Oregon Desert Trail

About

The Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) is an 750-ish mile route that stretches from the Oregon Badlands Wilderness to the Lake Owyhee Reservoir near the Idaho border.

A Little History:

The route was the brain child of Brent Fenty, Executive Director of Oregon Natural Desert Association, ONDA. The ODT was created to bring attention to some of the hidden gems of eastern Oregon, and help stir up passion for protection of these wild spaces. Jeremy Fox was hired to inventory the trail over the course of a couple of years, helping turn a dream into a line on the map. Five years ago, I became the first person to thru-hike the ODT, proving the concept could be hiked in one go. In the past 5 years this new route has grown into it’s own, drawing more section hikers and thru-hikers each year. ONDA hired Renee Patrick to be the Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator, who works tirelessly to improve & promote the route. Here we are, 5 years in, and the ODT is alive and well, and growing into it’s own with each hiker, volunteer, and trail angel.

The First ODT Thru:

On June 5th, 2013 I stepped out my door in Bend for a bike/hike adventure along this brand new route. 37 days later I found myself flying down the last big hill from Lake Owyhee towards the meeting of the Owyhee and the Snake River after having walked over 600 miles and peddling 200. The beauty of this trail was a surprise- honestly I wasn’t so sure about the route when I left Bend! Challenge and reward is the pattern of this basin and range route. Long treeless & waterless stretches are contrasted by empty alpine meadows and twisting canyons.

ONDA had Wahoo films make a short movie about my hike of the trail, Sage Steppes: 800 miles on the Oregon Desert Trail

 

People

The people that live out there in Oregon’s outback are tough, kind, and incredibly knowledgable about this unknown edge of the state. My interactions with these ranchers and cowboys made me question how I think about conservation and I am still trying to sort out this new complexity in my personal wilderness ethic.

 

• • Checkout ONDA’s Guidebook
  • View my GPS route here

 

Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation |  Mysterious Gross Stuff

National Geographic Adventure | World’s Best Hikes: 20 Dream Trails

The Source Weekly | Hiking for a Higher Cause

The Bulletin | Hiking in Oregon

The Oregonian | Sage Clegg, first through hiker on the ODT, begins 800-mile trek

KTVZ  | Hiker Conquers Long-Distance Feat on Foot

OPB | 800 Miles of Juniper and Jack Rabbits: First Hiker Completes the Oregon Trail

This is a list of the equipment I carried while backpacking on the Oregon Desert Trail. Each hike my pack changes a bit, depending on the demands of the region and the time of year. The high desert can be all over the place!! This trip I carried a bit more techno-gadgets than normal, but the trade off was essential to meet the goal of sharing the hike with others.