Natural Burial in Douglas County

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If you are in or have ties to Douglas County, here is an opportunity to be at the forefront of the natural burial movement there.

Kurt Erlanson owns 40 acres of meadow and forest in a beautiful canyon near Wells Dam (2,000 feet higher and not connected by road to the dam).

He is in the process of trying to establish a natural burial cemetery, and he will be holding an open house on Saturday, May 4, noon – 6 PM.

The event will include discussions about the cemetery and walking tours of some of areas that could be used for burial plots. Everyone is welcome.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. From Bridgeport, follow Rt 17 for 1 mile to the south. Then, turn left onto the “Bridgeport Hill Road” (the signage says: Mansfield).
  2. Follow the Bridgeport Hill Road for about 6 miles. You will be ascending a valley which will bring you up to a plateau.
  3. Just before the top of this grade you will be approaching the Dyer Hill Road. This will be the first paved road that you will meet on the way up. Turn right onto the Dyer Hill Road.
  4. Follow Dyer Hill road for about 3 miles. After a sharp curve, you will see that this road forks off to the right (and changes to N. Division Rd.). Instead of veering to the right, continue straight ahead. You are now on Road 20 NW.
  5. Follow Road 20 NW for about 4 miles. It will change to gravel after about a mile from the last intersection. It will then veer sharply to the left and become Road D (paved). At that point, you continue straight on the gravel instead of swinging to the left. You are now on Road 20 NW Extension*, which will take you down to the site of Haystack Memorial Park.
  6. You will pass a farm at about 1 mile, then an A-Frame vacation home on the left (and a pond on the right). About 100 yards past the cabin, you will see that the road gets narrow, with trees along both sides. You will see a small garage on the right. You are here!
  7. Welcome to Haystack Memorial Park! Honk your horn, and Kurt will come down to greet you.

*Note: The road is often called the Peach Road on Google or when you talk to locals.

For more information:

Kurt Erlanson
(509) 863-1916
haystack.gulch@gmail.com