Hiking the old Santiam Wagon Road

A dozen hikers hit the trail last weekend on a section of the Santiam Wagon Road (SWR) that is open to off-road vehicles.

The McKenzie Ranger District has proposed to open 39 miles of existing forest system roads to ATVs, including parts of the Santiam Wagon Road in the Santiam Pass area (see The Nugget, March 2, page 9).

The hikers trekked the section between Fish Lake and Eno Road (Road 2676). The six-mile round trip meandered through lush Douglas fir, hemlock and white fir forest. This was part of the 19th century and early 20th century route connecting Western Oregon to Central and Eastern Oregon for commerce and the movement of settlers and livestock. For many of these years it was the only road connecting Albany, Sweet Home and Central Oregon.

While the Fish Lake-to-Eno Road section is not in the proposal, there was already evidence of off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on the fragile trail by at least one 4x4 that had already been up the wagon road this year.

“The hike was almost all on the section of the wagon road which I consider the longest, best preserved, most scenic section of the SWR,” said Dick Spray, former forest ranger and fire lookout.

“After three miles the old road abruptly changes in character as it crosses Road 2676 and is well used by ATVs, dirt bikes, and the smaller of the monster truck category of 4x4s.”

The new proposal would allow OHVs access from Eno Road to Sand Mountain and both east and west of Hoodoo covering over 13,000 acres.

On this side of the SWR, within the Sisters Ranger District, lies the Cache Creek Toll Station up to the Cascade summit.

On the recent inspection along part of the SWR, Don Allen of the Sand Mountain Society, commented on OHVs use in the Santiam Pass:

“It seems to me there absolutely must be some common sense applied to protect those areas not suited for certain uses. Our plan will call for drastically reducing the existing trail mileage open to OHV use and supports emphasizing restrictions of OHV use to a very limited area.”

This is directly opposite the proposal by the McKenzie Ranger District.

Allen has a particular love for Sand Mountain, as his parents were fire lookouts there in 1965-67 when he was a young child.

“Nothing is set in stone and nothing has been decided,” Jim Denney of theMcKenzie Ranger District told the hiking group.

“The cost, maintenance and protection features of the proposal are being considered by many people.”

The Sweet Home Ranger District has opted to have their portion of the SWR accessible to equestrian riders, hikers and mountain bikers but not OHVs.

Public meetings are scheduled this spring to discuss the proposed action.

Written comments will be accepted until April 15, addressed to Stacey Smith, McKenzie River Ranger District, 57600 McKenzie Highway, McKenzie Bridge, OR 97413 or e-mail [email protected]