2015 OUTDOORS ISSUE
UPRIVER FROM TROUT CREEK
CAMPGROUND
TROUT CREEK CALLING
Spend some time on the rugged Deschutes River
F
orget this remote BLM campground north of Bend if
you hate bad roads, rattlesnakes, ticks, heat and bugs
the size of your thumb that crawl up inside your pant
legs. And forget your dog. This time of year brings
acres of foxtails, nasty little barbed seedpods that can
get up dog snouts and work their way into dog brains.
So aside from killer weeds and deadly snakes, what
makes Trout Creek on the lower Deschutes River such a
draw? Well, there’s no place on the planet quite like it —
a geologically distinctive canyon where water and high
desert collide in a thousand hues of brown, green and blue.
S T O RY & P H O T O BY T E D TAY L O R
A few days spent at Trout Creek are likely to be
memorable, assuming you can find the place. And assuming
you survive.
Here’s a brief roundup of this destination:
The Deschutes runs clear, cold, swift and wide. Trout,
steelhead and salmon grow big and fat here, feasting
on each other and aquatic insects in all their life-cycle
stages. This time of year, giant stone fly nymphs rise out
of the water to sprout wings. They flutter toward the lush
riverbanks to mate, if they first don’t get gobbled by fish or
fowl. Stone flies are harmless, but when a swarm invades
your personal space, it can make you cringe.
The fishery is highly regulated: catch and release (except
for certain sizes), fly-fishing only, the Warm Springs tribal
side of the river has its own permit and you can’t fish from
boats. Take a lawyer along.
Serious fly-anglers arrive from all over for the famous
wild Deschutes redside trout in the spring and steelhead and
salmon in the fall. Trout Creek is also a launch and take-
out for rafts, drift boats and kayaks, so the campground and
road can get busy, especially on weekends.
The second biggest draw to Trout Creek is the columnar
basalt cliffs that rise high above the campground. Bloody-
knuckle crack climbing with a difficulty rating 5.10 to 5.12
(near vertical terrain), and boulder hopping on top. Crazy.
Climbers from around the world come to these high cliffs after
the golden eagles have fledged their chicks and left their nests.
This year the cliffs opened to climbers May 15. The
cliffs close if and when the raptors return in January.
Friends of Trout Creek has a Facebook page with updates
for climbers. Smith Rock climbers also frequent this place.
One of the best things at Trout Creek? An old rail
line — now a rough road and trail — follows the river
for 9 miles from Trout Creek Campground to Warm
Springs. No motorized vehicles are allowed, so it’s ideal
for walking, mountain biking, backpacking, birding and
photographing the dramatic canyon around every bend.
Some lush but primitive campsites can be found up the
river, accommodating both boaters and hikers.
From Eugene, take I-105 E through Springfield to OR-
126 E. In Redmond, turn left onto US-97 N to Madras. Go
north on Hwy. 97 a mile out of town and take a left on NE
Clark Drive. Follow it (it wiggles) to the tiny railroad town
of Gateway and look for Clemens Drive. In a few miles the
road gets hairy as it drops into the canyon. Expect delays,
especially at the scary, very narrow tunnel. ■
See more photos on our website.
Attention, Glass Artists!
Mountain Jam Glass Studio is NOW OPEN!
• 16 stations available •
• Top-of-the-line professionally designed work space •
• $430/month rent includes oxygen, propane, electric •
Within Whiteaker neighborhood walking distance
5-ft X 5-ft tabletop bench with lots of elbow room
Secure site • Ample Parking • Security system • Close to bus line
Info/Rentals
ELI HOWELL
541-600-0081 cell
541-246-2464 ofc
120 Cleveland St
eugeneweekly.com • May 21, 2015
13