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Trip Report    

Basic Backpacking Field Trip - Deer Park via Deer Ridge

Great early-season backpack to get in some good conditioning and amazing views!

  • Road suitable for all vehicles
  • The road is in decent condition. There are quite a few spots with potholes but as long as you can go slow, any vehicle can get up there. The trail itself is well-maintained. It is a dry trail with only a little trickle around 2 miles in to refill. I'd recommend taking all the water you need until you get to camp. The trail is steady gain the whole way, with a few pretty steep sections right before the main viewpoint. 

    Follow the trail to Deer Park Campground. The road to the campground isn't open until mid-June, so only backpackers will be at the camp. There was only one other pair camping on Memorial Day weekend. There are bear boxes to store food; surprisingly, the restrooms were open and stocked. You can pay for the campsite by scanning the QR code on the information board and pay when you get back into service. There is a small creek that runs right through the campground for water. Beware the deer! They are very used to people and will happily snatch any snacks left behind.

    We did a quick hike up Blue Mountain after setting up camp. The views are amazing up there on a clear day. A great early-season trip with views, wildlife, and wildflowers!