Deschutes River Trail segment to be closed next week
A section of the Deschutes River Trail near Ryan Ranch on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest temporarily will close temporarily next week for stream bank and trail work, officials said Friday.
The section of trail between Dillon Falls Boat Ramp and Slough Camp will be closed during the week to allow for crews to finish stream bank restoration work on the Deschutes River, improve the existing trail surface and add a new trail to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, and define parking at the trailhead.
The closure will begin on Monday and end Friday.
During the closure, trail users will be directed to follow a re-route between the Dillon Falls Boat ramp and Slough Camp using Forest Roads 41_600 and 41_100.
Background
Ryan Ranch is a historic slough floodplain of the Deschutes River that has been drained and isolated from the river for over 90 years. The area was used historically by Native Americans and more recently as pasture after being homesteaded in the late 1800s.
The Forest Service acquired Ryan Ranch in 1946 and continued grazing on site as part of a federal grazing allotment until 1989.
The full ecological potential of the slough, including historic habitat for the Oregon spotted frog, has been limited by a berm that prevents the river from inundating the floodplain on a regular basis. Reconnecting the river with Ryan Ranch will benefit a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic species, including migratory and nesting waterfowl, amphibians and ungulates, officials said.
KTVZ 2019
