Trails don’t just disappear.
They fade when no one remembers them.
Across the Pacific Northwest, hundreds of horse-accessible trails once documented in guidebooks, maps, and agency records no longer appear on modern trail systems. Some were rerouted. Some renamed. Some quietly decommissioned. Others are still out there.. faint tread, lost signage, reclaimed by forest. And remembered only by riders who used them decades ago.
This project exists to find those trails again.
In 1988, Trail Riding Oregon was published. What was once a book full of robust options for riders – is now a history book.
1988 → Today
58 trails documented.
30 trails confirmed active.
8 trails with unknown status, no information available.
6 trails no longer open for equestrians.
12 trails overgrown or unpassable.
2 trails lost, non-existent.
That leaves only 51% of the trails still confirmed open to ride.
Most trails don’t close with an announcement — they simply stop being documented, stop being maintained, and eventually stop being remembered.
“Forgotten” doesn’t always mean physically gone.
It often means untracked.
What counts as a forgotten trail
A trail may be considered forgotten or at risk if it:
- appeared in historic guidebooks or agency publications
- no longer appears in modern trail databases or maps
- exists only under a different name or number
- lacks signage, maintenance records, or clear public access information
Some are still rideable. Some are difficult but passable. Some are barely there at all.
Why this project is public
This isn’t a finished list — and it isn’t meant to be.
The most valuable trail knowledge often lives outside official records, held by riders who were there before names changed and numbers disappeared. Making this information visible invites correction, clarification, and shared stewardship.
If you recognize a trail name, remember a different name for the same route, or have firsthand experience riding one of these trails… your knowledge matters.
> Explore the list of trails <
How you can help
If you have information to share:
- first hand knowledge of any trail.
- history behind an old trail
- whether a trail is still rideable for stock
- when you last rode it and what conditions were like
You can submit updates through the Submit a Trail page or contact me directly. Even partial details help reconnect the dots.
The bigger picture
This project isn’t about reopening every trail or assigning blame.
It’s about visibility.
Because trails that are remembered are:
- more likely to be maintained
- easier to advocate for
- harder to erase
And because future riders deserve more than whatever survives by accident.
Moquistang; one little mustang who does it all. 