Opal Creek Wilderness
Encyclopedia
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
. It has the largest uncut watershed in Oregon.
Opal Creek and nearby Opal Lake were named for Opal Elliot, wife of early US Forest Service ranger Roy Elliot.
in Mount Hood National Forest
shares its southern boundary with the Opal Creek Wilderness.
. When books and photo essays were published in the early 1990s, national attention was brought to the area.
Finally, in 1996, after working with all stakeholders, including environmental groups, local communities and representatives of the timber industry, to draft consensus legislation, United States Senator Mark Hatfield
obtained passage of expansive legislation to protect Opal Creek. Mark O. Hatfield remarks. With the input of a federal advisory committee, the area has been managed and preserved by the U.S. Forest Service pursuant to the Opal Creek legislation.http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/manage/opalcreek/index.html
in the western Cascades
and 500-1000 year old trees are common. The most abundant trees are Douglas-fir
, Western Redcedar
, and Western Hemlock
. Common hardwoods include big leaf maple and red alder. Understory vegetation includes huckleberry, vine maple and rhododendron. There are eight trails in Opal Creek, totaling 36 miles. These are remnants of the early day prospecting and fire access routes.
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
located in the Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...
in the U.S. state
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...
, on the border of the Mount Hood National Forest
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...
. It has the largest uncut watershed in Oregon.
Opal Creek and nearby Opal Lake were named for Opal Elliot, wife of early US Forest Service ranger Roy Elliot.
Geography
The 20266 acres (8,201.4 ha) Opal Creek Wilderness is adjacent to a designated "scenic recreation area" of 13000 acres (5,260.9 ha), creating a nearly 34000 acres (13,759.3 ha) protected area. In addition, the 27427 acres (11,099.3 ha) Bull of the Woods WildernessBull of the Woods Wilderness
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 including prime low-elevation old growth forest, about a dozen lakes of at least and many large creeks and...
in Mount Hood National Forest
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...
shares its southern boundary with the Opal Creek Wilderness.
History
The wilderness was designated September 30, 1996 after a nearly twenty year battle to protect the area from logging and mining. In 1980, the District Ranger of the Detroit Ranger District, Dave Alexander, vowed to "cut Opal Creek." By late 1981, clearcut boundary markers were placed. Lawsuits were filed, scenic rivers were designated, and multiple bills to protect the area failed, including an attempt to make it a state parkState park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
. When books and photo essays were published in the early 1990s, national attention was brought to the area.
Finally, in 1996, after working with all stakeholders, including environmental groups, local communities and representatives of the timber industry, to draft consensus legislation, United States Senator Mark Hatfield
Mark Hatfield
Mark Odom Hatfield was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee...
obtained passage of expansive legislation to protect Opal Creek. Mark O. Hatfield remarks. With the input of a federal advisory committee, the area has been managed and preserved by the U.S. Forest Service pursuant to the Opal Creek legislation.http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/manage/opalcreek/index.html
Natural history
The Opal Creek Valley contains 50 waterfalls, five lakes, and 36 miles of hiking trails. It forms the largest intact stand of Old growth forestOld growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
in the western Cascades
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...
and 500-1000 year old trees are common. The most abundant trees are Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
, Western Redcedar
Thuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
, and Western Hemlock
Western 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:...
. Common hardwoods include big leaf maple and red alder. Understory vegetation includes huckleberry, vine maple and rhododendron. There are eight trails in Opal Creek, totaling 36 miles. These are remnants of the early day prospecting and fire access routes.
See also
- List of Oregon Wildernesses
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- 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...
- List of old growth forests
External links
- Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center
- Willamette National Forest - Opal Creek Wilderness
- Forests and Global Warming - Oregon Wild
- Photos of Opal Creek corridor (commercial photography website)