Saddle Mountain State Natural Area
Encyclopedia
Saddle Mountain State Natural Area is a state park
in northwest Oregon
. It is located in the Northern Oregon Coast Range
in central Clatsop County
, about 20 miles (32.2 km) by road from Seaside
. A 2.5 miles (4 km) long hiking trail climbs to the top of Saddle Mountain
, which is located in the park. The Pacific Ocean can be seen from the summit.
During the Great Depression
, of the 1930s, the park was the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC) camp. The state leased the land to the federal government for two years starting in June 1935. During their stay at the park, the CCC made improvements including building the main trail to the top of the mountain, constructing a 7.25 miles (11.7 km) road from the Sunset Highway to the main parking lot, the parking lot itself, a picnic area, and restrooms.
On December 5, 1935, the Oregon State Land Board donated the 1402 acres (567.4 ha) they received from the federal government to the state highway commission, as they felt the parks division could better manage the land. This new land, which already been logged, was incorporated into the park. Forest fires burned through many of the trees near the base of the mountain in 1936 and again in 1939. The state built an overnight camping area, a Quonset hut
, and a water system complete with reservoir in 1948.
The Oregon State Board of Forestry
built a fire lookout
tower on the summit of Saddle Mountain in 1953. By 1964, the state had bought five tracts of land totaling 372 acres (150.5 ha) and added them to the park, bringing the total to 3054 acres (1,235.9 ha). By 1997 the park had been renamed Saddle Mountain State Natural Area.
eight miles (13 km) east Necanicum Junction where Oregon Route 53 meets Route 26. A primary feature of the park is 3283 feet (1,000.7 m) tall Saddle Mountain
. From the top of the peak, mountains in the Cascade Range
to the east can be seen on clear days, as well as the Pacific Ocean
to the west and the mouth of the Columbia River
to the north. Amenities at the park include primitive campsites, restrooms, trails, and picnic facilities. The campground is close from October 31 to March 1.
Natural features in the park include forests and a year-round spring near summit of the mountain. Tree species include cedar, hemlock, and spruce. Other flora include the rare Cardamine pattersonii
. A herd of elk have been seen in the park.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in northwest Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is located in the Northern Oregon Coast Range
Northern Oregon Coast Range
The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the northern section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, located in the northwest portion of the state of Oregon, United States. This section of the mountain range, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, contains peaks as high...
in central Clatsop County
Clatsop County, Oregon
Clatsop County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement. As of 2010, the population was 37,039. The county seat is Astoria.-Economy:The principal...
, about 20 miles (32.2 km) by road from Seaside
Seaside, Oregon
Seaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The name Seaside is derived from Seaside House, a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. A 2.5 miles (4 km) long hiking trail climbs to the top of Saddle Mountain
Saddle Mountain (Clatsop County, Oregon)
Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Clatsop County, Oregon. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, Saddle Mountain is in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area in the northwest corner of Oregon...
, which is located in the park. The Pacific Ocean can be seen from the summit.
History
Oregon's State Land Board was given 1402 acres (567.4 ha) by the federal government on August 11, 1916, to be set aside for use as a park around Saddle Mountain. On November 21, 1928, the state highway commission, who at that time operated Oregon's state parks, received 1280 acres (518 ha) as a gift from Nellie and O. W. Taylor to use for a park. This was the first land incorporated into what was originally known as Saddle Mountain State Park.During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, of the 1930s, the park was the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
(CCC) camp. The state leased the land to the federal government for two years starting in June 1935. During their stay at the park, the CCC made improvements including building the main trail to the top of the mountain, constructing a 7.25 miles (11.7 km) road from the Sunset Highway to the main parking lot, the parking lot itself, a picnic area, and restrooms.
On December 5, 1935, the Oregon State Land Board donated the 1402 acres (567.4 ha) they received from the federal government to the state highway commission, as they felt the parks division could better manage the land. This new land, which already been logged, was incorporated into the park. Forest fires burned through many of the trees near the base of the mountain in 1936 and again in 1939. The state built an overnight camping area, a Quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
, and a water system complete with reservoir in 1948.
The Oregon State Board of Forestry
Oregon Board of Forestry
The Oregon Board of Forestry is responsible for forest policy and oversight of forest management practices within the state of Oregon. The board appoints the state forester and oversees the Oregon Department of Forestry...
built a fire lookout
Fire lookout
A fire lookout is a person assigned the duty to look for fire from atop a building known as a fire lookout tower. These towers are used in remote areas, normally on mountain tops with high elevation and a good view of the surrounding terrain, to spot smoke caused by a wildfire.Once a possible fire...
tower on the summit of Saddle Mountain in 1953. By 1964, the state had bought five tracts of land totaling 372 acres (150.5 ha) and added them to the park, bringing the total to 3054 acres (1,235.9 ha). By 1997 the park had been renamed Saddle Mountain State Natural Area.
Details
Saddle Mountain Road intercepts U.S. Route 26U.S. Route 26 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...
eight miles (13 km) east Necanicum Junction where Oregon Route 53 meets Route 26. A primary feature of the park is 3283 feet (1,000.7 m) tall Saddle Mountain
Saddle Mountain (Clatsop County, Oregon)
Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Clatsop County, Oregon. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, Saddle Mountain is in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area in the northwest corner of Oregon...
. From the top of the peak, mountains in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
to the east can be seen on clear days, as well as the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
to the west and the mouth of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
to the north. Amenities at the park include primitive campsites, restrooms, trails, and picnic facilities. The campground is close from October 31 to March 1.
Natural features in the park include forests and a year-round spring near summit of the mountain. Tree species include cedar, hemlock, and spruce. Other flora include the rare Cardamine pattersonii
Cardamine
Cardamine , is a large genus in the family Brassicaceae. It contains more than 150 species of annuals and perennials. The genus grows worldwide in diverse habitats, except in the Antarctic. Genus Dentaria is a synonym for Cardamine.The leaves can have different forms, going from minute to...
. A herd of elk have been seen in the park.