Smith Rock State Park is Dishing Out Misery Again As It Reopens the Popular Misery Ridge Trail
July 6, 2020
To the delight of many misery seekers, Smith Rock’s Misery Ridge Trail barriers came down today. It’s been getting major trail reconstruction by a handful of volunteers assisting park staff since it closed to the public on March 23, along with the rest of the park due to COVID-19 restrictions on a state-wide order.
While the park re-opened in stages starting May 14, restrictions remained in place for the Misery Ridge Trail due to issues with social distancing and to reduce the impacts on first responders due to potential for accidents on very popular trails that needed maintenance.
While the trail repairs have been made, the issue with social distancing for hikers that need to pass each other at times where the trail drop off makes it impossible to simply pull over, not face the trail, and let others pass—oftentimes in two directions, remains. This is where you can help.
PLEASE PUT ON YOUR MASK WHEN KEEPING 6 FEET BETWEEN YOU AND ANOTHER PARTY IS NOT POSSIBLE
Leave some distance between you and other hikers.
Not much room as the trail narrows to give oncoming or passing hikers space—bring your mask.
Keep your view time short—let others come in and check out it too.
The issue with impacts on first responders still remains as well. Misery Ridge Trail sees the highest number of rescues in all of Smith Rock State Park every year, for a number of reasons.
This puts the rescue teams at even greater risk in times of a pandemic without a vaccine to respond to accidents caused by dehydration, poor footwear, lack of familiarity in navigating a steep and gravelly trail, and health issues brought on by some attempting to hike beyond their level of fitness to “summit Smith Rock.”
Compound this with doing all or any of it in high temperatures, and it spells trouble for you, and your rescuer. This is where you can help again.
BRING ENOUGH WATER AND SNACKS FOR YOU, YOUR KIDS, AND YOUR PETS
WEAR CLOSED-TOE HIKING SHOES WITH GOOD TREAD
HAVE YOUR MASK HANDY FOR WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT POSSIBLE
BRING TREKKING POLES IF NEEDED FOR BALANCE AND NAVIGATING THE TERRAIN
HIKE UP IN COOL TEMPERATURES EARLY IN THE DAY OR DO the LOOP VIA THE RIVER TRAIL
keep your time short at popular vista points so others may enjoy them too
Please do your part to keep others safe, both other hikers and rescue teams by following the guidelines above. We are so lucky to have a place of such majesty available to us when so many are confined to a city park or maybe a rooftop. Let’s do everything we can to keep it open for all of us!