BULL RUN, OR

Location Overview
Bull Run sits deep in a narrow canyon along the lower Deschutes River in eastern Oregon, squeezed between the river and the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The strip runs parallel to the river between two sharp bends, and the canyon walls tower roughly 1,000 feet on either side. Field elevation is approximately 400 feet MSL. The area is managed by the BLM as part of the Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River corridor, roughly 30 miles east of Hood River.

Camping & Recreation
There is a basic toilet on site and primitive camping, though there are no tie-downs or defined parking spots. Excellent trout and steelhead fishing can be found both upstream and downstream. The surrounding canyon is prime territory for whitewater rafting, with world-class runs along the lower Deschutes drawing kayakers and drift-boat guides throughout the season.

Notes & Warnings
The strip is approximately 800 feet in length with a small hump about two-thirds of the way from the upstream end and a roughly seven-degree dogleg at that same point. Approaching from either direction requires maneuvering through the steep, narrow canyon with little visibility of the strip until you are just a couple hundred feet above the water. The strip is relatively narrow, and rock piles mark either side of the runway — these can cause serious damage if you drift off centerline, and they are often obscured by grass. After liftoff heading upstream, pilots must execute a 30–40 degree turn followed by a quick S-turn to follow the river north while climbing out of the canyon — the landing approach is essentially that sequence in reverse. This strip is not recommended unless you have solid short-field skills and are comfortable maneuvering in tight terrain. Importantly, the BLM's 1993 River Management Plan specifically prohibits aircraft landings within the Wild and Scenic River Corridor — which includes this strip — extending from the Columbia River to approximately river mile 100 near Warm Springs. Enforcement is possible by federal, state, or tribal authorities.

History
Bull Run has been in continuous public use as an airstrip since at least the early 1980s, predating both the Wild and Scenic River designation of the Deschutes (1988) and the BLM River Management Plan finalized in 1993. Over time it became a beloved destination for Oregon's backcountry flying community — one of the very few such strips accessible in the state. When the BLM moved to formally close it around 2010, pilots and outfitters alike rallied strongly in its defense, with river guides and whitewater operators writing letters on behalf of the strip's continued use. Despite ongoing advocacy efforts to have the prohibition lifted through a future revision of the Resource Management Plan, the legal restriction has remained in place, leaving Bull Run in a gray zone — unofficially used and beloved, but technically off-limits.