This summit is a drive-up. The summit is a fantastically beautiful flower-covered meadow with views in all directions. The road is suitable for a Rav4, Subaru, etc., but one may have to go slowly due to some full-width potholes. With a higher clearance vehicle (e.g. 4-Runner), it is fast and easy. The potholes were full of water in late May, but none were muddy or super deep.
The access is somewhat non-obvious. The Motor Vehicle Use Map (Umatilla NF, Walla Wall RD, Map-12) indicates an easy, straight-forward drive-up on roads that do not have any seasonal closures. I spoke with the ranger, and he indicated that there was some confusion with the MVUM, in that there is a locked gate and a “drive-around”. Following is a description:
From Hwy-30 just north of Meacham, turn east on FS-3030. The road is gated with a locked gate at the 3.4 mile mark. Turn left just before the locked gate at the 3.3 mile mark and reset your odometer.
This is the beginning (Mile 0.0) of the “drive-around”, which has been wedged onto public lands (BLM??) between private property, USFS property, and the Umatilla Indian Reservation to provide access to the USFS lands on Horseshoe Ridge. Follow this road as it contours around at least two deeply incised drainages, while avoiding the tempting turn-off at the 1.2-mile mark. I went up the steep right-fork at the 3.8 mile mark “Y”, but the less steep left fork will wrap around the hill to the same point.
Follow the main road as it heads in a generally easterly direction (with some big swings to the north and south) until it re-intersects the main FS-3030 road at the 5.2 mile mark. The road (FS-3030) will continue east-northeast to a major junction at the 5.5 mile mark. Turn right (FS-3030050) and follow this along the ridge south southeast to the summit. Note that you will pass a solar powered radio tower at a high point along the way – this is not the summit. The summit is in a large meadow that is about 0.6 miles further south. A non-narrative summary of the road access is below:
Road Access Summary
FS-3030 Drive 3.3 miles easterly, turn left on the unmarked “drive-around”. Reset odometer.
Drive-Around: Turn right at the steep “Y” after 3.8 miles
Drive-Around: Intersects FS-3030 again at the 5.2 mile-mark. Turn right at the junction onto FS-3030050.
FS-3030050: Drive south along the ridge crest to the summit (Mile 8.1)
