Criterion Tract

It was a beautiful, sunny spring day. I parked at the Criterion Tract 965-foot trailhead, about seven miles south of Maupin along the Deschutes River. The Tract is a 20-square-mile area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It was once a private ranch and still has remnants of the old roads and fence lines.

I was looking forward to this hike. In the past, I had hiked from the Criterion Ranch 3,200-foot trailhead to Stag Point at 2,615 feet, with a spectacular view overlooking the Deschutes River. See my post: Stag Point’s Majestic Vistas.

This time, I was hiking uphill on an old ranch road to a point about 3 1/2 miles from Stag Point. The anticipation was building, knowing the potential for a memorable outdoor experience in this scenic location.

Door Notch Viewpoint

The trail, an old ranch road, winds through a small canyon, adorned with sagebrush and scattered juniper trees. Emerging from the canyon, the trail leads to a plateau, framed by imposing rimrock cliffs. A pleasant trek across the plateau precedes the ascent to a remarkable viewpoint, approximately two miles from the trailhead.

At the crest of the cliffs, a natural slot in the rock formation resembled a door, offering panoramic views that spanned to a dramatic bend in the Deschutes River.

Though tempted to explore further, the approach of storm clouds curtailed the hike. On the return journey, the jumping of chukars in three separate locations brought a wave of nostalgia, evoking memories of my youth in Northcentral Washington, some 300 miles north of the Criterion Tract.

Overall, it was an truly enjoyable way to spend a spring morning.