Enjoy lush mixed conifer forests, mountain creeks, and waterfalls while visiting the northernmost ranger district of the Umpqua National Forest. Cottage Grove Ranger District offers opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, trail riding, and even renting an old Guard Station.
Whether you’re kayaking the North Umpqua, beaver-watching on the shores of Toketee Lake, or hiking Brice Creek Trail to get a glimpse of its many waterfalls, the pristine waterways of Umpqua National Forest are some of the area’s most stunning and enjoyable features.
Diamond Lake Ranger district boasts multiple recreation opportunities year round, including camping, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and fishing, as well as excellent snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Meanwhile, with Umpqua’s tallest mountains, largest lakes, and access to three different wilderness areas, Diamond Lake Ranger Districts is home to some of the best views in Umpqua National Forest.
Located in the heart of the forest and centered around the beautiful North Umpqua River, North Umpqua Ranger District offers up a cornucopia of recreational activities: fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, horse riding, nature viewing, OHV trail riding, hiking, and boating. We know—it’s exciting.
With its sheer cliffs, dense conifer forests, summer wildflowers, and sub-alpine meadows, Umpqua National Forest’s southernmost ranger district has offerings for hikers, bikers, climbers, and horseback riders. This district also borders the beautiful Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness.
Castle Rock Creek is one of the two major forks of the South Umpqua River. This trail crosses Castle Rock Creek in several areas and provides an opportunity to experience and explore the beauty of a cold, clear Cascade stream and its riparian environment.
The trail begins at Castle Creek Trailhead in an area burned by a lightning fire in 2002. From there the trail descends to the bottom of Castle Creek Canyon, passing through a forest of old-growth Douglas fir that’s been tilted at angles by unstable land flows. Follow the sound of Castle Creek rushing along below for approximately two miles to come to a rocky point where the creek and Castle Creek Falls finally become visible. Two fords across Castle Creek are necessary to get to Hummingbird Creek.
From Hummingbird Creek to Fish Creek Valley the trail enters and travels within Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness and is steep and poorly marked. Watch closely for the Forest Service standard double trail blazes on the trees along the trail. When the trail intersects an old mining road, follow the road to the trailhead on Fish Creek Valley Road 3700-870.
A few hundred yards from the trailhead, the trail passes under Cow Horn Arch, an unexpected, breathtaking rock formation that towers 20 feet overhead.
Further along this high country trail, hikers will be met with excellent vistas of the Jackson Creek drainage and views that extend to Northern California on a clear day. The trail winds through large open alpine meadows full of wildflowers and along the tops of ridges with unusual rock formations before entering the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness at Cougar Butte. The trail can then be made into a lollipop loop with the Cougar Butte North Trail 1432N and the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Trail #1470. If making the loop, Abbott Butte Trail 1470A is a worthwhile side trip to the top of Abbott Butte, where you’ll find a deteriorating fire lookout and beautiful views of the Cascade Range and Crater Lake rim.
Fish Lake Trail #1570 leads to Fish Lake, the largest and deepest lake in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness. Fishing and swimming are popular here.
This trail follows Fish Lake Creek through a mixed stand of trees, then gradually climbs to Beaver Swamp and enters the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness. The trail continues past the junction with Beaver Swamp Trail #1569 before encountering Fish Lake. From there it follows the lake's northwest shore, where hikers can view Highrock Mountain and the many rock formations of Rocky Ridge. The trail then continues past the lake , following Highrock Creek through a birch and hardwood forest. The trail passes another junction with Lakes Trail #1578 just before it leaves the creek and enters scattered trees and large meadows typical of the high divide country. Finally, the trail terminates at the junction with the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Trail #1470 with a last look at Highrock Meadows.
This trail is the primary route through the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness. The trail offers exceptional views both east and west as it weaves across the crest of the divide. To the west lies the irregular and deeply dissected terrain of the Umpqua Drainage; to the east lies the traveler sees the broad, open Rogue Basin, with the peaks of the high Cascades rising above. In addition to the fine vistas, the divide features a spectacular display of wildflowers in its many meadows from mid-June until mid-August.
The Sandstone Trail leads the traveler across the southern portion of Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness, up the west side of the Rogue-Umpqua Divide ridge, climbing from 3,350 feet to 5,300 feet at Anderson Mountain.
A variety of trail experiences are offered, including a stand of old growth Douglas-fir, an old forest burn, scenic views of Jackson Creek Drainage, and unusual rock formations such as volcanic cinder cones. At the top of the divide, the Sandstone Trail meets the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Trail #1470, on Anderson Mountain.
