Horsepasture Mountain
via Saddle Trail
Horsepasture Mountain is one of the most underrated hikes in the area. It starts off of Road. 1993. There is no parking area, and the trail is only marked by a trail sign at the side of the gravel road. On the left side of the road you will see a sign for Saddle Trail, this is a connector trail that leads up to Olallie Trail, O’Leary Mountain and Horsepasture Mountain.
The first 2 miles from the road up to the ridge are very steep with a total of 22 switchbacks, going from 3,200 ft. elevation to 5,000 ft. Even though it is steep, the forest you are walking through is absolutely stunning. The trail does not get used much so there tends to be quite a lot of debris like branches and pine cones scattered on the trail. There is also a section through a small meadow where the trail is a little bit hard to see, especially early in the season.
(view of Horsepasture Mountain)
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Once you arrive at the ridge, you will butt up to the Olallie Trail #3529 and you will see a T junction. You can either take the Olallie Trail to the left which will take to around O'Leary Mountain and will eventually intersect with O'Leary Mountain Trail #3321. But to get to Horsepasture Mountain you want to go right. |
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Take the Olallie Trail to the right and in a few hundred yards the trail will split again. If you are out backpacking you can take Ollallie Trail all the way to Olallie Mountain and even farther into the Three Sisters Wilderness, but if you are a day hiker and want spectacular views, take the Horsepasture Mountain Trail #4347 up another 1.4 miles to the top.
(Cougar tracks)
As mentioned before, this area is not frequented a lot and there were many signs (scat and tracks) of cougar and bear in the area. Please use caution when hiking in this area. Do not let your dogs off leash, keep your kids close, and do not listen to headphones if you are solo hiking! Once entering the meadows you also notice a lot of overgrowth, which can make it difficult to see the trail. Use caution here since moles can frequently make large holes through the meadows and underneath the trail.
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During late June and early July, the Horsepasture Mountain trail is known for its fields of wildflowers. And during the early fall, you can watch the bear grass change from its fluffy white plumes to its golden seed pods. The best time to hike this trail is the last weekend of June to the middle of July for prime wildflowers.
(Panorama view from the top of Horsepasture Mountain)
The view from the top of Horsepasture Mountain is quite stunning. You can see the entire string of the Cascade Mountains from Diamond Peak all the way up to Mt. Jefferson and on a very clear day, you can even see the faint glimmer of white-capped Mt. Hood. The Three Sisters definitely take center stage in this view.
(the Three Sisters)
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(Mt. Jefferson and Three Finger Jack)
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On the way down Horsepasture Mountain, you get to see across the small valley towards O'Leary Mountain. Looking at different land features during hikes, can give you a better understanding of the lay of the land and the more that you hike, the more knowledgeable you become with your surroundings.
**Please note- even though I did this hike in the winter, I do NOT by any means promote doing this hike in the snow. It is highly dangerous and the trees are not marked here, so it is possible to easily lose the trail. Always make sure to carry a map, compass and a GPS.
(O'Leary Mountain)
Overall, this is a wonderful hidden gem of a hike that not very many people know about! If you are only wanting to do Horsepasture Mountain from Horsepasture Mountain trailhead off of Rd. 1993, it is much easier and only 2.8 miles. However, the long steep gravel road that takes you up to the shorter Horsepasture Mountain Trail does not get frequent maintenance and can often have rock slides across the road. Check with the local McKenzie River Ranger Station before heading out on the shorter hike to make sure it is accessible.
If you choose to do the longer route from Saddle Trail, the first part is much steeper and a bit more challenging. There are so many trails that connect and loop together around this area, this could be the perfect inlet for a wonderful backpacking trip.
If you choose to do the longer route from Saddle Trail, the first part is much steeper and a bit more challenging. There are so many trails that connect and loop together around this area, this could be the perfect inlet for a wonderful backpacking trip.
Approximate hike time: 4 hours (for the 7 mile hike) w/ an average pace of 1.7 mph
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is late June/early July when all of the wildflowers are blooming).
Trail usage: Light to moderate (Saddle trail has very light usage, Horsepasture Mountain has moderate usage in the summer)
Directions:
To Saddle Trail trailhead- From Hwy. McKenzie 126 between mileposts 45/46 turn at the Cougar Reservoir pointer and continue on Aufderheide Rd. 19 for 3 miles. Then turn left and cross the dam, following Rd. 1993 for roughly 10 miles until you see a small trail sign on your left. Park on the side of the road, there are no large pullouts.
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
(Best time to go is late June/early July when all of the wildflowers are blooming).
Trail usage: Light to moderate (Saddle trail has very light usage, Horsepasture Mountain has moderate usage in the summer)
Directions:
To Saddle Trail trailhead- From Hwy. McKenzie 126 between mileposts 45/46 turn at the Cougar Reservoir pointer and continue on Aufderheide Rd. 19 for 3 miles. Then turn left and cross the dam, following Rd. 1993 for roughly 10 miles until you see a small trail sign on your left. Park on the side of the road, there are no large pullouts.
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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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