicates approx. snow covering or blocking a trail. "Patchy" indicates there may be less than 10% snow coverage on the trail and that it may be passable but with some degree of difficulty.
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Comments - Notes on restrictions, special closures, where to go for further information, etc.
Road Access Update:
Summer trail users:
Don't leave home without the proper clothing and emergency gear for the weather.
Expect trail conditions to be on the muddy side and remember, riding or hiking on very soft and muddy sections of trail can increase trail tread damage and erosion greatly. Avoid using those trails that are prone to mud developing.
Recent winds have brought down trees across some trails. Be aware that fall and winter storms will result in more windthrow.
Poster/Maps:
Fireworks on National Forest Lands are prohibited
- They are extremely hazardous this time of year and a bad deal for everyone when a forest fire is the result of people using them. So please, leave them at home and use them only in a legal area and safe manner.
IFPL change:
- For more information on IFPL visit: www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/fire
- To stay abreast of changing conditions on Central Oregon's public lands, and those private lands administered by Oregon Department of Forestry, you may call the 24-hour Fire Use Information Line at 1-800-523-4737.
Volunteers
- What many folks may not realize is that the Deschutes National Forest relies more and more on volunteers to complete much of our seasonal trail work. As recreation budgets continue on a downward trend (Northwest Forest Pass funds only a portion of the summer recreation program, not winter) and overall use and demands on the Forest's trails and trailheads/snow parks increases maintenance needs.
- Increasingly, volunteerism becomes a bigger piece of our winter and summer trails program. Without volunteers, many miles of trails wouldn't be cleared (even constructed), signs installed/maintained, shelters stocked with firewood, hundreds of winter trail miles groomed for snowmobiling, nordic skiing and snowshoeing, winter trail maps printed and provided free to the public, etc. And right now, it's especially important for volunteers to step forward and help with winter preparations or your favorite shelter may not have firewood, trails brushed as well as you would like, signs in place and maps available.
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