Breathtaking views and delightful trails await you at Gibson Prairie Horse Camp, located on the east side of Mt. Hood. And overnight stays at this lightly-used horse camp are free!
The Riding
The Surveyors Ridge Trail runs along the top of its namesake ridge, providing eye-popping views of Mt. Hood from several vantage points. You can ride it either northbound or southbound from the horse camp.
The trail is popular with mountain bike riders, so keep an eye out and be prepared to step off the trail if you need to. (OK, I know that bikes are supposed to yield to horses, but on this kind of terrain it’s often easier for the horses to get off the trail than for the bike riders.) And remember that cyclists who live in the city may not know much about horses, so be friendly and accommodating to our fellow trail users.
The Horsemen’s Trails are a series of pleasant loop trails that explore the open forest and meadows around the horse camp. Bikes are not permitted on these trails, which run along forest roads and single-track trails. Most of the trails are unsigned, so you may want to carry a map and a GPS or compass.
One of the loops takes you on the Section Line Trail, which follows the boundary of The Dalles Watershed. It’s a beautiful ride through mixed-conifer forest and open meadows, with occasional views of Mt. Hood. One spot even allows you to glimpse Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens through the trees.
Fall is a great time to ride at Gibson Prairie, as the brilliant fall foliage of the vine maples contrasts beautifully with the golden grasses of the meadows and the deep greens of the forest.
The Camping
Gibson Prairie Horse Camp has three sites with 4-horse log corrals and room to park two rigs. All the sites have picnic tables and fire pits, and the camp features a vault toilet, stock water from a trough, and a manure bin.
More Information
You can read all about Gibson Prairie Horse Camp and its nearby trails in Riding Northwest Oregon Horse Trails by Kim McCarrel, available at www.NWHorseTrails.com.
