Blog Pacifica - Driving the East Fork Loop Through BLM Lands

Middle Creek Road

Start on Middle Creek Road, 16 miles from Coos Bay via the Old Wagon Road and 13 miles from Coquille via North Central Ave. to Fairview Road, then right on the Old Wagon Road.

This scenic loop starts by following Middle Creek up to the ridgeline of Burnt Mountain, climbing from an elevation of 180 feet to reach 1,300 feet.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Middle Creek Valley, View of Middle Creek [Ask for #274.250.]

Here's a view of Middle Creek. The road parallels it closely, with many access points for fishing. [Ask for #274.250.]

The drive up Middle Creek is easy and pleasant for its first 12 miles. You'll pass Park Creek Recreation Area (a BLM campground) at 10.3 miles, as well as intersections with two motorable roads — Burnt Mountain Road at 6.5 miles and Vaughns Creek Road at 8.3 miles (shown on the map but not otherwise described here). Once you reach the head of the valley you will climb 700 feet in 1.4 miles, a 10% gradient with multiple switchbacks. It's the steepest climb on this scenic drive.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area (BLM), Park Creek Recreation Site, a picnic and camping area maintained by the BLM along Middle Creek Road [Ask for #274.260.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area, a picnic and camping area maintained by the BLM along Middle Creek Road [Ask for #274.260.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area (BLM), View of Middle Creek at Park Creek Recreation Site [Ask for #274.262.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area (BLM), View of Middle Creek at the recreation site's entrance. [Ask for #274.262.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Middle Creek Valley, This paved BLM forest access road passes under a very steep clearcut with floxgloves in bloom [Ask for #274.255.]

Here Middle Creek Road reaches the end of the stream and starts its steep climb to the top of Burnt Mountain. This clearcut is on private land. [Ask for #274.255.]

The Intersection

Middle Creek Road ends at a confusing five-way intersection. The correct road, however, is easy to spot; it's the one on your immediate right, a steep backwards fork that heads uphill.

The next two roads (going counter-clockwise) are side roads, first Tioga Creek and then Bear Track. The gravel road on your left leads a short distance to a cliff-top panorama.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Intersection, This gravel road heads west from The Intersection to a cliff top view. [Ask for #274.117.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Intersection, Cliffs at the head of Middle Creek, with views off a clearcut [Ask for #274.263.]

Here's the view you get if you walk down the gravel road a hundred yards or so. [Ask for #274.263.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Coos Mountain, The Intersection, Outcrops at the head of Middle Creek, cut by a forestry side road, with views over a clearcut [Ask for #274.270.]

Here's another view off that gravel road, looking from an outcrop over the head of Middle Creek Valley. [Ask for #274.270.]

This view is only about a hundred yards from The Intersection. I recommend against driving it, despite the good appearance of its surface.

Burnt Mountain Tie

As you leave The Intersection you will find yourself on Burnt Mountain Tie.

A "tie" links two roads together. This one links Burnt Mountain Road with The Intersection. Its first mile, on private land, follows the tops of clearcuts with wide views. You'll reach 2,000 feet after 2.4 miles and will not go below it until you drop down to the Old Wagon Road — to start on the second halp of this scenic loop.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, View from outcrops at the head of Middle Creek down to the BLM road; wildflowers, foxglove [Ask for #274.274.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, Mountain view over foxgloves in a clearcut [Ask for #274.281.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Burnt Mountain, View off a forestry road (Burnt Mountain Tie Road) towards an active clearcut on the opposite valley slope, showing foresters at work [Ask for #274.288.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, View off a forestry road (Burnt Mountain Tie Road) towards an active clearcut on the opposite valley slope, showing foresters at work [Ask for #274.290.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Burnt Mountain, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, Panoramic view from Burnt Mountain northwards towards Tioga Creek Valley and Coos Mountain, showing replanted clearcuts [Ask for #274.278.]

Burnt Mountain Road

The intersection occurs after 4.4 miles as a large grassy triangle, laid out to allow large logging vehicles to make the turn in either direction. The loop goes to the left (east).

Sometimes marked as "Burnt Mountain Access Road", this road follows the ridgeline of Burnt Mountain from Burnt Ridge on the Pacific Divide to Middle Creek. For the most part it's heavily forested. The clearcut shots are taken from the other section of this road (the right fork).

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, Douglas fir forest at the top of Burnt Mountain, viewed from Burnt Mountain Access Road [Ask for #274.552.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, Clearcut at the western terminus of Burnt Mountain Access Road (reopened in 2015) [Ask for #274.555.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, View towards distant cliffs from Burnt Mountain Access Rd [Ask for #274.560.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Middle Creek Valley, An S-shaped bridge leads off this paved BLM forest access road into commercial forest lands [Ask for #274.258.]

Burnt Ridge Road

After 9.2 miles Burnt Mountain Road reachs Burnt Ridge Road at a T-intersection; turn right, heading south.

You'll cross the Pacific Divide five miles later with a good vista towards the road climbing down the mountain ahead of you. You'll reach the Old Coos Bay Wagon Road after 7.4 miles.

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Burnt Ridge [BLM], Coastal Divide, Wildflowers frame a clearcut view off the divide with paved Burnt Ridge Road in meadows below [Ask for #274.293.]

OR: Douglas County, Coast Range, Burnt Ridge, Coastal Divide, Wildflowers frame a clearcut view off the divide with paved Burnt Ridge Road in meadows below [Ask for #274.294.]

The Old Coos Bay Wagon Road (East)

To continue on to the second half of this scenic loop drive, turn right (west) onto the Wagon Road and follow it for 3.3 miles.

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Coastal Divide, View from a clearcut atop the divide eastward towards Reston and the Umpqua Valley, towards the red sandstone cliff known as Bushnell Rock [Ask for #274.242.]

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Coastal Divide, Panoramic iew from a clearcut atop the divide eastward towards Reston and the Umpqua Valley [Ask for #274.241.]

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Coastal Divide, Panoramic view from a clearcut atop the divide eastward towards Reston and the Umpqua Valley [Ask for #274.241.]

Weaver Road

After 3.3 miles this scenic drive turns left onto Weaver Road and follows it for 18.5 miles.

The southern part of the loop follows Weaver Road along a high ridge, reaching 3,000 feet above sea level. This road makes up the entire southern half of this scenic drive, circling miles to the south of the Wagon Road before returning to it.

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], View from Weaver Road across the Coquille River Valley [Ask for #274.306.]

The BLM owns every other square mile, a relic of the railroad land grants in the mid 19th century. Enviromental lawsuits keep these from being logged, and they are now covered in forests. The privately owned squares, however, are heavily logged, and these are the clearcuts you see as you drive along Weaver Road. You can see this very clearly on the U.S. Geological Survey's air photos, such as the one below. In fact, this checkerboard is so extensive you can see it from space.

VA: Washington Region, Loudoun County, Washington's Outer Suburbs, Dulles International Airport, Main Terminal of Washington Dulles International Airport at dusk. Photo by Joe Ravi, sourced from Wikimedia Commons (http://tinyurl.com/qxxzjat) [Ask for #998.009.]

VA: Washington Region, Loudoun County, Washington's Outer Suburbs, Dulles International Airport, Main Terminal of Washington Dulles International Airport at dusk. Photo by Joe Ravi, sourced from Wikimedia Commons (http://tinyurl.com/qxxzjat) [Ask for #998.009.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road, winds through a clearcut [Ask for #274.302.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Fir forests along Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road [Ask for #274.303.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], View of an outcrop above a clearcut on Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road. [Ask for #274.300.]

The Old Wagon Road (West)

Weaver Road ends at the Old Wagon Road. To return to where you started turn left and go 10.7 miles.

Weaver Road meets up with The Old Wagon Road at these rapids. Here it crosses the East Fork on a classic BLM concrete bridge, one lane wide with no rail, high above the river.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Lower Brewster Canyon, Rapids in the East Fork Coquille River in Brewster Canyon; boulders the size of pickup trucks [Ask for #274.226.]

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Sitkum Community, The East Fork Coquille River in flood underneath the Weaver Road Bridge, a BLM access road off the Old Wagon Road. [Ask for #276.269.]

Bonus: Signal Mountain Side Road

This side road leads 14.8 miles to SR 42 at Camas Valley, which has gas and restaurants. To find it take the Weaver Road leg described above for 4.7 miles to a left (south) turn onto a paved road. This used to be marked "Signal Tree Road", but the sign's been stolen.

This particularly interesting side road follows the steep ridgeline that borders Camas Valley, a high perched valley, well settled and given to agriculture. It passes through both fine forests and rough clearcuts. You'll reach a cliff at about four miles with wide views of Camas Valley.

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Signal Mountain Road, View over Camas Valley from a cliff top just off the road. [Ask for #274.574.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, View towards the road as it runs through a clearcut on the western slope of Signal Mountain (Kenyon Mountain) from a nearby cliff [Ask for #274.571.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, Cliffs atop a mountain that has been stripped by clearcuts, from the road [Ask for #274.565.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, View over Camas Valley from a cliff top just off the road, showing clearcuts on Signal Mountain (Kenyon Mountain) [Ask for #274.575.]

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, Wide views from the road as it climbs the western slope of Signal Mountain (aka Kenyon Mountain) above Camas Valley in a clearcut [Ask for #274.567.]

Map of the Old Wagon Road's Mountains

For a highly detailed pdf map click here.

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Paved roads in the BLM lands surrounding the Old Wagon Road, with a scenic loop road marked. [Ask for #990.133.]

HOME: Home UP: Old Wagon Rd Wagon Rd Scenic Drive Wagon Road Mtns HERE: Wagon Rd Mtn Drive Mountain Side Roads
Middle Creek Road Start on Middle Creek Road, 16 miles from Coos Bay via the Old Wagon Road and 13 miles from Coquille via North Central Ave. to Fairview Road, then right on the Old Wagon Road. This scenic loop starts by following Middle Creek up to the ridgeline of Burnt Mountain, climbing from an elevation of 180 feet to reach 1,300 feet. Here's a view of Middle Creek. The road parallels it closely, with many access points for fishing. [Ask for #274.250.]
The drive up Middle Creek is easy and pleasant for its first 12 miles. You'll pass Park Creek Recreation Area (a BLM campground) at 10.3 miles, as well as intersections with two motorable roads — Burnt Mountain Road at 6.5 miles and Vaughns Creek Road at 8.3 miles (shown on the map but not otherwise described here). Once you reach the head of the valley you will climb 700 feet in 1.4 miles, a 10% gradient with multiple switchbacks. It's the steepest climb on this scenic drive. OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area, a picnic and camping area maintained by the BLM along Middle Creek Road [Ask for #274.260.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Park Creek Recreation Area (BLM), View of Middle Creek at the recreation site's entrance. [Ask for #274.262.]
Here Middle Creek Road reaches the end of the stream and starts its steep climb to the top of Burnt Mountain. This clearcut is on private land. [Ask for #274.255.]
The Intersection Middle Creek Road ends at a confusing five-way intersection. The correct road, however, is easy to spot; it's the one on your immediate right, a steep backwards fork that heads uphill. The next two roads (going counter-clockwise) are side roads, first Tioga Creek and then Bear Track. The gravel road on your left leads a short distance to a cliff-top panorama. OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Intersection, This gravel road heads west from The Intersection to a cliff top view. [Ask for #274.117.]	Here's the view you get if you walk down the gravel road a hundred yards or so. [Ask for #274.263.]
Here's another view off that gravel road, looking from an outcrop over the head of Middle Creek Valley. [Ask for #274.270.] This view is only about a hundred yards from The Intersection. I recommend against driving it, despite the good appearance of its surface.
Burnt Mountain Tie As you leave The Intersection you will find yourself on Burnt Mountain Tie. A "tie" links two roads together. This one links Burnt Mountain Road with The Intersection. Its first mile, on private land, follows the tops of clearcuts with wide views. You'll reach 2,000 feet after 2.4 miles and will not go below it until you drop down to the Old Wagon Road — to start on the second halp of this scenic loop. OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, View from outcrops at the head of Middle Creek down to the BLM road; wildflowers, foxglove [Ask for #274.274.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, Mountain view over foxgloves in a clearcut [Ask for #274.281.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Burnt Mountain, View off a forestry road (Burnt Mountain Tie Road) towards an active clearcut on the opposite valley slope, showing foresters at work [Ask for #274.288.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, View off a forestry road (Burnt Mountain Tie Road) towards an active clearcut on the opposite valley slope, showing foresters at work [Ask for #274.290.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Burnt Mountain, Burnt Mountain Tie Road, Panoramic view from Burnt Mountain northwards towards Tioga Creek Valley and Coos Mountain, showing replanted clearcuts [Ask for #274.278.]
Burnt Mountain Road The intersection occurs after 4.4 miles as a large grassy triangle, laid out to allow large logging vehicles to make the turn in either direction. The loop goes to the left (east). Sometimes marked as "Burnt Mountain Access Road", this road follows the ridgeline of Burnt Mountain from Burnt Ridge on the Pacific Divide to Middle Creek. For the most part it's heavily forested. The clearcut shots are taken from the other section of this road (the right fork). OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, Douglas fir forest at the top of Burnt Mountain, viewed from Burnt Mountain Access Road [Ask for #274.552.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, Clearcut at the western terminus of Burnt Mountain Access Road (reopened in 2015) [Ask for #274.555.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Road, View towards distant cliffs from Burnt Mountain Access Rd [Ask for #274.560.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Middle Creek Valley, An S-shaped bridge leads off this paved BLM forest access road into commercial forest lands [Ask for #274.258.]
Burnt Ridge Road After 9.2 miles Burnt Mountain Road reachs Burnt Ridge Road at a T-intersection; turn right, heading south. You'll cross the Pacific Divide five miles later with a good vista towards the road climbing down the mountain ahead of you. You'll reach the Old Coos Bay Wagon Road after 7.4 miles. OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Burnt Ridge [BLM], Coastal Divide, Wildflowers frame a clearcut view off the divide with paved Burnt Ridge Road in meadows below [Ask for #274.293.]
OR: Douglas County, Coast Range, Burnt Ridge, Coastal Divide, Wildflowers frame a clearcut view off the divide with paved Burnt Ridge Road in meadows below [Ask for #274.294.]	The Old Coos Bay Wagon Road (East) To continue on to the second half of this scenic loop drive, turn right (west) onto the Wagon Road and follow it for 3.3 miles. OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Coastal Divide, View from a clearcut atop the divide eastward towards Reston and the Umpqua Valley, towards the red sandstone cliff known as Bushnell Rock [Ask for #274.242.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Coastal Divide, Panoramic view from a clearcut atop the divide eastward towards Reston and the Umpqua Valley [Ask for #274.241.]
Weaver Road After 3.3 miles this scenic drive turns left onto Weaver Road and follows it for 18.5 miles. The southern part of the loop follows Weaver Road along a high ridge, reaching 3,000 feet above sea level. This road makes up the entire southern half of this scenic drive, circling miles to the south of the Wagon Road before returning to it. OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], View from Weaver Road across the Coquille River Valley [Ask for #274.306.]	The BLM owns every other square mile, a relic of the railroad land grants in the mid 19th century. Enviromental lawsuits keep these from being logged, and they are now covered in forests. The privately owned squares, however, are heavily logged, and these are the clearcuts you see as you drive along Weaver Road. You can see this very clearly on the U.S. Geological Survey's air photos, such as the one below. In fact, this checkerboard is so extensive you can see it from space.
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road, winds through a clearcut [Ask for #274.302.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Fir forests along Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road [Ask for #274.303.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], View of an outcrop above a clearcut on Weaver Road, a paved BLM forest access road. [Ask for #274.300.]
The Old Wagon Road (West) Weaver Road ends at the Old Wagon Road. To return to where you started turn left and go 10.7 miles. Weaver Road meets up with The Old Wagon Road at these rapids. Here it crosses the East Fork on a classic BLM concrete bridge, one lane wide with no rail, high above the river. OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Lower Brewster Canyon, Rapids in the East Fork Coquille River in Brewster Canyon; boulders the size of pickup trucks [Ask for #274.226.]	OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Old Coos Bay Wagon Road, Sitkum Community, The East Fork Coquille River in flood underneath the Weaver Road Bridge, a BLM access road off the Old Wagon Road. [Ask for #276.269.]
Bonus: Signal Mountain Side Road This side road leads 14.8 miles to SR 42 at Camas Valley, which has gas and restaurants. To find it take the Weaver Road leg described above for 4.7 miles to a left (south) turn onto a paved road. This used to be marked "Signal Tree Road", but the sign's been stolen. This particularly interesting side road follows the steep ridgeline that borders Camas Valley, a high perched valley, well settled and given to agriculture. It passes through both fine forests and rough clearcuts. You'll reach a cliff at about four miles with wide views of Camas Valley. OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Weaver Road Area [BLM], Signal Mountain Road, View over Camas Valley from a cliff top just off the road. [Ask for #274.574.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, View towards the road as it runs through a clearcut on the western slope of Signal Mountain (Kenyon Mountain) from a nearby cliff [Ask for #274.571.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, Cliffs atop a mountain that has been stripped by clearcuts, from the road [Ask for #274.565.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, View over Camas Valley from a cliff top just off the road, showing clearcuts on Signal Mountain (Kenyon Mountain) [Ask for #274.575.]	OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Signal Mountain Road, Wide views from the road as it climbs the western slope of Signal Mountain (aka Kenyon Mountain) above Camas Valley in a clearcut [Ask for #274.567.]
Map of the Old Wagon Road's Mountains For a highly detailed pdf map click here. OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Paved roads in the BLM lands surrounding the Old Wagon Road, with a scenic loop road marked. [Ask for #990.133.]
HOME: Home UP: Old Wagon Rd Wagon Rd Scenic Drive Wagon Road Mtns HERE: Wagon Rd Mtn Drive Mountain Side Roads

Scenic Drive: The Mountains Around The Old Wagon Road