Sheridan State Scenic Corridor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sheridan State Scenic Corridor |
|
|---|---|
Sheridan State Scenic Corridor, July 2010
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Type | Public, state |
| Location | Hood River County, Oregon |
| Nearest city | Cascade Locks |
| Operated by | Oregon Parks and Recreation Department |
Sheridan State Scenic Corridor is a beautiful state park located in Oregon. It's found within the amazing Columbia River Gorge, just west of a town called Cascade Locks. This park is about 11-acre (4.5 ha) in size. It's special because it has an old-growth forest, which means it's full of very old trees.
The park is on a piece of land shaped like a triangle. It is completely surrounded by Interstate 84 (a big highway) and the Mount Hood National Forest. For many years, after I-84 was built in 1960, you couldn't reach the park by car. But now, it's easy to visit on foot or by bike!
Contents
Exploring Sheridan State Scenic Corridor
A Park with a Past
The land for Sheridan State Scenic Corridor was bought in 1923. It was purchased from a railroad company by the Parks Division of the State Highway Department. They named the park after a person named Philip H. Sheridan.
This park used to be a rest stop, or "wayside," along the old US 30 highway. This old road was part of the famous Historic Columbia River Highway. But in 1960, a new, faster highway, I-84, was built. This new highway cut off access to the park from the old road. You could only reach it by going through the national forest.
Getting There Today
Good news! In the 1990s, parts of the old Historic Columbia River Highway were fixed up. The Federal Highway Administration rebuilt a section of the old road near the park. This section is now called the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. It's only for people walking or riding bikes.
This trail opened in 1998. It made Sheridan State Scenic Corridor easy to reach again! Now, visitors can enjoy the park's old trees and peaceful setting. In 2007, a special sign was put up at the park. This sign helps visitors learn more about the area.
The Special Tunnel
Just east of the park, there's a really cool tunnel. It's inside the national forest. The trail goes right under I-84 through this tunnel. It's about 150 feet (50 meters) long.
This tunnel was built as part of the project to fix up the old highway. It cost about $500,000 to build! The tunnel was important because it connected the park to another part of the old road. This made the whole trail much more complete and fun to explore.
