Clark Mill Road and Tygh Valley Road

4.3/5 (13 reviews)
Tygh Valley, Oregon (Wasco County)
Last Updated: 07/03/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

The combined trail of Clark Mill Road and Tygh Creek Road begins at the old two room schoolhouse in the community of Friend, Oregon in the middle of rolling fields of wheat and hay. Mount Hood looms on the horizon to the west where the mountain's snow-pack helps to provide water to the entire region. The trail passes through oak savanna and grasslands with big views to the south of Central Oregon before plunging into the beginning of the canyon that hides Jordan Creek. A hidden waterfall waits to be discovered at Waypoint 5 where an old mill once stood before the trail continues down along the rim of the canyon. Near where Jordan Creek and Tygh Creek meet, the trail plunges into the canyon where fallow farm fields are tucked away between gnarled old cottonwood trees. A shallow stream crossing just before the end of the trail at Waypoint 6 helps to wash the dirt off of tires before the Clark Mill Road and Tygh Creek Road trail comes to an end at the blacktop outside of Tygh Valley, Oregon.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.3/5 (13)
Official Crew
49750
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 11/30/2021

The road is now closed for the season to protect wildlife that winters in the area. The road will reopen Aril.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/20/2021

Great road! Due to rocks and some washout there were a few spots that we took it extra slow, but we didn't have any real concerns. It felt like the southern end (maybe the last quarter or so) of the trail was a bit smoother and more travelled than the north end. We found a great place to camp that overlooked one of the valleys and were served up an awesome view of the stars once the sun went down. We saw a decent amount of birds, lizards, and 'mountain cows'. I also had a skunk visit me while trying to get some star photos that cut my session short (luckily I packed up and hopped up into the tent before he became too annoyed with me). There are a few places near streams that offer some shade, but the majority of the trail is not shaded. We were glad to have an awning since it was pretty warm during our visit.
Official Crew
49750
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 12/01/2020

This trail is now closed for the winter to protect winter habitat for deer and elk. It will reopen on 1 April.
2250
Open
Rated 3/5
Visited: 07/17/2020

Love this out of the way trail. I checked out some of the camping spots this time. Water was very low in the streams again. Stopping at the school house for lunch seems to always be just the right spot.
Official Crew
49750
Open
Visited: 07/01/2020

The lands on and around Mount Hood are now entering fire season. Please observe precautions, restrictions, and closures as posted on the USFS website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mthood/fire and local county restrictions: http://odfcentraloregon.blogspot.com/

From the Community

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