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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2018)
Wednesday, June 13, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 7 Flatiron Rock: an easy hike in the Badlands By Craig F. Eisenbeis Correspondent Although we’re seeing trails opening up in the high country, it’s still worth tak- ing note of alternative areas that are (nearly) all-season hiking destinations. After all, not every day lends itself to a high mountain expedition. The Badlands Wilderness east of Bend is always a great place to get out and do some free-range roam- ing. The Oregon Badlands Wilderness is a fairly recent addition to our nation’s wil- derness areas and was offi- cially established in 2009 by President Barack Obama. This is the sort of hike that can be undertaken at the spur of the moment; and that’s exactly what we did on this occasion, late last month. True, the Badlands Wilderness is comprised of juniper desert of the sort that is not exactly in short supply around Central Oregon. Still, it’s a friendly tract of dedi- cated land that is always just out there waiting for you. The hike to Flatiron Rock is a nice little jaunt of 5.8 to 7.2 miles, depending on which variant you travel. The differing lengths depend on to what extent you utilize the Ancient Juniper Trail option. If you skip it alto- gether, it’s 5.8 miles; take it just one way, and it’s 6.5. Taking that option both ways brings the total to 7.2; we took a 6.5 mile one-way ver- sion, which completes a loop at the southern end of the trail, thereby limiting back- tracking on the same trail. From the roadside trail- head, we headed north on the Ancient Juniper Trail, which takes off to the left of the trailhead kiosk. For the more direct, shorter version, start off by going to the right of the kiosk. On our way back, we would return by that route, for the mid-distance loop option. By way of full disclosure, we also took the loop trail through and around Flatiron Rock itself, bringing our total to about 7 miles. Not surprisingly, the Ancient Juniper Trail passes many old and scenic juni- per trees along the way and offers interesting insight into the desert ecosystem. The Badlands area also features trailside soils covered with plant life called cryptogamic crust. This layer of biotic matter is composed of a variety of living species that include lichens, algae, fungi, mosses, and cyanobacteria that all share the habitat and are collectively called cryp- togamic crust. It is extremely fragile. When this cryptogamic crust is disturbed, the soil becomes more susceptible to erosion; and pieces bro- ken away from the crust are unlikely to reattach. Minor disturbances to the crust may regenerate in five to seven years. Major damage to the crust, however may take more than a century to recover. 30 Years Experience Chamber Member Cutting-edge technology to get your carpet its cleanest! Baby & Pet Safe • Red Stain Removal • Chemical-free Cleaning >>>> TWICE A YEAR MAINTENANCE PLANS <<<< < F F O 5 2 F O R $ 458-292-6842 Call or text Sisters Owned & Operated f $85 m o D Minimu A S I O N T H I FREE F REE ESTIMATES T N E M Summer Fun $300 Discount FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE when you start a comprehensive treatment program. New patients only. Flexible fi nancing available. Call now to schedule your complimentary consultation Smile by Robin & The Brace Place! 541-382-0410 410 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters CentralOregonBracePlace.com An interesting phenom- enon we noted along the way was a tendency for many of the most success- ful juniper trees to grow atop rock piles and outcroppings. Obviously, the microclimatic conditions among the rocks, and the junipers’ ability to send roots down into tiny rock crevices, combine to ensure the trees’ success. All of these trails are flat and easy, with plenty of two- track mileage to walk side- by-side. If a very short hike is what you’re looking for, yet another option is to just take the loop at the south- ern end of the trail. For the 3.1-mile loop, simply return south to the parking lot at the trail junction (1.9 miles from the start), where the Ancient Juniper Trail returns to the Flatiron Trail. From there, it’s only 1.2 miles back to the parking lot. When we hit that junc- tion, we continued north to the Homestead Trail junc- tion, which we ignored to continue north on Flatiron for another 1.6 miles, where we found ourselves at Flatiron Rock. This is also the junction of the Castle PHOTO BY CRAIG F. EISENBEIS Flatiron Rock is seen here at the junction of the Castle Trail. Trail. The trail sign indicates that the Flatiron Trail contin- ues north, but Flatiron Rock itself is right there on your left. So, unless you want to make your hike even lon- ger, you have arrived at your destination. A nice little loop trail to the left leads up into the fort- like lava structure known as Flatiron Rock. Ascending the slight slope up to the rock, we found ourselves on a trail channeled between lava-rock walls, with many cracks, crevices, tiny caves, and a jumble of interesting rock formations. We stopped for a leisurely lunch, then continued to explore farther west inside the structure. Eventually the trail looped to the left, around the big rock pile, and headed back east. By following the trail along the contour of the rock walls, we eventually looped See HIKE on page 17
