Southern Oregon

Angling on the North Umpqua River

The river and its famed heavy runs of summer steelhead first found recognition when writer and sports angler Major Lawrence Mott, dubbed the millionaire reporter, established a fishing camp in the area in 1929. 

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Applegate River (McKee) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Medford travel west on Highway 238 through Jacksonville to Ruch. From Ruch head south on Applegate Road for approximately 8.5 miles.

Background:
The rustic, well-known covered bridge spanning the Applegate River, just eight miles from the California border, was built in 1917 by contractor Jason Hartman and his son Wesley on land donated by Aldelbert "Deb" McKee.

The bridge was used from 1917 to 1956, originally serving the mining and logging traffic. In 1956, the bridge was declared unsafe for vehicular traffic.

Britt Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

On March 22, 1862, the day of his son Emil's birth, Peter Britt planted this Giant Sequoia by his home. Britt was a pioneer photographer, skilled horticulturist, and leader in Southern Oregon's lucrative fruit industry. From its vantage point, this majestic tree has witnessed the unfolding of Jacksonville's rich history-the gold rush prosperity of the mid 1800s, the decline at the turn of the century and the current restoration and revitalization.

It is located in the historic Peter Britt Gardens, First Street, Jacksonville, Oregon.

Butte Creek Mill

The Butte Creek Mill and General Store is still one of Southern Oregon’s favorite destinations today as people come to take home the whole grain goodness of mills flours baking mixes and many culinary treats along with a whole lot of history. The mill began operation in 1872, built by the pioneers with double-bitted axes and hand saws felled trees that were already more than one hundred years old.

Calapooya Creek (Rochester) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Sutherlin travel west on Highway 138 approximately two miles to Sterns Lane. Turn north on Sterns Lane to Rochester Road. The bridge is just north of the intersection of Sterns Lane and Rochester Road.

Background:
The Rochester Covered Bridge, with its droopy-eyed appearance, sits just three miles northwest of Sutherlin among the farms surrounding the Calapooya River.

The design of this bridge is unique among Oregon roofed structures, featuring windows having graceful curved tops.

Courthouse Elm (Ulmus americana)

This tree was given to Douglas County by Binger Hermann. Hermann served in the U.S. Congress from 1885 until 1897, and again from 1903 until 1907. During the intervening years, he was Commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C. The occasion for the tree donation is not known positively, but research suggests that it was planted very near the turn of the century, possibly at a dedication ceremony for courthouse, which was rebuilt after a fire on December 7, 1898.

Cow Creek Tour Route

Length: 45 miles / 72.0 km
Time to Allow: 1-2 hours minimum.
Fees: No fees known.

Driving Directions
The route starts at exit 103, 21 miles south of Roseburg. The route loops toward the west and ends when it joins I-5 at exit 80, 18 miles north of Grants Pass.

Cowboy Dinner Tree

Crater Lake Lodge

Truly a grand northwest lodge, the historic 71-room Crater Lake Lodge originally opened in 1915 and is located on the edge of the caldera overlooking Crater Lake. The lodge was reopened after extensive renovation in 1995 and offers an atmosphere reminiscent of the 1920s and immerses visitors in its rustic charm.

Crater Lake National Park

Few places on earth command overwhelming awe from observers, but Crater Lake, in south central Oregon, certainly does. Even in a region of volcanic wonders, Crater Lake can only be described in superlatives. Stories of the deep blue lake can never prepare visitors for their first breathtaking look from the brink of this 6 mile wide caldera which was created by the eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama almost 7,000 years ago.