Anyone who thought this week’s heat was a rude summer awakening is in luck this weekend. That High Desert air is expected to cool off Friday. Skies should remain clear
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Prineville District plans to close the Flatiron Rock Trailhead parking area August 1-5 for maintenance. The trail will remain open. The Flatiron Rock Trail leads into the Oregon Badlands Wilderness and the parking area is located roughly 17 miles southeast of Bend, OR, off Highway 20. Maintenance will include laying, hardening, and compacting of gravel in the parking area to improve public land access and visitor experience. The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Management Plan, which guides BLM administration of the wilderness area, states that all trailheads will be hardened and compacted with gravel. The Flatiron Rock Trailhead is a priority since it has not been graveled before and it is a high-use trail. The project will improve visitor experience and reduce wilderness impacts beyond the trailhead footprint by clearly defining the parking area boundaries. The closest alternate trailhead parking area with foot access to the Flatiron Rock Trail is the Ba
BLM to close Flatiron Rock Trailhead parking area for maintenance project, adding gravel to improve access ktvz.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ktvz.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Flatiron Rock Trailhead, right off U.S. Highway 20 about 17 miles east of Bend, is just one of many trails in the Badlands, a 30,000-acre wilderness area named for its harsh terrain. Most of the wilderness includes the rugged Badlands volcano, which has features of inflated lava, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Windblown volcanic ash and eroded lava make up the sandy, light-colored soil that covers the low and flat areas in those fields of lava. The Badlands is home to a variety of wildlife, including yellow-bellied marmots, bobcats, mule deer, elk and antelope, according to the BLM. Bird species encountered in the Badlands include prairie falcons and golden eagles. The hike to Flatiron Rock and back is about 6 miles round trip.