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GET OUT & GO
Hiking
IN GRANT COUNTY
High places and low places and everywhere in between – if you enjoy hiking, Grant County has a variety of
trails to offer.
From short, nearby jaunts to long, remote treks; from lofty mountain peaks to the low valley floor; and from
open, painted hills to shaded, lush forests – there’s bound to be a trail to suit your taste and ability.
So grab your backpack, pack a lunch, or head out after lunch, and let your feet lead you on your next Grant
County adventure.
EASIEST TRAILS
MODERATE TRAIL
ARCH ROCK TRAIL - Trail #258, Blue Mountain Ranger
District, Malheur National Forest (MNF), Open: April to
November, Length: 0.3 miles, Elevation: 3,968’ - 4,270’, Use:
Light, Hiking: Horses allowed, Mountain Biking and ATVs
prohibited.
MALHEUR RIVER TRAIL - Trail #303, Emigrant Creek
Ranger District, MNF, Open: April to November, Length:
7.6 miles, Elevation: 4,400’ - 4,620’, Use: Light to
Medium, Hiking: Horses allowed, Mountain Biking and
ATVs prohibited.
ROADS END TRAIL - Trail #201A, Blue Mountain Ranger
District, MNF, Open: July to October, Length: 1.5 miles,
Elevation: 4,270’ - 8,000’ , Use: Moderate, Hiking: Horses
allowed, Mountain Biking and ATVs prohibited.
MORE DIFFICULT TRAILS
NORTH FORK MALHEUR TRAIL - Trail #381, Prairie City
Ranger District, MNF, Open: April to November, Length:
12.4 miles, Elevation: 4,000’ - 4,880’, Use: Light, Hiking:
Horses and Biking allowed, ATVs prohibited.
JOAQUIN MILLER TRAIL - Trail #219, Blue Mountain
Ranger District, MNF, Open: June to November, Length:
6.0 miles, Elevation: 5,600’ - 7,700’, Use: Light, Hiking: Horses
allowed, Mountain Biking and ATVs prohibited.
MALHEUR RAIL TRAIL - Trail #382, Prairie City Ranger
District, MNF, Open: May to October, Length: 12.5 miles,
Elevation: 4,000’ - 9,038’, Use: Light, Hiking: Horses
allowed, Mountain Biking and ATVs prohibited.
Into hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding? You have found a haven for all that and more. Grant County
offers a wide variety of scenery and trails for any adventurers’ heart.
There are over 1.3 million acres of non-wilderness lands that comprise the Long Creek, Prairie City, Bear
Valley and Burns Ranger Districts, where you will find hundreds of trails and roads to choose from.
What are you waiting for? Slip on your best hiking boots, grab your helmet or saddle up your horse and get
exploring!
Following is contact information for the Malheur National Forest. Because of differences in elevation, location
and other conditions, some trails may open later than others. Hikers and riders are encouraged to contact the
appropriate ranger district office to confirm the status of trails.
Malheur National Forest Service
431 Patterson Bridge Rd.
John Day, OR 97845
541-575-3000
Prairie City Ranger District
327 Front St.
Prairie City, OR 97869
541-820-3311
PHOTO COURTESY SHERRI GIFFIN
PHOTO COURTESY HALEY HUECKMAN
LIKE A
SHERRI GIFFIN
For Sherri Giffin of John Day, riding
horses and mules in Grant County is a
“beautiful thing.”
In fact, Giffin said she and her friend,
Deb Bennett of Mt. Vernon, call it “exploring”
— “because you never know where the
next ridge or draw may take us and the
beauty we may find while going to that
next spot.”
The “exploring” pair rode almost 600
miles each last year, and feel privileged to
see such critters as wild horses, deer, elk,
bear, antelope and more while out
adventuring.
“I really wouldn’t describe what we do as
trail riding as there are a limited amount of
trails available due to maintenance issues
and snow, depending on the previous
winter,” she said. “We get out as soon as the
weather permits and the established trails
are not cleared yet of snow or maintained
yet.”
She said finding a deer or elk horn is a
bonus, along with spotting wild horses. And
for the latter, riders need to trek to the
Murderers Creek and Deer Creek areas, she
said.
Giffin has been riding and camping
with horses forever. It’s always been a family
thing, she said. And living so close to the
mountains, they’re often able to go riding
after work.
A Grant County resident for 30 years,
she still gets excited over finding a new
place.
The list of favorite locations is endless
she said, but Fields Creek, Strawberry
Mountain, Canyon Mountain and Bear
Valley are all “beyond what words can
describe in a single sentence.”
“I would recommend the McClellan Trail.
I definitely would put shoes or boots on
your animals. You can make a day ride or do
a pack trip. The rating is about 7-8, with a
few 10s. It’s gorgeous and well worth the
trip,” she said. “Moments that stand out for
me are finding horns, horses and babies in
the spring and being with family and
friends ... and proving to my husband there
are elk ‘there.’”