Reehers Camp

Reehers Camp is a delightful place to ride and camp in the Oregon Coast Range, near the town of Timber.  The riding is great, the scenery is lovely, and the camping facilities are top-notch.  You have to go!

The Back Story

Reehers Camp was once the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp.  Hundreds of young men lived in its barracks from 1934 to 1941 while they worked on firebreaks for the Tillamook Burn, replanted trees, and built roads, trails, and telephone lines.  Today, Reehers Camp is a well-appointed equestrian and family campground that offers access to miles of scenic trails.

The Riding

The Gales Creek Trail is the primary trail out of Reehers Camp.  This 12-mile (one-way) route runs over Round Top Mountain to the Step Creek Trailhead, off Hwy. 6.  The most popular destination along the trail is the summit of Round Top Mountain, which offers good views out over the Coast Range.  The 7-mile round trip from Reehers Camp gains about 1,500 feet of elevation.

The 3C Trail (named in honor of the camp’s ties to the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC), connects with the Gales Creek Trail to create a scenic 2.5-mile loop with no elevation change.  It showcases a variety of stages in the lifecycle of a working forest.  Along the way, you’ll see an old-growth forest, a recently-cleared forest, and tree plantations of various ages.  For part of its distance, the trail follows the bank of the beautiful Nehalem River.

The Step Creek Loop connects with the Gales Creek Trail to create a 7-mile loop with about 400 feet of elevation change.  The Step Creek Loop offers a fun and relaxing forested ride along the banks of Step Creek and Big Plenty Creek.  As you ride, notice the four bridges that span the creeks.  Imagine the challenges of getting the materials for these bridges to the worksites and then building them on-site without big power equipment.  You’ll want to shout out “Thank you, trail builders!” as you cross each bridge.

The Camping

Shaded by huge Douglas-fir trees, Reehers Camp has 10 sites with 4-horse corrals, plus 6 non-equestrian sites. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings.  The camp has a vault toilet, potable water from a hand pump, a group shelter, a manure bin, and garbage/recycling bins.  The water pump is a long way from some of the equestrian sites, so you may want to bring a wagon or cart and some lidded containers to carry your water. The camp is open from May to October and charges a fee for overnight camping.  Day-use parking is free.