Dry Canyon area awaits exploration

This has been a short hiking season in the high country, and we've already seen new snowfall on some of the higher-elevation trails. So, if snow is limiting your outdoor activities before there is enough of it to ski on, take solace in the fact there are still hiking opportunities to be enjoyed.

Here's a hiking alternative that's close to home and provides some interesting terrain. Rather than a specific hike, this is an invitation to explore. Dry Canyon, east of town, is a familiar spot that we usually speed by on our way to Redmond. Not far off the highway, however, are some unusual and beautiful canyonlands reminiscent of the Badlands east of Bend.

Most people know the roadside canyon as Dry Canyon. Maps of the area, however, identify it as Deep Canyon. The real Dry Canyon is a bit farther south and is not to be confused with the Dry Canyon within the City of Redmond. Just south of Dry Canyon is Fryrear Canyon.

The canyons are administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and much of the area is closed February through August for protection of raptor nests. The raptor closure has been a success, and a nesting pair of golden eagles fledged a young eagle in each of the last two years. Prairie falcons also nest in the canyons.

Although a substantial part of the canyon area is closed to motor vehicles, we encountered one motorbike in the closed area. Unfortunately, the entire region is crisscrossed by informal trails created by motorized vehicles. This can make it very hard to navigate the area simply because there are so many unlabeled trails.

The BLM is working to mitigate the user damage, and work is already underway. User-created trails are being closed, and official trails are being designated with improved signage. The plan eventually calls for the trailhead to be moved about a mile to the south, but that project is more than a year away. The new trailhead would eliminate a blind curve at the present site and provide a larger parking area.

The trail signing project is far from complete, and it is easy to become disoriented on this hike. However, with Highway 126 to the north and Fryrear Road to the west it is hard to become seriously lost. A compass and a map are a must, and a GPS will come in very handy when trying to find your way around the maze of trails and roads. In spite of the logistical challenges, there are some very beautiful canyons that you will miss, if you don't give it a try.

Like the Badlands, this area appears to have been sculpted by long-gone watercourses. The canyons are very modest in depth, and the elevation gain and loss is no more than about 250 feet over the entire trek. The paths we chose added up to about 7.5 miles, but the terrain is such that hikes can be tailored to almost any length, most commonly in the 4-6 mile range.

Given the desert-like quality of the area, the canyon floors are surprisingly green with vegetation. Each gash in the underlying basalt becomes its own narrow oasis, with an ecosystem uniquely created by the character of the landscape.

The nearly vertical canyon walls are home to a surprising array of creatures, and we spotted several bird nests clinging to the rocks. The canyons also hold many interesting rock formations and have countless nooks and crannies to explore.

Rattlesnakes are common in the area, so caution is appropriate. Although dangerous, rattlers are not likely to bother you if you don't bother them. They certainly will not try to chase down something as large and hard to digest as a human, and they cannot strike something more than half their body length away.

We spotted one young rattler right in the middle of the trail. It appeared to have swallowed something larger in diameter than itself since there was a rather large bulge in its midsection. It was young enough that not much of a rattle had developed, but its tail nonetheless quivered feverishly at us.

When in rattlesnake country - which is most of Central Oregon - it is always a good idea to watch where you step or sit and be aware of your surroundings.

The shortest route to and from Fryrear Canyon area is only about a three-mile round trip from the official BLM trailhead on Fryrear Road. Once through the gate at the trailhead take a right and follow the road/trail southeast for about three-quarters of a mile, and then turn south and under the power lines for another half-mile or so to enter the canyon.

Within the next few months, more signage will be put in place to help users find their way through the maze of roads and trails. A minor change to the raptor closure boundaries has already been made that will incorporate the trails into the boundary definitions and facilitate area usage during the annual nesting closure.

The trailhead can be reached from the east end of Sisters by heading east toward Redmond on Highway 126. Travel 5.3 miles and turn right on Fryrear Road. Go a couple hundred yards beyond the transfer station to the official BLM trailhead (1.8 miles total).