Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Encyclopedia
The Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is a United States National Forest
located on both sides of the border between the states
of Oregon
and California
. The formerly separate Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forests were administratively combined in 2004. Now, the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest ranges from the crest of the Cascade Range
west into the Siskiyou Mountains
, covering almost 1800000 acres (7,284.3 km²). Forest headquarters are located in Medford, Oregon
.
The former Rogue River portion of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is located in parts of five counties in southern Oregon and northern California. In descending order of land area they are Jackson
, Klamath
, Douglas
, Siskiyou
, and Josephine
counties, with Siskiyou County being the only one in California. It has a land area of 628,443 acre
s (981.9 sq mi, or 2,543.2 km²). There are local ranger district offices located in Ashland
, Butte Falls
, Grants Pass
, Jacksonville
, and Prospect
.
The former Siskiyou portion of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is located in parts of four counties in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. In descending order of land area they are Curry
, Josephine
, and Coos
counties in Oregon and Del Norte County
in California. It has a land area of 1,094,726 acres (1,710.5 sq mi, or 4,430.2 km²). There are local ranger district offices located in Brookings
, Cave Junction
, Gold Beach
, and Powers
.
Nearly all of the National Forest is mountainous, and includes parts of the Southern Oregon Coast Range
, the Klamath Mountains
, and the Cascade Range
.
The largest river in the National Forest is the Rogue River
, which originates in the Cascade Range and flows through the Klamath Mountains and Coast Range. The Illinois River
is a major tributary of the Rogue in the Klamath Mountains, while the Sixes
, Elk
, Pistol
, Chetco
, and Winchuck
rivers drain the Coast Range directly to the Pacific Ocean
.
and other lands. Rogue River National Forest traces its establishment back to the creation of the Ashland Forest Reserve on September 28, 1893 by the General Land Office
. The lands were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1906, and it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 Ashland was combined with other lands from Cascade
, Klamath
and Siskiyou National Forests to establish Crater National Forest
. On July 18, 1915 part of Paulina National Forest
was added, and on July 9, 1932 the name was changed to Rogue River.
in the Siskiyou National Forest, turned around, and flew back over the Pacific Ocean
. The bombs exploded and started a fire, which was put out by several forest service employees. Bomb fragments were said to have Japan
ese markings. Stewart Holbrook
vividly described this event in his essay "First Bomb". It was later confirmed that the plane was indeed Japanese, and the incident became known as the Lookout Air Raid. It was the first bombing of the continental United States by an enemy aircraft.
The national forest is home to some stands of old growth, including Port Orford cedar and Douglas fir in the Copper Salmon
area. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 345300 acres (139,738.1 ha) some of which occurs in the Red Buttes Wilderness
. Blue oak
, Quercus douglasii, and Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis
occur in the Siskiyou National Forest. For the California endemic Blue Oak, the disjunctive stands are occurring near the northern limit of its range, which occur no farther north than Del Norte County. The world's tallest pine tree
is a 268.35-foot (81.79-meter) ponderosa, and is located in the national forest.
In 2002 the massive Biscuit Fire
burned nearly 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²), including much of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness
.
areas, which together add up to 565900 acres (2,290 km²):
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
located on both sides of the border between the states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The formerly separate Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forests were administratively combined in 2004. Now, the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest ranges from the crest of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
west into the Siskiyou Mountains
Siskiyou Mountains
The Siskiyou Mountains are a coastal mountain range in the northern Klamath Mountains in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. They extend in an arc for approximately from east of Crescent City, California northeast along the north side of the Klamath River into...
, covering almost 1800000 acres (7,284.3 km²). Forest headquarters are located in Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
Geography
Jackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
, Klamath
Klamath County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge* Crater Lake National Park * Deschutes National Forest * Fremont National Forest * Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge* Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge...
, Douglas
Douglas County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...
, Siskiyou
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
, and Josephine
Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...
counties, with Siskiyou County being the only one in California. It has a land area of 628,443 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (981.9 sq mi, or 2,543.2 km²). There are local ranger district offices located in Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
, Butte Falls
Butte Falls, Oregon
Butte Falls is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 423.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-2000 Census data:...
, Grants Pass
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
, Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
, and Prospect
Prospect, Oregon
Prospect is an unincorporated community in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is located along Oregon Route 62 on the Rogue River, in the Rogue River National Forest.- History :...
.
The former Siskiyou portion of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is located in parts of four counties in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. In descending order of land area they are Curry
Curry County, Oregon
Curry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 22,364. The county is named for George Law Curry, a governor of the Oregon Territory. The seat of the county is Gold Beach.-Economy:...
, Josephine
Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...
, and Coos
Coos County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siskiyou National Forest *Siuslaw National Forest - Incorporated cities:- Unincorporated communities and CDPs:-See also:...
counties in Oregon and Del Norte County
Del Norte County, California
Del Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California on the Pacific adjacent to the Oregon border. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 28,610. The county seat is Crescent City, the county's only incorporated city. Del Norte is the abbreviated...
in California. It has a land area of 1,094,726 acres (1,710.5 sq mi, or 4,430.2 km²). There are local ranger district offices located in Brookings
Brookings, Oregon
Brookings is a city in Curry County, Oregon, United States. It was named after John E. Brookings, president of the Brookings Lumber and Box Company, which founded the city in 1908. As of the 2010 census the population was 6,336. The total population of the Brookings area is over 13,000, which...
, Cave Junction
Cave Junction, Oregon
Cave Junction, incorporated in 1948, is a city in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,883. Its motto is the "Gateway to the Oregon Caves," and the city got its name by virtue of its location at the junction of Redwood Highway and Caves Highway...
, Gold Beach
Gold Beach, Oregon
Gold Beach is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, Oregon, United States, on the Oregon Coast. The population was 1,897 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and Powers
Powers, Oregon
Powers is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.It is 21 miles south of Oregon Route 42 at Myrtle Point on Powers Highway Powers is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.It is 21 miles south of...
.
Nearly all of the National Forest is mountainous, and includes parts of the Southern Oregon Coast Range
Southern Oregon Coast Range
The Southern Oregon Coast Range is the southernmost section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, located in the southwest portion of the state of Oregon, United States roughly between the Umpqua River and the middle fork of the Coquille River, beyond which are the Klamath...
, the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, and the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
.
The largest river in the National Forest is the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
, which originates in the Cascade Range and flows through the Klamath Mountains and Coast Range. The Illinois River
Illinois River (Oregon)
The Illinois River is a tributary, about long, of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains part of the Klamath Mountains in northern California and southwestern Oregon. The river's main stem begins at the confluence of its east and west forks near Cave Junction in southern Josephine...
is a major tributary of the Rogue in the Klamath Mountains, while the Sixes
Sixes River
The Sixes River is a river, approximately 30 mi long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains a rugged region of the Coastal Range along the Pacific coast south of Coos Bay....
, Elk
Elk River (Oregon)
The Elk River is in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Approximately 25 miles long, the river drains a remote area of the Coastal Range into the Pacific Ocean....
, Pistol
Pistol River
The Pistol River is a coastal stream that meanders for about through the Southern Oregon Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean near the unincorporated community of Pistol River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Flowing generally southwest from its origin near Sugarloaf Mountain in the Siskiyou National...
, Chetco
Chetco River
The Chetco River is a stream located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains approximately of Curry County. Flowing through a rugged and isolated coastal region, it descends rapidly from about to sea level at the Pacific Ocean. Except for the lowermost , the river is...
, and Winchuck
Winchuck River
The Winchuck River is a short coastal stream that runs through the Siskiyou National Forest to the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of Oregon. Flowing generally west from its origin near Elk Mountain, the river enters the sea at Crissey Field State Recreation Site, about north of the...
rivers drain the Coast Range directly to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
History
Siskiyou National Forest was established on October 5, 1906. On July 1, 1908 it absorbed Coquille National ForestCoquille National Forest
Coquille National Forest was established in Oregon by the U.S. Forest Service on March 2, 1907 with . On July 1, 1908 it was combined with Siskiyou National Forest and the name was discontinued. -External links:*...
and other lands. Rogue River National Forest traces its establishment back to the creation of the Ashland Forest Reserve on September 28, 1893 by the General Land Office
General Land Office
The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
. The lands were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1906, and it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 Ashland was combined with other lands from Cascade
Cascade National Forest
Cascade National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon on March 2, 1907 with when its name was shortened from Cascade Range National Forest and land was added. On July 1, 1933 the entire forest was combined with Santiam National Forest to establish Willamette National...
, Klamath
Klamath National Forest
Klamath National Forest is a national forest, in the Klamath Mountains, located in Siskiyou County in northern California, but with a tiny extension into southern Jackson County in Oregon. The forest contains continuous stands of ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, Douglas fir, red fir, white fir and...
and Siskiyou National Forests to establish Crater National Forest
Crater National Forest
Crater National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon on July 1, 1908 with from portions of Cascade, Klamath and, Siskiyou National Forests as well as all of Ashland National Forest. On July 18, 1915 part of Paulina National Forest was added, and on July 9, 1932 the forest's...
. On July 18, 1915 part of Paulina National Forest
Paulina National Forest
Paulina National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon on July 1, 1911 with from portions of Cascade, Crater, Deschutes, Fremont and Umpqua National Forests . On July 19, 1915 portions of Paulina were transferred back to Crater, Deschutes and Fremont, and the remainder was...
was added, and on July 9, 1932 the name was changed to Rogue River.
World War II bombing
On September 9, 1942, an airplane dropped bombs on Mount EmilyMount Emily
Mount Emily is a mountain in the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon in the United States. It is located in southern Curry County in the extreme southwest corner of the state, near Brookings, approximately from the Pacific Ocean and from the California state line.-Bombing during World War...
in the Siskiyou National Forest, turned around, and flew back over the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The bombs exploded and started a fire, which was put out by several forest service employees. Bomb fragments were said to have Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese markings. Stewart Holbrook
Stewart Holbrook
Stewart Hall Holbrook was an American lumberjack, writer, and popular historian. His writings focused on what he called the "Far Corner": Washington, Oregon, and Idaho...
vividly described this event in his essay "First Bomb". It was later confirmed that the plane was indeed Japanese, and the incident became known as the Lookout Air Raid. It was the first bombing of the continental United States by an enemy aircraft.
Natural features
Copper Salmon Wilderness
The Copper Salmon Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Southern Oregon Coast Range and is part of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest...
area. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 345300 acres (139,738.1 ha) some of which occurs in the Red Buttes Wilderness
Red Buttes Wilderness
The Red Buttes Wilderness is a wilderness area in Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest in the U.S. states of Oregon and California. It comprises , approximately of which is located in California, and in Oregon...
. Blue oak
Blue Oak
Quercus douglasii, the Blue Oak, is an oak in the white oak section of the genus, Quercus sect. Quercus. It is endemic to California and is found in foothills surrounding the Central Valley of California and certain locations in the California Coast Ranges, USA...
, Quercus douglasii, and Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis
Quercus chrysolepis
Quercus chrysolepis, commonly termed Canyon Live Oak, or Golden Cup Oak, is a species of evergreen oak that is found in the southwestern part of North America, notably in the California Coast Ranges. This tree is often found near creeks and drainage swales growing in moist cool microhabitats...
occur in the Siskiyou National Forest. For the California endemic Blue Oak, the disjunctive stands are occurring near the northern limit of its range, which occur no farther north than Del Norte County. The world's tallest pine tree
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
is a 268.35-foot (81.79-meter) ponderosa, and is located in the national forest.
In 2002 the massive Biscuit Fire
Biscuit Fire
The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California, in the Western United States...
burned nearly 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²), including much of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Kalmiopsis Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress in 1964 and now comprises a total of...
.
Protected areas
The Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest contains all or part of eight separate designated wildernessWilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
areas, which together add up to 565900 acres (2,290 km²):
- Copper Salmon WildernessCopper Salmon WildernessThe Copper Salmon Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Southern Oregon Coast Range and is part of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest...
- 13700 acres (55.4 km²) - Grassy Knob WildernessGrassy Knob WildernessGrassy Knob Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress in 1984 and now comprises a total of...
- 17200 acres (69.6 km²) - Kalmiopsis WildernessKalmiopsis WildernessKalmiopsis Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress in 1964 and now comprises a total of...
- 179775 acres (727.5 km²) - Red Buttes WildernessRed Buttes WildernessThe Red Buttes Wilderness is a wilderness area in Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest in the U.S. states of Oregon and California. It comprises , approximately of which is located in California, and in Oregon...
- 19940 acres (80.7 km²) - Rogue–Umpqua Divide Wilderness - 33200 acres (134.4 km²)
- Siskiyou WildernessSiskiyou WildernessThe Siskiyou Wilderness is a federal wilderness area designated by the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984. Originally, the land area was The Northern California Wild Heritage Act of 2006 added for the current total of . All of the wilderness is in Northern California and is managed...
- 152680 acres (617.9 km²) - Sky Lakes WildernessSky Lakes WildernessThe Sky Lakes Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Winema National Forests in the southern Cascade Range of Oregon, U.S.. It comprises . of the area are located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, and located in the Winema National Forest...
- 113590 acres (459.7 km²) - Wild Rogue WildernessWild Rogue WildernessThe Wild Rogue Wilderness is a wilderness area surrounding the eighty-four mile Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue River in southwestern Oregon, U.S. to protect the watershed. The Wilderness was established in 1987 and now comprises...
- 35818 acres (145 km²)
See also
- United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest ServiceThe United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
- List of U.S. National Forests
- List of old growth forests