Side Roads of the BLM Wagon Road Loop

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Big View, A narrow paved road gives public access to this actively logged BLM tract, here passing though a clear cut in a fir forest [Ask for #274.177.]
Moon Creek Road enters The Big View. [Ask for #274.177.]

This section looks at three side roads that run off the BLM Wagon Road Loop to its north. They are all scenic and worth the side trip. In addition, they — like every other backroad in this website — can be driven by a family car in the summer. Here they are:

  • Moon Creek Road. This 14.0 mile road runs eastward of the BLM Wagon Road Loop, never getting too close to it. This road is so spectacular that I have divided it into five segments, each with its own description.
  • Bear Track Road. This 11.4 mile road runs east-west, connecting Moon Creek Road with the loop drive at The Intersection. It is very much worthwhile, with views and forests. You can use it, combined with Moon Creek Road, to extend the loop drive by 15.3 miles.
  • Tioga Creek Road. This runs 9.6 miles from The Intersection east then north to dead-end at the Coos River in Weyerhaeuser lands. It's a long drive through a handsome riparian forest.
For a highly detailed pdf map click here.

 

Moon Creek Road

To find this road take Central Avenue north out of Coquille, becoming Fairfax Road. Follow this road to its end 15.8 miles from Coquille. Moon Creek Road is the right fork.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, Moon Creek [Ask for #274.064.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, Moon Creek [Ask for #274.064.]

Moon Creek Road:
The Big View

At 5.9 miles starts a continuous view for a mile and a half. The road, now quite narrow, passes under a cliff with a large recent (2015) clearcut plunging downhill.

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Fairview Community, A narrow paved road gives access to BLM lands under active forestry [Ask for #274.068.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, The Big View. This narrow paved road enters the southern end of a continuous 1.5 mile view. [Ask for #274.068.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Big View, A narrow paved road gives access to these BLM lands under active forestry. [Ask for #274.074.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, The Big View, A narrow paved road passes through clearcuts with 1.5 miles of continuous views. [Ask for #274.074.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Big View, A cliff face looms above Moon Creek Rd [Ask for #274.548.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Big View, A cliff face looms above Moon Creek Rd [Ask for #274.548.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, View from paved road that give access to these actively logged BLM lands. Burnt-over clear cut yields land slips, mountain views. [Ask for #274.082.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, The Big View, This narrow paved road passes through clearcuts with 1.5 miles of continuous views. [Ask for #274.082.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Coos Mountain, Moon Creek Road, The Big View, A paved BLM road slabs along a mountainside through Douglas firs, with moss-covered outcrops exposed. [Ask for #274.083.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, The Big View, This narrow paved road is cut through cliffs, with 1.5 miles of continuous views. [Ask for #274.083.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, The Big View, A cliff face looms above Moon Creek Rd [Ask for #274.545.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, The Big View, A cliff face looms above Moon Creek Rd [Ask for #274.545.]

Moon Creek Road:
Forest Drive

Attractive forests line the road both before and after The Big View.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, View from paved road that give access to these actively logged BLM lands. [Ask for #274.087.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, View from paved road that gives access to BLM lands. [Ask for #274.087.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, Forests line this paved road that give access to these actively logged BLM lands. [Ask for #274.088.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, Forests line this paved road in BLM lands. [Ask for #274.088.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, View over Douglas fir forests on an overcast day [Ask for #274.084.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, View over Douglas fir forests on an overcast day [Ask for #274.084.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, A narrow paved road gives public access to this actively logged BLM tract, here passing though a fir forest [Ask for #274.174.]OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Moon Creek Road, A narrow paved road gives public access to BLM lands, here passing though a fir forest [Ask for #274.174.]

Moon Creek Road:
North Fork Coquille River

Moon Creek Road drops to this river and crosses it on a typical BLM bridge. Beyond the bridge its name changes to Cox Creek Road. This photo shows the car I used to inspect these roads, a 2004 Grand Caravan.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Paved BLM road crosses the North Fork Coquille River on a concrete bridge. [Ask for #274.098.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Paved BLM road crosses the North Fork Coquille River on a concrete bridge. [Ask for #274.098.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.095.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.095.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.091.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.091.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a concrete bridge on paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.097.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, North Fork Coquille River, Riverine forests on the North Fork Coquille River, viewed from a concrete bridge on paved BLM road. [Ask for #274.097.]

Moon Creek Road:
Cox Creek Section

After the name change the road continues north for 5.0 miles, to deadend at Weyerhaeuser's Millacoma Tree Farm, closed to the public since 2014. Note the intersection with Bear Track Road (here called Cox Creek Bear Track Tie) at 3.1 miles. Cox Creek Road goes left.

OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coquille Area, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains [Ask for #274.100.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coquille Area, Coquille River Mountains, Cox Creek Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these mountains [Ask for #274.100.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Cox Creek Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains; here it is passing through a forest at the base of a cliff [Ask for #274.101.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Cox Creek Road, Paved BLM road passes through a forest at the base of a cliff [Ask for #274.101.]

Bear Track Road

This road branches off Moon Creek Road 3.1 miles beyond the North Fork Coquille River Bridge and 12.1 miles from the beginning of Moon Creek Road. It's actually called "Cox Bear Track Tie" for its first 3.4 miles, and this is what the signpost says, but if Bear Track Road ever continued after the name change nothing is left of it. Bear Track Road continues eastward to The Intersection, and can be combined with Moon Creek road to extend the East Fork Loop by 15 miles.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains; here it runs through rugged terrain in a fir forest [Ask for #274.103.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through rugged terrain in a fir forest [Ask for #274.103.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains, running through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.113.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.113.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains, running through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest [Ask for #274.108.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest [Ask for #274.108.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Tall Douglas Firs stand along a clearcut border [Ask for #274.109.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Tall Douglas Firs stand along a clearcut border [Ask for #274.109.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Coos Mountain, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains, running through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.110.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Coos Mountain, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.110.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Cliffs exposed in the midst of a fir forest, from Bear Track Rd [Ask for #274.550.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Cliffs exposed in the midst of a fir forest, from Bear Track Rd [Ask for #274.550.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains, running through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.111.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.111.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road gives public access to these actively logged mountains, running through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.112.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Bear Track Road, Paved BLM road runs through a clear-cut in a ridge-top fir forest with broad views [Ask for #274.112.]

Tioga Creek Road

This road extends eastward from The Intersection, following Tioga Creek for 3.8 miles along its high perched valley to an intersection with Burnt Ridge Road. Here it turns left to continue along Tioga Creek to its confluence with the Coos River, 5.8 miles further on. This is a deadend at Weyerhaeuser's Millacoma Tree Farm, closed to the public. Expect the last mile or so to be rough.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). View of Tioga Creek. [Ask for #274.118.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road. View of Tioga Creek near its confluence with the Coos River. [Ask for #274.118.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coquille Area, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Terminus of the BLM road, with sign. [Ask for #274.123.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coquille Area, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhaeuser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Terminus of the BLM road, with sign. [Ask for #274.123.]
At this point Coos River changes its name to Williams River, with a bridge crossing it at this spot. The gates, closing access to the Weyerhaeuser property, are on either side of the bridge.

OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Concrete bridge over the river. [Ask for #274.126.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhaeuser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Concrete bridge over the river. [Ask for #274.126.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Burnt Mountain, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). View of the river. [Ask for #274.125.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area [BLM], Burnt Mountain, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the confluence of Coos River, Williams River, and Tioga Creek. in the Weyerhaeuser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). View of the Williams River. [Ask for #274.125.]
OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). View of the river. [Ask for #274.124.]


OR: South Coast Region, Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Burnt Mountain Area, Paved BLM road ends at the Coos River in the Weyerhaeuser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). View of the river. [Ask for #274.124.]
OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the North Fork Coos River in the Weyerhauser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Weyerhauser gate. [Ask for #274.119.]


OR: Coos County, Coast Range, Coquille River Mountains, Tioga Creek Road, Paved BLM road ends at the Coos River in the Weyerhaeuser Millicoma Tree Farm (closed to the public). Weyerhauser gate. [Ask for #274.119.]
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