A Natural Arch

A beautiful day in late March on the east side of the Cascade Mountains.

My destinations were Colorado Rapids and Ferry Springs. The trailhead was in Deschutes Park, near the mouth of the River not far from where it flows in the the Columbia River. A scenic trail follows the Deschutes River upstream (southerly) for roughly three miles before reaching Colorado Rapids.

As I hiked the trail along the River, the smells and sights were surreal. The warm sunshine was bringing out the lilting songs of little birds, a palette of colors of blooming wildflowers, a variety of butterflies and even a ground squirrel or two.

Ferry Springs

After a nice lunch I ascended to a rails-to-trail above the River and then an enjoyable climb to Ferry Springs. Odd to hear a chorus of frogs in the desert country. Of historical significance, a section of the return trail follows ruts of the Oregon Trail. In the mid-1800s, settlers’ wagon came down the steep hillsides to the Deschutes River where crossings were very challenging.

History and magnificent scenery, springtime on the east side of the Columbia River Gorge – – – it lifts the spirit like nothing else.