Wild Rogue Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Wild Rogue Wilderness is a wilderness area surrounding the eighty-four mile (135 km) 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 (14,495 ha). Because it spans part of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
as well as the Medford district of the Bureau of Land Management
, the Wild Rogue Wilderness is administered by both the BLM and the Forest Service.
of 1855–56. After their defeat, Native Americans were taken to reservations. Mining remnants such as pipe, flumes, trestles, and stamp mills can still be found in the Wilderness.
operation and lodge construction for accommodation. This would not normally be allowed in a designated Wilderness area.
Popular recreation activities in the Wild Rogue Wilderness include hiking, camping, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting. The Rogue River is one of the most popular white water runs in the world because of a steady water level due to upstream dam
s, sunny summer weather, and exciting white water rapids in scenic forests and steep canyons.
There are several hiking trails in the Wild Rogue, including the Rogue River National Recreation Trail, the Panther Ridge Trail along the northern border of the Wilderness, and the Mule Creek Trail on the BLM portion of the Wilderness. The Blossom fire of 2005 destroyed some of the hiking trails, which are still closed as the end of 2007.
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
portion of 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...
in southwestern 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...
, U.S. to protect the watershed. The Wilderness was established in 1987 and now comprises 35818 acres (14,495 ha). Because it spans part of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
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...
as well as the Medford district of the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, the Wild Rogue Wilderness is administered by both the BLM and the Forest Service.
History
The lure of gold in the 1850s attracted many miners, hunters, and stocker raisers. Conflicts between white settlers and Native Americans culminated in the Rogue River WarsRogue River Wars
The Rogue River Wars was an armed conflict between the US Army, local militias and volunteers, and the Native American tribes commonly grouped under the designation of Rogue River Indians, in the Rogue River Valley area of what today is southern Oregon in 1855–56...
of 1855–56. After their defeat, Native Americans were taken to reservations. Mining remnants such as pipe, flumes, trestles, and stamp mills can still be found in the Wilderness.
Management
The Wild Rogue Wilderness is unusual in that the management of the Wild and Scenic river permits motorboatMotorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
operation and lodge construction for accommodation. This would not normally be allowed in a designated Wilderness area.
Recreation
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, sunny summer weather, and exciting white water rapids in scenic forests and steep canyons.
There are several hiking trails in the Wild Rogue, including the Rogue River National Recreation Trail, the Panther Ridge Trail along the northern border of the Wilderness, and the Mule Creek Trail on the BLM portion of the Wilderness. The Blossom fire of 2005 destroyed some of the hiking trails, which are still closed as the end of 2007.
See also
- Category: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
- 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...
External links
- Wild Rogue Wilderness - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
- Save the Wild Rogue - Environmental group
- "To save the Rogue River, its wilderness area must be expanded" by Todd Weck and Chris Daughters, Eugene Register-Guard, February 1, 2008