Barlow Road Field Trip Preview
Oregon Trail route around the south side of Mt. Hood
“God never made a mountain but what he provided a place for man to go over or around it.” Samuel Barlow
Who:
Participants: 20 ASCO members (registration will be coming out soon, 1st come - 1st served)
Leaders: Lynda Paznokas (lpaz@bendnet.com) and Leslie Olson (leslieols@gmail.com)
Registration: will open will be announced via e-mail to ASCO prior to that date.
Where:
Starting at Government Camp, we will drive east of Mt. Hood to Barlow Pass (Hwy. 35). We will then drive to the west of Mt. Hood on Hwy. 26 and alongside roads, stopping at Barlow Road locations for some short walks and hikes. Weather and time permitting, we will go to Barlow Road locations such as Grave of the Pioneer Woman, Summit Meadow, Still Creek, Laurel Hill, Tollgate, and more. We also have reservations for a tour at Philip Foster Farm in Estacada (pioneers’ first glimpse of civilization since leaving The Dalles).
When:
June 18: We recommend you stay at or near Government Camp that night.
June 19: Meet 9:00 a.m. at Best Western Mt. Hood in Government Camp, end in late afternoon
503-272-3205 (hotel’s direct number). No room block reserved. Busy hotel.
June 20: Options:
- Return home (or return home in the late afternoon or early evening on June 19)
- Explore sites west of Mt. Hood on your own: Oregon Trail and early Oregon history sites (list and information will be provided)
- Drive to the east of Mt. Hood toward Dufur with Lynda and Leslie to explore lesser-known Barlow Road locations (some hiking involved and a sense of adventure)
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Pre-trip intro to the Oregon Trail for participants, other ASCO members, and the public:
Come Along On the Oregon Trail
May 29, Friday, 2:30-4:00ish
Location: Deschutes Historical Museum, Bend
Barlow Road Route Overview:
The Barlow Road was part of the Oregon Trail. The road was authorized by the Oregon Legislature (provisional government) in 1845, and by September 1846, it made its way around the south side of Mt. Hood. This 80-to-110-mile “road” provided an alternative to the dangerous and expensive route that used rafts to transport wagons down the Columbia River. The Barlow Road began at The Dalles, Oregon, headed south through Dufur and Tygh Valley (which some consider the start of the Barlow Road), then turned west at Gate Creek and generally followed the White River before it headed north through Barlow Pass, Summit Meadow, and Government Camp. After Laurel Hill, it passed through Tollgate #5 near Rhododendron and continued to Sandy, where it turned west, past Philip Foster’s Farm, and ended in Oregon City. (Location names are current day)
Our field trip transportation will not be in wagons but rather, in private cars!
