RV Touring on the Umpqua River
From its source at Diamond Lake in the Cascades, the Umpqua River whirls and swells in and around bedrock as it winds its way to the Pacific Ocean at Winchester Bay. The waters of this world-renowned river hold an abundance of fish for all types of angling and the surrounding areas offer spectacular views and interesting wildlife.
A centrally located RV park south of Eugene makes a perfect launching point for ventures into the wide expanses of southern Oregon. Time spent driving the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway will show you why the early Chinook labeled this dynamic stream “Thundering Waters”.
The Mt. Thielsen Wilderness Area, high in the Cascades, is home to the headwaters of the Umpqua, at Lake Maidu. Diamond Lake lies at the foot of the rugged Mt. Thielsen. Crater Lake, Oregon’s own volcanic basin, is not too far off. All of these areas have marked hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. Just the drive through the Umpqua National Forest is a reward in itself.
Any segment of this spectacular river would supply a myriad of adventures. Taking the designated North Umpqua Scenic Drive on Highway 138 offers 60 miles of interesting wildlife, productive fishing spots, crashing waterfalls, and geologic phenomena.
Roosevelt Elk, deer, and wild turkey may be seen along the way and world-class fishing opportunities exist for Steelhead, Chinook and Coho Salmon, Rainbow and Brown Trout, and Striped and Smallmouth Bass. The river sports a large quantity of native species.
When you fish the waters of the Umpqua you are sharing in an age-old tradition alongside such famous names as novelist Earnest Hemmingway, Western author Zane Grey, and millionaire reporter Major Lawrence Mott. Several prime fishing spots bare their name or influence, dating back to the 1920s.
To bring further definition to the theme of “Thundering Waters”, a stunning view of the waterfalls begins at Lemolo Falls where the water plummets 102 feet to this man-made lake, thus earning its Chinook name, “untamed”. At the next stop, an easy trail leads you to 70-foot Warm Spring Falls. Clearwater Falls and Whitehorse Falls drop 30 and 15 feet respectively.
The highest of these waterfalls plunges 272 feet. A challenging trail will take you to a breathtaking view but this spectacle may also be easily viewed from the parking lot. Just a half-mile in from the highway, Toketee Falls, Chinook for “pretty”, offers two drops of 40 and 80 feet over basalt ledges through a small gorge.
From May to October, Steelhead jump the falls at Steamboat Creek. An easy trail guides you to a viewing area. Fall Creek Falls cascades over a 35 foot drop and a 50 foot drop. A 50 foot waterfall is found at Susan Creek Falls, where you can also view historic Indian mounds. Deadline Falls is another place to watch steelhead and salmon as they jump the waters to their spawning grounds.
The 79-mile North Umpqua Trail begins in the Swiftwater Recreation Site. A unique draw to this area is a handicap accessible fishing platform. A shorter, quarter-mile trail can also be found here and takes you to an area where you can easily watch fish climbing the falls in June through October.
In and around Roseburg there are special areas to view fish in their environment. Winchester Dam viewing windows allow observation of salmon and steelhead. And at the Rock Creek Fish Hatchery tours are available to see the developmental stages of several species.
The city of Glide offers the Colliding Rivers Viewpoint, showing the literal crashing of the North Umpqua and the Little River as they meet head-on. An informative Visitors Center, started in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, welcomes inquisitive viewers.
To further enhance your experience of the Umpqua, follow this dynamic river to its mouth at Winchester Bay. Here you will find easy beach access including miles and miles of sandy dunes, part of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Abundant river, lake, and ocean fishing, as well as crabbing and clamming satisfy the outdoorsman. The beautiful 65 foot Umpqua lighthouse has protected the Salmon Harbor for decades. An adjacent museum tells its story.
Thought of by many to be one of the country’s most scenic rivers, the Umpqua River, in Douglas County, is truly an Oregon treasure.
Roger Langenberg, http://www.deerwoodrvpark.com/ Deerwood RV Park, in a beautiful, wooded setting with large, green lawns is secluded from freeway noise yet only 5 minutes south of Eugene, Oregon. Centrally located, with good access to I-5 and other highways leading to adventures in beautiful Oregon, Deerwood RV Park is a wonderful place to stay in scenic Oregon. Deerwood RV Park is an award-winning, spacious and unique RV park.