Bull of the Woods Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Bull of the Woods Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Mount Hood National Forest
in the northwestern Cascades of Oregon
, United States
. It was created in 1984 and consists of 37607 acres (15,219 ha) including prime low-elevation old growth forest, about a dozen lakes of at least 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) and many large creeks and streams. Adjacent areas, including Opal Creek Wilderness
to the west, create a pristine area of nearly 84 square miles (218 km²). There are at least ten trailheads and 60 miles (97 km) of trail.
The name of the peak and thus the wilderness area comes from logging
jargon in which the "bull of the woods" was the most experienced logging foreman in an operation.
summit is the highest point in the Wilderness. Among other tall peaks is 5523 feet (1,683 m) Bull of the Woods Mountain, from which the area derives its name. An abandoned fire lookout stands at the top of Bull of the Woods Mountain, from which views of the Cascades and the surrounding territory can be seen. The mountain slopes are quite steep, with lower inclines ranging from 30 to 60 degrees and upper inclines from 60 to 90 degrees. The wilderness contains the headwaters of the Collawash
, and Little North Santiam
rivers.
, and Western Red Cedar, but deciduous red alder
is also prevalent along creeks. Pacific yew is also common in certain parts of the wilderness, and rhododendrons can be seen blooming profusely throughout many areas around early June. Bull of the Woods contains one of the last stands of old growth in western Oregon, and is home to the northern spotted owl
.
. It is possible to see relics of the 19th century gold rush
, such as deserted mine shafts and old mining equipment. Various trails lead to a fire lookout at the peak of Bull of the Woods Mountain, with fantastic views of the Wilderness.
Mount Hood National Forest
The Mount Hood National Forest is located east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes...
in the northwestern Cascades of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was created in 1984 and consists of 37607 acres (15,219 ha) including prime low-elevation old growth forest, about a dozen lakes of at least 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) and many large creeks and streams. Adjacent areas, including Opal Creek Wilderness
Opal Creek Wilderness
The Opal Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Willamette National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon, on the border of the Mount Hood National Forest...
to the west, create a pristine area of nearly 84 square miles (218 km²). There are at least ten trailheads and 60 miles (97 km) of trail.
The name of the peak and thus the wilderness area comes from logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
jargon in which the "bull of the woods" was the most experienced logging foreman in an operation.
Topography
5558 feet (1,694 m) tall Battle AxBattle Ax Mountain
Battle Ax Mountain, officially known simply as Battle Ax, is a shield volcano in the Cascade Range of Oregon. The shield is mostly made of andesite.The summit is in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness and can be reached by the Battle Ax Mountain trail....
summit is the highest point in the Wilderness. Among other tall peaks is 5523 feet (1,683 m) Bull of the Woods Mountain, from which the area derives its name. An abandoned fire lookout stands at the top of Bull of the Woods Mountain, from which views of the Cascades and the surrounding territory can be seen. The mountain slopes are quite steep, with lower inclines ranging from 30 to 60 degrees and upper inclines from 60 to 90 degrees. The wilderness contains the headwaters of the Collawash
Collawash River
The Collawash River is a tributary of the Clackamas River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of Elk Lake Creek and the East Fork Collawash River in the Cascade Range, it flows generally north-northwest from source to mouth through the Mount Hood National Forest. The largest...
, and Little North Santiam
North Santiam River
The North Santiam River is a tributary of the Santiam River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains of the Cascade Range on the eastern side of the Willamette Valley east of Salem....
rivers.
Vegetation
The forest consists almost solely of coniferous species such as Douglas Fir, Western HemlockWestern Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
, and Western Red Cedar, but deciduous red alder
Red Alder
Alnus rubra, the Red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America.-Description:It is the largest species of alder in North America and one of the largest in the world, reaching heights of 20–35 m. The official tallest red alder stands 32 meters tall in Clatsop County, Oregon...
is also prevalent along creeks. Pacific yew is also common in certain parts of the wilderness, and rhododendrons can be seen blooming profusely throughout many areas around early June. Bull of the Woods contains one of the last stands of old growth in western Oregon, and is home to the northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
.
Recreation
Primary recreational activities in Bull of the Woods include camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and soaking in the hot springsHot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
. It is possible to see relics of the 19th century gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, such as deserted mine shafts and old mining equipment. Various trails lead to a fire lookout at the peak of Bull of the Woods Mountain, with fantastic views of the Wilderness.
See also
- List of Oregon Wildernesses
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- List of old growth forests
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...