Umatilla National Forest
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Umatilla National Forest 541-278-3716
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Recreational Trail Opportunities
Heppner Ranger District
PO Box 7
Heppner, OR 97836
(541) 676-9187
ALDER CREEK TRAIL #3051
BEGINNING: 4100' – Just past the tank trap on Forest
Service Road #21-140 on Alder Creek.
ENDING: 4980' – Connect with the Copple Butte Trail #3052.
ACCESS: From Heppner: follow State Hwy 207 south for approximately 26 miles to Anson Wright County Park. At the corner, turn left on County Road 670. Continue until it turns into FS Road 22, and then take FS Road 2119. Follow it for about 3 miles to FS Road 21, and then turn left. Continue for about 3 more miles, past Tupper Work Center, to FS Road #21-140. Take a left on the 140 road and continue for about a mile until you reach the tank trap. There is no trailhead, but the start of the trail is marked with flagging about 500 feet past the trap.
ATTRACTIONS: The southern portion of the trail is cool and green from the Alder Creek system. Farther north there are great views and ample areas for camping.
From this trail you can access the Copple Butte Trail #3052 and head west approximately two miles to Madison Butte. Also, one can take the Copple Butte Trail about one mile west to Skookum Trail #3053, which will loop back south to FS Road 140, approximately 1/2 mile from the Alder Creek Trail beginning.
CONSIDERATIONS: This trail is open to hiking and horseback riding. Presently the trail is in need of maintenance, but is still navigable. The trails mostly uphill, going from south to north, but it is not a death march to the top.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation: 4,100-4,980'
USGS Quad Map: Madison Butte
Difficulty: More Difficult
BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL #3058
BEGINNING: 4800' – Coalmine Hill Day Use Area off of Willow Creek Road (County Road 678).
ENDING: 5350' – In the saddle between Little Bald Mountain and Bald Mountain.
ACCESS: Take Willow Creek Road (County Road 678), just south of Heppner approximately 23 miles to the Coalmine Day Use Area.
ATTRACTIONS: This is a beautiful trail, going by some historic sites. Smith Ditch (1/4 mile) was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps for irrigation and water in the 1930’s, and Gibson Cave (1 ¼ mile). From Little Bald Mountain, the view is great to the north and south. The north looks into the low range lands toward Butter Creek country, and the south looks into the Texas and Madison areas. Smith Ditch and Gibson Cave are exciting attractions to look around in.
You can make a complete loop of about 7 ½ miles by following this route. From Bald Mountain Trail #3058, you can follow the Hells Half Acre Trail #3062, for another 2 ½ miles to Cutsforth Park. Then take the Willow Creek Trail #3063 for 2 ½ miles up Willow Creek back to the Coalmine Day Use Area.
CONSIDERATIONS: This trail is open to hiking and horseback riding. The trail is marked with blaze signs and is steep in some areas.
Length: 2.5 miles
Elevation: 4,800-5,350'
USGS Quad Map: Arbuckle
Difficulty: More Difficult
BULL PRAIRIE LAKE TRAIL #3056
BEGINNING: 4000' – Any where around Bull Prairie Lake.
ENDING: 4000' – Any where around Bull Prairie Lake.
ACCESS: From Heppner: follow State Hwy 207 south for approximately 36 miles. Follow signs to Bull Prairie Recreational Area, on FS Road 2039.
ATTRACTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS: The trail circles Bull Prairie Lake, which is stocked annually with trout. The lake offers a number of places to fish from, including three floating docks and several benches.
Bull Prairie Campground is also located adjacent to the trail and offers potable water and a dump station for campers and RV’s. There are free day-use areas within, and around the campground. This is quite a beautiful spot to spend the day fishing, hiking or just relaxing in the sunshine under the tall pines.
This trail is open to foot traffic only. (Handicap Accessibility – Difficulty Level)
Length: 0.5 miles
Elevation Variance: None
Recommended Season: June 1 - Oct 31
Use: Heavy
Difficulty: Easy
USGS Quad Maps: Arbuckle
COPPLE BUTTE TRAIL #3052
BEGINNING: 5100' – Off Forest Service Road #53-5350.
ENDING: 5280' – Madison Butte.
ACCESS: Take Willow Creek Road (County Road 678), just south of Heppner, approximately 23 miles to FS Road 21. Follow FS Road 21 for about 3 1/2 miles to Ditch Creek Guard Station and turn right on the 050 Road. Continue to the “Road Closure” sign at the corral, then go approximately 1.25 miles across Martin Prairie to Texas Road 5350. Cross the road and follow an old timber sale road to the wooden gate, where the trail begins.
You can also park at Coalmine Day Use Area. Cross County Road 678 (FS 53), then go up FS Road 5350 for 2 1/2 miles to the trailhead.
ATTRACTIONS: The end of the trail is only 1/2 mile west of Madison Butte and Madison Butte Lookout, which offers great views in all directions, including Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams on a clear day. This is a good mountain bike trail for both beginners and advanced riders.
CONSIDERATIONS: This trail is open to hiking, horseback riding and mountain bikes. This is an excellent trail that follows the ridge top, for the most part, with good views from Copple Butte, Texas Butte and Madison Butte. One can access the Alder Creek Trail #3051, Skookum Trail #3053 and the Madison Trail #3054. There are numerous places to camp along the way.
Length: 6.25 miles
Elevation: 5,100-5,280'
USGS Quad Map: Madison Butte
Difficulty: More Difficult
HELLS HALF ACRE TRAIL #3062
BEGINNING: 4300' - Cutsforth County Park off of Willow Creek Road (County Road 678).
ENDING: 5350' - In the saddle between Bald Mountain and Little Bald Mountain.
ACCESS: Take Willow Creek Road (County Road 678), just south of Heppner approximately 20 miles to Cutsforth County Park.
ATTRACTIONS: From Little Bald Mountain, the view is great to the north and south. The north looks into the low range lands towards Butter Creek country, and south into the Texas and Madison areas. This is a beautiful trail, going by some areas very unique to the Heppner Ranger District. There is also an area called Earth Shake, the true history is not known but locals claim an earthquake shaped this monolithic rock formation. This area is cool, damp, and a very pleasant place to picnic.
Length: 2.5 miles
Elevation: 4,300-5,350'
USGS Quad Map: Arbuckle
Difficulty: More Difficult
MADISON BUTTE TRAIL #3054
BEGINNING: 4300' – Just past the Tupper Work Center, off of Forest Service Road #21.
ENDING: 5100' – 1 mile west of Madison Butte Lookout on FS Road #2119-033.
ACCESS: From Heppner , follow State Hwy 207 south for approximately 26 miles to Anson Wright County Park. At the corner, turn left on FS Road 22 (County Road 670). Continue for 3.7 miles where the road forks to the left on to FS Road 2119 (County Road 673). Follow it for about 3 miles to FS Road 21, and then turn left. Continue pass the cattle guard, and just before the Tupper Work Center is a dirt road on the left, travel ¼ mile to the trailhead.
ATTRACTIONS: From Tupper Butte, the view is great to the south and west. The trail offers an opportunity to view deer and elk, as well as other kinds of wildlife. Along the trail there are excellent views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams on a clear day.
Madison Butte Lookout is accessible just one mile east of where the trails end. From the Butte there is a wonderful view in all directions. There are numerous places for camping along the trail. Near the north end of the trail is Bottle Springs, where water is available for stock.
CONSIDERATIONS: The first mile of the trail is open to hiking, and horseback riding.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation: 4,300-5,100'
USGS Quad Map: Madison Butte
Difficulty: More Difficult
MARTIN PRAIRIE TRAIL #3064
BEGINNING: 4800' - On FS Road 21, 1 1/2 miles from Ditch Creek Guard Station.
ENDING: 5150' - On FS Road 5350 at the junction with Copple Butte Trail #3052
ACCESS: Take Willow Creek Road (County Road 678), just south of Heppner, travel approximately 23 miles to FS Road 21. Then travel 3.5 miles to Ditch Creek Guard Station. Turn on to FS Road 21-050 (at the guard station), travel for approximately 1 1/2 miles to the road closed sign.
ATTRACTIONS: Martin Prairie is a very pretty meadow. This is a good take off point to get to the Copple Butte Trail #3052. This is a good mountain bike trail for both beginners and advanced riders. The trail takes you into a road closed area, where the wildlife viewing is excellent.
CONSIDERATIONS: This trail is open to hiking, mountain bikes, and horseback riding. The trail follows an old closed road and is easy to follow.
Length: 1.25 miles
Elevation: 4,800-5,100'
USGS Quad Map: Arbuckle
Difficulty: Easy
SKOOKUM TRAIL #3053
BEGINNING: 4150' - Off of FS Road #21-140.
ENDING: 5120' - Connects to the Copple Butte Trail #3052.
ACCESS: From Heppner, follow State Hwy 207 south for approximately 26 miles to Anson Wright County Park. At the corner, turn left on to FS 22 (County Road 670). Continue, then turn left onto FS Road 2119. Follow it for approximately 3 miles to FS Road 21-140. Continue for about 1/2 mile and turn left on Road 140, just past Road 142 is the trail (on the right). There is no trailhead, so it may take a few minutes to find the trail itself.
ATTRACTIONS: This trail offers a good view as you climb to its highest point of 5,120'. One can access the Copple Butte Trail #3052 and head west for about 1 mile to reach Madison Butte and the Madison Butte Lookout. After reaching the Copple Butte Trail, you can turn east to hook up with the Alder Creek Trail #3051. This makes for a good loop back to the bottom.
CONSIDERATIONS: Since there is not a trailhead, a topographical map of the district comes in very handy for locating the beginning of the trail. This trail is open for hiking and horseback riding.
Length: 1.75 miles
Elevation: 4,150-5,120'
USGS Quad Map: Madison Butte
Difficulty: More Difficult
WILLOW CREEK TRAIL #3063
BEGINNING: 4300' - Cutsforth County Park off of Willow Creek Road (County Road 678).
ENDING: 4800' - At Coalmine Hill Day Use Area, off of Willow Creek Road (County Road 678).
ACCESS: Take Willow Creek Road (County Road 678), just south of Heppner approximately 20 miles to Cutsforth County Park, go to the south side of the park.
ATTRACTIONS: You can make a complete loop of about 7 1/2 miles by following this trail. From Willow Creek Trail take the Bald Mountain Trail #3058 for 2 1/2 miles to the top of Little Bald Mountain, then you can follow the Hells Half Acre Trail #3062 for another 2 1/2 miles back to Cutsforth County Park. Remnants of past coal mining can be found along the trail.
CONSIDERATIONS: This trail is open to hiking and horseback, and is marked with tree blazes.
Length: 2.5 miles
Elevation: 4,300-4,800'
USGS Quad Map: Arbuckle
Difficulty: Moderate
USDA Forest Service - Umatilla National Forest
Last Modified:
Friday, 04-Feb-2005 13:56:28 EST