Smith River Road

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, The Smith River Road hugs the tidal inlet at the mouth of Smith River, with panoramic views; fog. [Ask for #276.004.]
The Smith River Road hugs the tidal inlet at the mouth of the Smith River, with panoramic views; fog. Coast Range in Douglas County, Oregon. [Ask for #276.004.]

Smith River Road crosses the Coast Range in an eighty-five mile long paved drive. It starts at Reedsport at the first right turn just over the Umpqua River Bridge, and emerges from the forests onto SR 99 just 4.5 miles from I-5. It is definitely a long-cut. The Smith River slices through these mountains in a seemingly endless series of meanders and this road follows it closely. It does this for seventy-nine miles, slowly climbing to 1,300 feet, then losing all that elevation in the last six miles. Along the way it passes through the Suislaw National Forest and numerous squares of the BLM checkerboard; as elsewhere, private owners heavily log every other square.

 
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, View from bridge over the Smith River (CR 195, South Smith River Road) [Ask for #276.007.]
View of the Smith River. [Ask for #276.007.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, North Fork Community, View over North Fork Smith River [Ask for #276.017.]
The North Fork Smith River at North Fork Community. [Ask for #276.017.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, North Fork Community, Panoramic view over North Fork Smith River [Ask for #276.016.]
Panoramic view over North Fork Smith River. [Ask for #276.016.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, North Fork Community, Panoramic view over North Fork Smith River [Ask for #276.023.]
Panoramic view over North Fork Smith River at North Fork Community. [Ask for #276.023.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, North Fork Community, Lower Smith River Road at North Fork [Ask for #276.025.]
Lower Smith River Road passing through North Fork Community. [Ask for #276.025.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, North Fork Community, A barn in fields at North Fork Community [Ask for #276.026.]
A barn in fields along the Smith River at North Fork Community. [Ask for #276.026.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Lower Smith River, Smith River Road runs beneath cliffs in a road cut. [Ask for #276.034.]
Smith River Road runs beneath cliffs. [Ask for #276.034.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Middle Smith River, Vincent Creek Recreation Area (BLM), Reflections in stillwater on Smith River at the recreation area. [Ask for #276.045.]
Trees reflected on the Smith River at Vincent Creek Recreation Area (BLM). [Ask for #276.045.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Middle Smith River, The Carpenter Fir, a record Douglas Fir tree. Smith River Road runs along side it. [Ask for #276.051.]
The Carpenter Fir, a record Douglas Fir tree, visible from Smith River Road. [Ask for #276.051.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Upper Smith River, Waterfall beside Smith River Road [Ask for #276.748.]
Waterfall beside Smith River Road. [Ask for #276.748.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Upper Smith River, Logging bridge over the Smith River, with an open yellow gate [Ask for #276.119.]
Logging bridge over the Smith River, with an open yellow gate. [Ask for #276.119.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, North Fork Smith River, FS 23 follows a ridgeline above the North Fork on its way to Kentucky Falls [Ask for #276.699.]
FS 23 follows a ridgeline above the North Fork of the Smith River on its way to Kentucky Falls. [Ask for #276.699.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Roman Nose Area, Roman Nose, Ridgetop gravel road at Roman Nose gives views north [Ask for #276.786.]
Ridgetop gravel road at Roman Nose, a peak on the Smith River divide, gives wide views north. The signpost on the left has the distinctive shape of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). [Ask for #276.786.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Upper Smith River, Still water on the Smith River in late fall [Ask for #276.127.]
Still water on the Smith River in late fall. [Ask for #276.127.]

South Sister Road

Named for a logging camp, this road heads eastward where the Smith River zags southward. It climbs rapidly to a steep and narrow gap, where a 2016 clearcut gives dramatic scenery. If you are going to Eugene this is the shorter route.

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Oxbow Road, Oxbow Road climbs out of the Smith River Valley through a mixed forest in fall color. [Ask for #276.053.]
Oxbow Road climbs out of the Smith River Valley through a mixed forest in fall color. [Ask for #276.053.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Reedsport Area, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Oxbow Road, Oxbow Road climbs out of the Smith River Valley and into a recent clearcut. [Ask for #276.057.]
Oxbow Road climbs out of the Smith River Valley and into a recent clearcut. [Ask for #276.057.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Oxbow Road, Oxbow Road crosses the Pacific Divide in a clearcut. Forestry road sign indicates its name and that CB channel 20 is monitored for logging trucks. [Ask for #276.066.]
Oxbow Road crosses the Pacific Divide in a clearcut. Forestry road sign indicates its name and that CB channel 20 is monitored for logging trucks. [Ask for #276.066.]

Vincent Creek Road

This narrow, paved side road climbs steeply southward from the Smith River to reach 1,600 feet. It's a very scenic drive through forests and along streams, although not an easy one. Interestingly enough it has a CCC cabin at each end. It comes out on SR 38 at Scottsburg, where it's called Wells Creek Road.

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Vincent Creek Road, Rapids on Vincent Creek [Ask for #276.109.]
Vincent Creek Road, Rapids on Vincent Creek, a tributary of the Smith River. [Ask for #276.109.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Vincent Creek Road, Late season fall colors in fog [Ask for #276.101.]
Vincent Creek Road, Late season, fall colors in fog. [Ask for #276.101.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Vincent Creek Road, Small BLM owned farmhouse at south end of road, possibly CCC made. [Ask for #276.096.]
A Civilian Conservatin Corp (CCC) cabin from the 1930s, at the start of Vincent Creek Road. [Ask for #276.096.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Vincent Creek Road, Small bridge on this BLM road with late season fall colors [Ask for #276.103.]
Vincent Creek Road, Logging bridge over Vincent Creek, with late fall colors. [Ask for #276.103.]

Weatherly-Big Creek Road

This narrow paved road runs between Smith River Road and SR 38. It tops out just shy of 1,300 feet, and had been recently logged when I visited it in 2016. The large, recent clearcuts gave stunning views over large, recent clearcuts.

OR: Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Weatherly-Big Creek Road. Narrow paved BLM road runs through meadows and forests [Ask for #276.716.]
Weatherly-Big Creek Road, paved and narrow, starts by running though attractive farmlands. [Ask for #276.716.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Weatherly-Big Creek Road, A BLM road runs through clearcuts as it crosses an unnamed ridge. The road is visible below as it descends the moutian. [Ask for #276.739.]
A paved road runs through recently replanted forests as it crosses an unnamed ridge. The road is visible below as it descends the moutain. [Ask for #276.739.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Smith River Side Roads, Weatherly-Big Creek Road, View over clearcuts from a BLM road as it crosses an unnamed ridge. [Ask for #276.729.]
View over clearcuts from paved Weatherly-Big Creek Road as it crosses an unnamed ridge.[Ask for #276.729.]

Map of the Smith River Area

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Coast Range, Smith River Area, Map of the Smith River Road and vicinity [Ask for #990.144.]
This map shows the paved public roads of the Smith River area. The green road through the center is the scenic Smith River Road. The two roads highlighted in brown, South Sister and Weatherly Creek, are also very scenic. [Ask for #276.729.]
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