Clackamas Lake Corral Project

Clackamas Lake Corrals were dedicated July 24, 2010 at Clackamas Lake camp ground. The Forest Service Mt. Hood and North Valley Chapters representatives were present during the dedication ceremony held at 5 p.m. The dedication was followed by a great pot luck, too much food to eat. There was a large cake with a picture showing the post crew with track hoe. Thanks again for everyone’s hard work.

Project History

The project all begin in the Spring of 2007 – Kathleen Walker from the Zig Zag Ranger District had some left over budget money and was looking for a way to use it and came up with the idea of building corrals at Clackamas Lake Camp Ground. Why Clackamas Lake – well it is located across the meadow from Joe Graham Horse Camp and was always used as over flow when Joe Graham was full. Sites 1 through 19 being designated as horse sites once had round wooden tie stalls but over the years they decayed and most disappeared except for one. Still standing in site 7 you can see a partial wood tie stall . We are not sure when they were installed but it looks at least 25 years old. If you ever camp in site 7, check out the old original tie stall.

To continue, Kathleen Walker first contacted Barb Adams, Mt. Hood OET Chapter Chair and asked if OET would like to build corrals at Clackamas Lake Camp Ground. Barb not having any corral building experience put out an e-mail looking for help. Marty DeVall having helped build similar corrals at Riley Horse Camp answered the request. The two searched out help from another OET member Terry Wheeler charged with building corrals in 1997 at Joe Graham and the project was launched.

In the Spring of 2007 a small crew of OET members from the Mt. Hood and North Valley chapters went up to survey the 19 camp sites and determine which sites were suitable to accommodate at least two corrals, a tent site and parking for a pickup and horse trailer. 11 sites were selected and the Forest Service purchased enough material (at a cost of over $30,000) to build 30 horse stalls. In the Fall of 2007 the first 6 sites were staked out marking the location of the new corrals.

We had been planning our first work party for months now, set for early June 2008. During the previous Winter we received a record show fall in the Cascade Mountains making the first work party date in June a big question? We announced at numerous OET meetings the date for June work party will happen only if the snow melts in time. Just days before the first work party date the road opened and we announce the work party was on. Even though the road was open not all the snow was gone in the camp ground. During that first work party we had 18 inch show drifts still covering some of the stakes that marked the location of the corral posts. The most memorable (or should we say miserable) day of the first work party was a Friday, it rained all day with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees. This day would turnout to be the worst day of all, over the four work party’s. This is a testament to OET volunteers, they never give up!

Four work party’s later, we move the clock forward to the June of 2010, the 11 Camp sites with a total of 30 corrals are now complete and ready for use by Equestrians. By the numbers OET volunteers installed 106 round (12 inch) posts, 365 round (5 inch) rails and 30 chain gates during 12 build days over a 2 year period. Again a special thanks again to all the OET volunteers involved in planning and building the new corrals at Clackamas Lake C. G. It was a great team effort for the Mt. Hood and North Valley OET Chapters and the US Forest Service, Zig Zag Ranger District.

Clackamas Lake Camp ground Location

Clackamas Lake CG is located in the Timothy Lake area at 3400-foot elevation.and is just across the meadow from Joe Graham Horse Camp.
46 campsites, with primitive horse facilities at some sites 1-19, near Clackamas Lake. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail passes right by the campground, and can be taken north to Timothy Lake and Little Crater Lake, or south through the Warm Springs Tribal Lands to the Mount Jefferson Wilderness.

Location: From Sandy, go about 45 miles east on US 26, 10 miles south on Skyline Road, and east 1/4 mile on Forest Road 4270.