I discovered the Cape Horn Trail long ago, when I learned from a fellow hiker that there was a new place to hike in the Gorge. This was around 2004, before the trail was “legal.” I found the unmarked trailhead and headed out. I carried a big hiking stick, strong and long enough to protect me, or so I hoped, from the cougar that was rumored to be out there. Trying a new trail was enough of an adventure, but the prospect of a big cat made it even more exciting!
Today’s luxurious version of the Cape Horn Trail was first made by folks who wanted to explore and have panoramic views from the basalt bluffs high above the Columbia River. However, they were not particularly schooled in the complexities of trail-building. It showed! My first challenge was to get through the deep mud at the first creek crossing near the trailhead. Then up and up, through a beautiful woods of alder and Doug fir. I found myself climbing up a steep hill, holding onto ferns and maple branches to keep from sliding backwards. I worked my way to the ridge and then out to a magnificent view of the Columbia River Gorge.
Trundling along the rim edge, I encountered beautiful camas lily and a sign indicating I was now on private property. Eventually, I ended up on Strunk Road and saw a trail headed south toward the river. It rambled down through mature woods to State Route 14. (I totally missed the extraordinary viewpoint that’s now called the Nancy Russell Overlook.) Next came an exciting dash across the busy roadway on a relatively blind curve. Relieved to be alive, I headed down to a wonderful viewpoint next to a charming little waterfall. This perch was a small, grassy butte jutting out into the air with a scary, long vertical drop to the talus slope below. After admiring the view, somewhat anxiously due to the cliff, I continued on down the hill, encountering all sorts of rocks and drops and obstacles. The trail wound out to an exposed bluff that rested on top of a tunnel and train tracks. No safety features here!
After stumbling along a large field of scree, or rock debris left over from a landslide long ago, I encountered the base of the waterfall I had seen from above. The trail became a narrow passage between the falling water and the face of the cliff. Now a bit damp from spray, I proceeded on, meandering up and down and along a precipitous trail to Cape Horn Road, which guided me back to my starting place.
Next came an exciting dash across the busy roadway on a relatively blind curve. Relieved to be alive, I headed down to a wonderful viewpoint next to a charming little waterfall.
Over the next few years, I continued to hike the trail, each time finding it a bit easier, safer and more pleasant. A long, gradual, switch-backed trail now replaced the steepest climbs, the path had been rerouted to keep hikers away from the sheer drop-offs, a gravel turnpike was built to avoid muddy slogs, and sturdy bridges spanned the creeks.
Then one day, perhaps in 2014, I came upon a small group of people with tools and hard hats, busily putting the finishing touches on a wide structure that rested over one of the deeper gullies on the trail. This was Cape Horn Conservancy (CHC) hard at work, building what is now known as the Jim Proctor Bridge! After a warm and enthusiastic conversation with the crew leaders, I decided to join the next “work party.” My heart had already been captured by the variety of terrain and scenery, the lovely larkspur and columbine, and the gorgeous views; how could I resist jumping in and helping out?
Working with other devoted nature lovers to improve the trail and preserve its natural wonders has been an extraordinarily inspiring and rewarding experience. My growing awareness and appreciation of the First Peoples — of the Native Americans who fished and hunted in this area — has only added to the richness of my hiking experience.
Since then, CHC volunteers have spent countless hours working to improve the hiking experience for thousands of visitors. These are people who deeply appreciate the rich biodiversity and natural beauty of this place and are devoted to caring for it. We’ve worked with a master stonemason to build overlooks that offer stunning perspectives of the Gorge while keeping hikers safe and protecting the native plants growing on the bluffs. Carefully engineered bridges allow safe passage for trail riders in areas where horses are permitted. Maps and information about the sensitive species in the area are displayed in a kiosk at the trailhead.
My heart had already been captured by the variety of terrain and scenery, the lovely larkspur and columbine, and the gorgeous views; how could I resist jumping in and helping out?
In our work, we’ve taken care to route hikers away from the habitats of sensitive species such as the Larch Mountain salamander, peregrine falcon and camas lily. Crews have worked to painstakingly remove non-native invasive plants — an onerous, ongoing process — in the fields near the Nancy Russell Overlook. At the same time, they’ve diligently nurtured native plants, transforming the site to a flower-filled meadow in springtime. (She would be pleased! Nancy Russell initiated protection of this area and, eventually, became an important player in the conversion of the Columbia River Gorge into a National Scenic Area in 1986.) The partnership between CHC, which has worked together with Friends of the Columbia Gorge, Washington Trails Association, the US Forest Service and other groups, has set a powerful example of what organizations can accomplish when they collaborate.
Crews have worked to painstakingly remove non-native invasive plants — an onerous, ongoing process — in the fields near the Nancy Russell Overlook. At the same time, they’ve diligently nurtured native plants, transforming the site to a flower-filled meadow in springtime.
What was once a truly rough trip through the woods and along dangerous cliff edges has become a wonder-filled, challenging hike through the various ecosystems of a magnificent natural area in our Columbia River Gorge. My hope is that Cape Horn and its wonderful trail remain appreciated, respected and protected. It’s a shining example of quality stewardship and should be savored as a place of great natural beauty and ecological diversity. May the area be resilient in the face of climate change and human activity. As for myself, I remain grateful and awed by my experiences at Cape Horn, and will always return to the trail with wonder.
Jill Turner is an Oregon native who has hiked and biked in East Clark County and the Columbia River Gorge for decades. She is vice president of the Cape Horn Conservancy board of directors. Her experience as a community college biology instructor has led her to appreciate the importance of sharing the beauty and ecological importance of our natural world with others and, hopefully, inspiring them to enjoy and care for it as well.
Go to the Cape Horn Conservancy to learn more about its work and ways to volunteer.
Top photo: Jill Turner on her beloved trail.
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