Horsing Around
There are many scenic places to enjoy horseback riding in the Illinois Valley area. Some are within an easy drive of Cave Junction, and include horse-camping facilities. Here are some of the best locations.
Sam Brown Horse Camp is off U.S. Hwy. 199 at Hay’s Hill. It is 15 miles from Cave Junction and Grants Pass. Turn on Briggs Valley Road and follow the signs for Big Pine Campground and Onion Mountain.
The road is paved for approximately 15 miles and then becomes a good gravel road. Look for the signs for Sam Brown Campground and adjacent Horse Camp some 4 miles farther, on your left. Elevation is 2,300 feet.
There are many scenic trails for hiking and equestrian use including Dutchy Creek Trail (#1146), Briggs Creeks Trail (#1132), Taylor Creek Trail (#1142), Onion Way Trail (#1281). The horse camp provides 20 campsites with horse corrals, fire rings, picnic tables and trees that provide shade. Water and vault toilet are on site.
The camp, maintained by the Sourdough Chapter of Backcountry Horsemen, is closed during winter: No reservations, modest camping fee. For conditions, phone Galice Ranger District at (541) 471-6500.
Sturgis Fork Horse Camp: From Star (Applegate) Ranger Station, go south on Upper Applegate Road 12 miles (past Applegate Lake) and turn right on Carberry Creek Road. Follow Carberry 7 miles and turn left on Sturgis Fork Road (FS Rd 1020).
Follow Sturgis Fork Road for 7.5 miles and turn right on Road #1020-600 and continue .5 mile to the spur on the left for the trailhead. Elevation is 5,100 feet.
Undeveloped camping at the trailhead, fire pits, and corral are available. Contact Applegate Ranger District (541) 899-3800 for information. Northwest Forest Pass required.
Lake Selmac: Exit Hwy. 199 at Lakeshore Drive in Selma and follow it to McMullen Creek Road. Turn and follow McMullen to the campground on the south side of the lake. There is horse camping with corrals, and room is available to park horse trailers near a general-use area.
There is a nearby campground for tent, RV and yurt camping. For reservations: (800) 452-5687.
There is access to hilly park trails. There is a fee if you trailer in your horse. No fee to pedestrians or people walking in with horses. Closed in winter. For details and a trail map, visit the Josephine County Webpage at co.josephine.or.us/Page.asp?NavID+492.
Yontocket Cemetery Trail:
Take Hwy. 199 south from Cave Junction to the Hwy. 197 bypass just beyond Jedediah Smith Rewood Stat Park at Hiouchi. Follow 197 north to Hwy 101. Turn left toward Crescent City.
Take a right on Lake Earl Drive and follow road signs to Tolowa Dunes State Park. Park at the southern trailhead near Kellogg Beach. You must pack in gear and food as there is no motorized vehicle access.
The horse camp is halfway between the southern trailhead and Yontocket Cemetery. You can also access the trails and camp from the north end beside a dairy farm. Trails crisscross dunes from a cypress forest to the beach just north of Tolowa Lake.
The horse camp has water, corrals, tent camp sites, picnic tables, and two rustic vault toilets. It is in the Redwood National Forest.
Where to rent a horse:
Out ‘N’ About Treesort trail begins at the popular tree house bed-and-breakfast at 300 Page Creek Road off Takilma Road, approximately 12 miles south of Cave Junction.
There are trails along Takilma Road, along the ridges below Hope Mountain, across the East Fork of the Illinois River (fordable), and up Page Creek into the Siskiyou National Forest. Guided trail rides offered and well-trained trail horses are provided, based on each rider’s skill. Phone for reservations: (541) 592-2208.
Culpepper Cattle Company is located at 42 Mesa Verde Drive. Follow Hwy. 199 south from Cave Junction to Ken Rose Lane and take a left. Turn onto Mesa Verde Drive.
Follow the signs to Culpepper Cattle Company. Skip Leahy is the head horse wrangler on some 400 acres of trails. You can make reservations by phoing (541) 592-2149 or (541) 592-2143. The cost is $28 an hour per person for groups of three or more.
Each rider gets a well-trained horse suited to their skill level. Riding helmets are provided.
*Diane Mollen has a horse farm in the 5700 block of Rockydale Road with a covered arena that can be rented for winter practice riding. Riding lessons are available.
She also leases a thoroughbred and Paso Fino/Arab to intermediate or advanced equestrians for riding on her 5 acres of trails and on miles of nearby BLM trails. Leases can be weekly or monthly. Phone (541) 592-3582 for information.
There are countless more places to ride on BLM or U.S. Forest Service Land in the Illinois Valley area. Hiking and equestrian trails are currently being developed in Cave Junction from Westside Road, through Illinois River “Forks” State Park to Rusk Ranch.
There also are trails from Grayback Campground on Caves Hwy. near Oregon Caves National Monument. You can obtain trail maps at the forest service office on Redwood Hwy. at the south end of Cave Junction to a wealth of trails for riding in the Siskiyou National Forest.
Backcountry Horsemen, Sourdough Chapter, holds an annual Poker Ride at Lake Selmac Horse Camp. The 2008 ride will be held on June 21. Approximately 80 to 100 riders usually participate, coming from Crescent City, Grants Pass, Medford, Applegate, Williams, and Illinois Valley.
Camping, corrals and horse trailer parking available. A barbecued lunch, silent auction and raffles, provided by BCH, follow the ride. For information and fees, phone Susie Wood at 596-2488.
And contact her for more trail information.
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