Dry Creek Horse Camp is a nice, quiet spot in the Ochoco Mountains about 30 miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The trails explore the nearby hills and follow Dry Creek to the impressive Brennan Palisades.
- Elevation 3,900 feet
- 16+ miles of trails
- Moderate to challenging trails
The Riding
The Giddy Up Go Loop is a 9-mile loop bisected by the Giddy Up Go Tie Trail, forming two interlocking loops. The trails climb the hills near Dry Creek Horse Camp, mostly on single-track but at times on forest roads.
The Loop trail offers occasional views of the surrounding Ochoco Mountains, including Lookout Mountain and Steins Pillar, and takes you to a tumbledown cabin at Kidnap Spring. The Giddy Up Go Tie Trail runs through riparian vegetation beside an intermittent creek.
The Brennan Palisades Trail follows Dry Creek for a couple of miles, then veers onto a forest road to reach the Brennan Palisades. The Palisades’ cliffs, pillars, and hoodoos rise abruptly from the forest floor and are truly a sight to see.
If you like, you can continue another mile to reach a picturesque old barn.
The Camping
Dry Creek Horse Camp has six sites with 2- or 4-horse steel corrals, a vault toilet, and a manure pit. Stock water is available in season from nearby Dry Creek, which lives up to its name by drying up in midsummer. Bring your own stock water and drinking water.
Learn More
You’ll find more information about Dry Creek Horse Camp in Riding Central Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.