Editor’s Note: Please be advised that the Sage Hills trail system will officially close on December 1, 2025, to protect vital wintering habitat for mule deer. Get out and enjoy the trails now before the seasonal closure begins.
by Andy Dappen
Most outdoor enthusiasts hit the trail with an end in mind – a lake to be visited, an amount of exercise to be completed, or a peak to be summited. As a goal-oriented Westerner this, too, is my usual M.O. But once in a blue moon (even though this should be a more frequent practice) I think about reversing the tables by practicing Eastern philosophy. Such an approach has one heading out with no specific purpose other than being mindful or ‘being there’. The practice is one of opening one’s self to everything along the way and, almost paradoxically, losing one’s self in the process.
For me a familiar trail, like the Main Sage Hills Trail, lends itself nicely to such an experience. Having travelled this trail often, there are few surprises that distract my attention and few overly steep grades to stress my heart and lungs. So this trail is conducive for allowing my mind to be in an open state of curiosity and to follow whatever sights, sensations, thoughts, or emotions come my way. At first this state might have me following normal patterns—I might be observing known flowers or the dried seed pods (forensic botany) to identify expired friends. Then through subtle cues – the angle of the sunlight, the temperatures of the day, the strength of the breeze – the mind is likely to take a quantum leap. A certain quality of sunlight, for example, instantly jumps me to childhood Sundays in Pennsylvania and is encoded with the boredom of morning Sunday school, the post-church joy of outdoor play, and the late afternoon melancholy of knowing a week of school awaits tomorrow.
A bench located where the Main Sage Hills Trail merges with the Lone Fir Spur is a restful place to explore the mind further during these outings. The plaque on the bench reads “In Memory of Heinz Klutzbeucher” and some people obviously come here to kindle their memories of Heinz. But for me the place leads me in a different direction. Two switchbacks before the bench, my thoughts most always jump to Naná Simone, a past friend, a fellow Land Trust member, and a trail builder. Some 17 years ago while transporting work materials to help build this very trail, her ATV toppled over that tight switchback and she died in the resulting roll. Rarely do I pass here without my thoughts jumping to memories of planning meetings or shoveling dirt with Naná. There’s sadness here but I also revisit her goodness, enthusiasm, and the positivity she poured into life.
The bench itself is a place I can relax even more fully and, with eyes at half-mast and breathing slowed to half pace, both the conscious and subconscious mind can mingle with surprising results. The breeze blowing across the golden grasses might transport me to childhood family trips to the Midwest where I watched gusts of wind ripple through fields of grain. Almost in a trance I take in the shadows accentuating the gullies on Burch Mountain and I’m suddenly transported to a mountain bike ride I enjoyed at the same time of summer several years ago. Eventually my floating mind jumps to this very article and, without judgment or constraint, I let it structure the ideas you’re reading before my awareness bounces elsewhere.
The author Jon Kabat-Zinn describes this approach to mindfulness with something of a koen through the title of his book “Wherever You Go There You Are.” Opening yourself to this kind of outing also opens you to experiences embodied by the title of the recent cinematic hit, Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. Try it on occasion; you’re likely to find the trip within your head every bit as interesting as a trip targeting a destination.
Trip Details: Wherever You Go There You Are
Mindful walking (or sitting) can happen anywhere, but it’s easier to activate this state of openness on a trail you know, that’s not particularly strenuous, and that has few distractions. For most of the summer and autumn, the Main Sage Hills Trail is such a place for me.
Access. Follow Fifth Street 0.6 miles west (uphill) of Western Avenue and turn right on Surry Road. After 200 yards, turn left on Lester Road and follow it uphill 350 yards before turning right onto Day Drive. Follow Day Drive about 100 yards and stay on it when it turns sharply to the left, heads uphill a few hundred yards, and then turns sharply to the right. Just as Day Drive ends at a private road (so signed), turn left into the Sage Hills Trailhead. Using Google Maps is recommended. There are no toilets at the trailhead so attend to bathroom needs before arriving.
Trip instructions. Follow the trail heading uphill out of the parking area for 0.1 miles. At the T-intersection turn right onto the Main Sage Hills Trail and follow this trail north 1.3 miles to Three Trail Saddle, then another 0.9 miles north to Gut Saddle, and a final 0.8 miles north to the Heinz Klutzbeucher Bench. You’ll pass quite a few intersections along the way that are confusing and unsigned, so use our CalTopo map or a Sage Hills map printed off the WenatcheeOutdoors.org ‘Hiking’ guidebook. Better yet, don’t be destination oriented – walk slowly and follow your thoughts and feelings without constraining or judging them. When you find a particularly pleasing spot, step off the trail some 20 yards, take a seat, and let stillness free you of distractions so you’re fully aware of your surroundings, thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
Trip Stats. It’s 3 miles and a 900 vertical foot gain (one way) to the bench mentioned in the story.
Recommended Use: hiking. Trail running, mountain biking, equestrian use, and walking leashed dogs are all allowed in the Sage Hills, but walking (and sitting without distractions) facilitates mindfulness.
Not Allowed. No motorized vehicles, off-trail travel, hunting, shooting, littering, camping, or campfires. Strive to leave the area better than you found it.
Land Ownership. This outing uses a combination of lands owned by the Chelan County PUD and properties purchased by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) between 2002 and 2014 through community donations. Several of the properties protected by CDLT have been transferred to the City of Wenatchee with stipulations that these lands will be permanently managed as wildlife habitat and allow compatible public access.
