Horsetail Creek
Horsetail Creek Trail is a 5-mile trail in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1, minimally developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 45.5839° N, 122.0072° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.5667° N, 122.0617° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 425 |
| Forest | Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (unit 0622) |
| States | Oregon |
| Detail published | basic characteristics |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Wilderness
- Mark O. Hatfield WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBull Piles Rx East
14 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBronco Piles Rx East
16 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedTyee Piles Rx - South
21 mi from the trail midpoint · 329 acres
- PrescribedOpal Piles Rx -South
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 73 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Horsetail Creek Trail?
The Forest Service records 5 miles under this name in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Horsetail Creek Trail?
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Source: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page
Where does the Horsetail Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 45.5839° N, 122.0072° W and ends at 45.5667° N, 122.0617° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Horsetail Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Horsetail Creek Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
Source: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page
How developed is the Horsetail Creek Trail?
Trail class 1, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Horsetail Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Horsetail Creek Trail?
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Forest Service unit 0622. The trail is in Oregon.
Source: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page
Is there a fire near the Horsetail Creek Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Bull Piles Rx East at 14 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Horsetail Creek in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0622. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.