Crooked River Ranch Series LbNA #36
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Add Location| Owner: | Funhog  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Nov 16, 2002 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Terrebonne |
| County: | Jefferson |
| State: | Oregon |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Found by: | Azroadie |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jun 16, 2012 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Mar 13, 2016 |
Crooked River Ranch Letterbox #1 was placed by Funhog (my very first letterbox) on 8/1/01 in Jefferson County, Terrebonne, Oregon
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Turn right on 43rd following the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From Chinook follow the green and white signs to the Fire Hall, making a left on Mustang and a right on Shad. Once at the Fire Hall, with the building on your left, proceed on Shad Rd 2.2 miles to Sundown Canyon Rd. Turn left and park at the end of the road. Slightly downhill and in front of the last house on the left there is a trail down to the Deschutes River.
To the letterbox: Once you reach the river level you will be at a grassy spot.
Proceed upstream. The trail will pass bunchgrasses, a few rocks, juniper trees and some small thickets. Head for the sound of rushing water. The dirt will run out entirely when the trail reaches a large rock tumble and the small rapid you've been listening too will be just ahead. Stop on this last patch of dirt. Do a 180 degree turn. Walk four steps. Do a 90 degree clockwise turn. You will be facing two very large rocks. The letterbox is nestled behind the rock to your left. Remember: this is rattlesnake country. Watch where you put those hands and feet! (Approximately 1 mile round trip.)
Crooked River Ranch Letterbox #2 was placed by funhog on 8/2/01 in Jefferson County, Terrebonne, Oregon
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. Take the second left on to Badger Rd. which will turn into Blacktail Dr. When you reach Quail Rd. turn right. Take the second left on River Rd. Go to the end and park at Steelhead Falls Campground.
To the letterbox: Walk the trail to the falls. Once you reach Steelhead Falls proceed downstream.On the opposite side of the river you will see a vertical basalt cliff that goes directly into the water. At the end of this cliff there is a small string of boulders in the river. At this point the river becomes wide and flat. On the right side of the trail you will pass a large sandstone cliff. In the lowest, black layer you will see lots of carved graffitti. Pass by the tallest section of this wall. In the shorter secton that follows look for "the Stoners 98" Just beyond this graffitti is a large juniper tree. Letterbox #2 lives in a hole at the base of this tree. Remember: this is rattlesnake country. Watch where you put those hands and feet! (Approximately 1 1/2 mile round trip) 
NOTE: Mother Nature has consumed this letterbox. The trail is so overgrown that #3 is no longer accessible.
Funhog placed Crooked River Ranch Letterbox #3 on 9/2/01 in Jefferson County, Terrebonne, Oregon.
This is not a hike for small children or people unsure of their footing. The first 75 yards of the "trail" are down a cliff with loose dirt and rocks. The rest is no problem. Be sure to take water as the return trip can be a scorcher. And don't forget about rattlesnakes! It takes about 45 minutes to the letterbox and a bit longer coming back up out of the canyon.
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From this point follow the signs to the Golf Course. Park here and look for the Ranch Chapel. Just to the left of this building is a gravel path to the public basketball court. From the far right corner of the court, take the path at 100 degrees (magnetic) to the canyon rim.
To the letterbox: At this point take the dirt trail at 140 degrees down to an old road bed called "Hollywood Road." This was built by a film crew in the 50’s who were making a B grade western starring Kirk Douglas.
Picture a Conestoga wagon being lowered with ropes and a human dummy being thrown over the rim of the canyon, both parts of this work of art. Go left on this road down into the Crooked River Canyon.
You will pass an old dilapidated water gate. The first spring you come to will be in a clump of trees coming out of a pipe at ground level to the right of the trail. The trail becomes faint at times beyond this point and you will have to bushwack through three willow thickets. Keep going to the next spring that looks like a 30 foot tall wedding cake frosted with moss and dripping with cool water.
At his point you will need to backtrack on the trail to a row of four smooth barked trees on the right. Look for "I love Kenny" scratched into the bark. Walk 35 paces to a small juniper tree shaped like a candelabra. You should be standing on a small pile of stones with a pile of orange rocks to your right and white rocks to your left. Across the river at 333 degrees you will see an old wooden ladder going up the cliff face. In front of the juniper is a clump of sagebrush.
The letterbox is hidden under the rock nestled in the sage, marked by a stick. Having found this box don’t fail to go past the wedding cake spring to the end of the trail. The wall is gushing with dozens of springs and is an amazing sight.
On November 16, 2002 Funhog placed the Crooked River Ranch #4 Letterbox near Terrebonne, Jefferson County, OR.
This box is placed on a plateau where you have a sweeping overview of the confluence of the Deschutes River, entering from the left and Whychus Creek on the right. The Department of Fish and Wildlife hoped to reintroduce native bighorn sheep to the Squaw Creek Canyon. Crooked River Ranch has its own herd of feral Mouflon sheep which would have to be removed before any wild sheep could live here. In 2001, the homeowners association held a vote and the bighorns lost, the Mouflons remain, For now, your imagination will have to provide the sight and sound of a wild ram traversing the rimrock.
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From Chinook follow the green and white signs to the Fire Hall. Take the first right past the Firehall on North Rim Road. Continue on this road which will eventually change names to Peninsula Drive. Just before Peninsula turns to gravel, turn left on Meadow Drive. Take the third right on Scout Camp Trail. Park at the end of the road and take the trail toward the canyon rim.
NOTE: When checking this box 1/23/05 I found that the 'big stump' has disappeared. start by the large forked juniper instead. Just before the trail descends into the canyon, find a forked juniper, walk two dozen steps due South to the spot where the stump used to stand.
To the letterbox: Just before the trail descends into the canyon, find the first forked juniper to your right, walk two dozen steps due South to the spot where a stump used to stand. Standing beside the ex-stump, look in the direction of 280 degrees magnetic. Your goal is a bushy sagebrush growing on the very tip of the rimrock point. There is a gap in the rimrock (and a trail of sorts) at 340 degrees, marked by an aging fencepost and a fallen tree. Once at the sagebrush, take a compass reading of 60 degrees. Walk in this direction until you have a lone juniper at 350 degrees and the forked juniper near the rim at 85 degrees. The letterbox is at your feet.
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Turn right on 43rd following the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From Chinook follow the green and white signs to the Fire Hall, making a left on Mustang and a right on Shad. Once at the Fire Hall, with the building on your left, proceed on Shad Rd 2.2 miles to Sundown Canyon Rd. Turn left and park at the end of the road. Slightly downhill and in front of the last house on the left there is a trail down to the Deschutes River.
To the letterbox: Once you reach the river level you will be at a grassy spot.
Proceed upstream. The trail will pass bunchgrasses, a few rocks, juniper trees and some small thickets. Head for the sound of rushing water. The dirt will run out entirely when the trail reaches a large rock tumble and the small rapid you've been listening too will be just ahead. Stop on this last patch of dirt. Do a 180 degree turn. Walk four steps. Do a 90 degree clockwise turn. You will be facing two very large rocks. The letterbox is nestled behind the rock to your left. Remember: this is rattlesnake country. Watch where you put those hands and feet! (Approximately 1 mile round trip.)Crooked River Ranch Letterbox #2 was placed by funhog on 8/2/01 in Jefferson County, Terrebonne, Oregon
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. Take the second left on to Badger Rd. which will turn into Blacktail Dr. When you reach Quail Rd. turn right. Take the second left on River Rd. Go to the end and park at Steelhead Falls Campground.
To the letterbox: Walk the trail to the falls. Once you reach Steelhead Falls proceed downstream.On the opposite side of the river you will see a vertical basalt cliff that goes directly into the water. At the end of this cliff there is a small string of boulders in the river. At this point the river becomes wide and flat. On the right side of the trail you will pass a large sandstone cliff. In the lowest, black layer you will see lots of carved graffitti. Pass by the tallest section of this wall. In the shorter secton that follows look for "the Stoners 98" Just beyond this graffitti is a large juniper tree. Letterbox #2 lives in a hole at the base of this tree. Remember: this is rattlesnake country. Watch where you put those hands and feet! (Approximately 1 1/2 mile round trip)
NOTE: Mother Nature has consumed this letterbox. The trail is so overgrown that #3 is no longer accessible.
Funhog placed Crooked River Ranch Letterbox #3 on 9/2/01 in Jefferson County, Terrebonne, Oregon.
This is not a hike for small children or people unsure of their footing. The first 75 yards of the "trail" are down a cliff with loose dirt and rocks. The rest is no problem. Be sure to take water as the return trip can be a scorcher. And don't forget about rattlesnakes! It takes about 45 minutes to the letterbox and a bit longer coming back up out of the canyon.
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From this point follow the signs to the Golf Course. Park here and look for the Ranch Chapel. Just to the left of this building is a gravel path to the public basketball court. From the far right corner of the court, take the path at 100 degrees (magnetic) to the canyon rim.
To the letterbox: At this point take the dirt trail at 140 degrees down to an old road bed called "Hollywood Road." This was built by a film crew in the 50’s who were making a B grade western starring Kirk Douglas.
Picture a Conestoga wagon being lowered with ropes and a human dummy being thrown over the rim of the canyon, both parts of this work of art. Go left on this road down into the Crooked River Canyon. You will pass an old dilapidated water gate. The first spring you come to will be in a clump of trees coming out of a pipe at ground level to the right of the trail. The trail becomes faint at times beyond this point and you will have to bushwack through three willow thickets. Keep going to the next spring that looks like a 30 foot tall wedding cake frosted with moss and dripping with cool water.
At his point you will need to backtrack on the trail to a row of four smooth barked trees on the right. Look for "I love Kenny" scratched into the bark. Walk 35 paces to a small juniper tree shaped like a candelabra. You should be standing on a small pile of stones with a pile of orange rocks to your right and white rocks to your left. Across the river at 333 degrees you will see an old wooden ladder going up the cliff face. In front of the juniper is a clump of sagebrush.
The letterbox is hidden under the rock nestled in the sage, marked by a stick. Having found this box don’t fail to go past the wedding cake spring to the end of the trail. The wall is gushing with dozens of springs and is an amazing sight.
On November 16, 2002 Funhog placed the Crooked River Ranch #4 Letterbox near Terrebonne, Jefferson County, OR.
This box is placed on a plateau where you have a sweeping overview of the confluence of the Deschutes River, entering from the left and Whychus Creek on the right. The Department of Fish and Wildlife hoped to reintroduce native bighorn sheep to the Squaw Creek Canyon. Crooked River Ranch has its own herd of feral Mouflon sheep which would have to be removed before any wild sheep could live here. In 2001, the homeowners association held a vote and the bighorns lost, the Mouflons remain, For now, your imagination will have to provide the sight and sound of a wild ram traversing the rimrock.
To the trailhead: Just north of Terrebonne on Hwy 97, turn west on Lower Bridge Rd. There is a highway sign for Crooked River Ranch at this intersection. Follow the signs to the Ranch. Once you have made a 90 degree left turn you will be on Chinook Ave. From Chinook follow the green and white signs to the Fire Hall. Take the first right past the Firehall on North Rim Road. Continue on this road which will eventually change names to Peninsula Drive. Just before Peninsula turns to gravel, turn left on Meadow Drive. Take the third right on Scout Camp Trail. Park at the end of the road and take the trail toward the canyon rim.
NOTE: When checking this box 1/23/05 I found that the 'big stump' has disappeared. start by the large forked juniper instead. Just before the trail descends into the canyon, find a forked juniper, walk two dozen steps due South to the spot where the stump used to stand.
To the letterbox: Just before the trail descends into the canyon, find the first forked juniper to your right, walk two dozen steps due South to the spot where a stump used to stand. Standing beside the ex-stump, look in the direction of 280 degrees magnetic. Your goal is a bushy sagebrush growing on the very tip of the rimrock point. There is a gap in the rimrock (and a trail of sorts) at 340 degrees, marked by an aging fencepost and a fallen tree. Once at the sagebrush, take a compass reading of 60 degrees. Walk in this direction until you have a lone juniper at 350 degrees and the forked juniper near the rim at 85 degrees. The letterbox is at your feet.