Sage Hills Reopening Delayed to Protect Mule Deer, Trails

The popular hiking and biking trails in Sage Hills and Horse Lake Reserve in the Wenatchee Foothills won’t be opening April 1 like usual – April 5 is the now the tentative reopen date.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and Chelan PUD decided to delay the reopening to help wildlife and trail conditions. Chelan County also agreed to keep Horse Lake Road closed to motorized vehicles for at least another week due to the soft, muddy conditions.

Chelan PUD’s Senior Wildlife Biologist Von Pope told KOHO the deer are just now starting to move up in elevation thanks to all the snow.

It’s also about protecting trails from damage and erosion. The Land Trust’s Hanne Beener recommends trails currently open like Saddle Rock, Castle Rock and Jacobson Preserve, and roads open to non-motorized use like Horse Lake and Birch Mountain.