Nearly 70 people are trekking through Mount Hood National Forest in July 2026 by mule-drawn wagon, retracing the Barlow Road, the final overland segment of the Oregon Trail that terminated at what is now historic Oregon City.

The Washington County 4-H Wagon Train, organized through Oregon State University Extension Service, has run every summer since 1982.

The 80-mile Barlow Road, built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, gave emigrants an alternative to rafting the Columbia River. Two-thirds of Oregon Trail travelers chose it, according to Historic Oregon City, arriving at Abernathy Green in what became the trail's official western terminus.

Campers range from age 9 to their 80s.

They cover seven to 12 miles a day on foot, horseback, or riding in the wagons. Many sleep on bedrolls under the stars. Others pitch canvas tents or bed down beneath the wagon beds.

A family connection 176 years deep

Wayne Beckwith, a former teacher who has led the wagon train for nearly 30 years, chose a two-wheeled cart for this year's journey. It mirrors the cart his great-great-grandmother Lucinda Offield used when she crossed the Oregon Trail in 1850. Offield's husband and two in-laws died along the Platte River; she continued west with five children, arriving in Oregon City with that cart and a family cow.

"I kind of wanted to go over the same ground she went over 176 years ago," Beckwith told The Oregonian. "So, that's my connection with this specific trail."

Beckwith said the program connects families, keeps people in nature, and pulls them away from their phones. He described campers planning, struggling, eating, and singing around the campfire together over the course of a week, then leaving with bonds forged by shared effort.

How the camp works

The wagon train rotates annually among three historic routes: the Old Santiam Wagon Road near Sisters, the Ochoco National Forest near Prineville, and the Barlow Road in Mount Hood National Forest. In July 2027, the group will head to Ochoco National Forest.

A June "Tune-Up" session at the Oregon Outdoor Education Center in Salem lets participants test gear, practice working with animals, and prepare before the official July camp begins.

Camp boss Sheldon Paulson oversees daily operations, from moving camp to hauling supplies and coordinating volunteers. He also serves on the wagon train's governance committee.

26-year-old Gideon Lerner first joined at age 13 after meeting Beckwith at a Washington County 4-H event. He now serves as Beckwith's swamper, fitting harnesses and preparing the mules each morning.

Lerner said working with the animals taught him patience he carries into the rest of his life.

Looking ahead

The 2026 camp is underway on the Barlow Road. The program welcomes participants ages 9 and up. The 2027 camp at Ochoco National Forest has not yet opened registration. Details and sign-up information will be posted at 4hwagontrain.org.

Nearby: The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, 1726 Washington St., Oregon City, offers exhibits on the trail's history year-round.