Calapooya Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Calapooya Mountains are a mountain range
in Lane
and Douglas
counties of southwestern Oregon
in the United States
. The range runs for approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) west from the Cascade Range
between Eugene
on the north and Roseburg
on the south.
and its tributaries. In the southern drainage, the tributaries of the North Umpqua River have cut into the southern slopes. The soil is silty, clay loam formed from sandstone, sediment, and igneous rocks.
mountains in the U.S. state of Oregon
that form the divide between the watershed
s of the Willamette
and Umpqua
rivers. At its southeastern end, the spur joins the Cascade Range
near Cowhorn Mountain near the headwaters of the Middle Fork Willamette River
and the North Umpqua River
. A topographic
map in the Atlas of Oregon shows the Calapooya Mountains curving northwest from near Potter, McGowan, and Balm mountains past Bohemia Mountain to Holland Point, south of Oakridge
. From near Bohemia Mountain, a block of mountains connected to the Calapooya Mountains runs due west along the border between Lane
and Douglas
counties to the vicinity of Interstate 5
(I-5) near Rice Hill
. This block is known as the Calapooya Divide. To the north along I-5 are Cottage Grove
and Eugene
and to the south are Sutherlin
and Roseburg
.
Streams flowing south from the Calapooyas into the North Umpqua River include Steamboat, Canton, and Rock creeks, while Calapooya Creek flows west from the divide into the Umpqua main stem. Streams flowing north or east into the Middle Fork Willamette River include Tumblebug, Staley, Coal, and Packard creeks. Flowing northwest or west into the Coast Fork Willamette River
or its major tributary, the Row River
, are Brice, Layng, and Mosby creeks and Big River
. The Umpqua flows west through the Oregon Coast Range
to the Pacific Ocean at Reedsport
, while the Willamette flows north to the Columbia River
, which flows northwest to the Pacific Ocean at Astoria
.
The highest peaks in the range include Balm Mountain at 6165 feet (1,879.1 m) above sea level
, Potter Mountain at 6145 feet (1,873 m), and McGowan Mountain at 6130 feet (1,868.4 m), all near the southeastern end of the range. Along the divide, Huckleberry Mountain in the east rises to 4754 feet (1,449 m), while Ben More Mountain near I-5 is only 2480 feet (755.9 m) high. Bohemia Mountain and its close neighbor Fairview Peak reach identical peak elevations of 5933 feet (1,808.4 m), while Holland Point near Oakridge is 5048 feet (1,538.6 m) high.
and the South Umpqua Valley, effectively separating Western Oregon
from Southern Oregon
. In the 19th century, it separated the tribal domains of the Kalapuya and Coquille
tribes of Native Americans
, both of which ceded their lands to the U.S. government in the 1854 Treaty with the Umpqua and Kalapuya. During the 1840s the mountains became an inconvenient barrier for white settlers seeking to move into southern Oregon or to move southward to the California gold fields
. The Applegate Trail
, blazed in the late 1840s provided the first reliable path for white settlement through the western end of the mountains. Interstate 5
essentially follows the route of the trail between Eugene and Roseburg.
The mountains have been an important timber source in the 20th century. The eastern end of the mountains are largely within the Umpqua National Forest
and Willamette National Forest
.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in Lane
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
and Douglas
Douglas County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...
counties of southwestern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The range runs for approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) west from the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
between Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
on the north and Roseburg
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on the south.
Geology
The Calapooya Mountains are composed of volcanic rocks and newer sedimentary strata. The mountains have been deeply eroded by the Coast Fork Willamette RiverCoast Fork Willamette River
The Coast Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It is about long, draining an area of the mountains at the south end of the Willamette Valley south of Eugene.-Course:...
and its tributaries. In the southern drainage, the tributaries of the North Umpqua River have cut into the southern slopes. The soil is silty, clay loam formed from sandstone, sediment, and igneous rocks.
Topography
The Calapooya Mountains and the Calapooya Divide are two parts of a spur of the Western CascadeWestern Cascades
Portions of this article include public domain text from the USFS .The Western Cascades is a region of Oregon, USA containing many shield volcanoes, cinder cones and lava flows. The region was volcanically active from approximately 5-0.5 million years ago...
mountains in the U.S. state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
that form the divide between the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s of the Willamette
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
and Umpqua
Umpqua River
The Umpqua River on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west of the Cascade Range and south of the Willamette Valley,...
rivers. At its southeastern end, the spur joins the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
near Cowhorn Mountain near the headwaters of the Middle Fork Willamette River
Middle Fork Willamette River
The Middle Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon...
and the North Umpqua River
North Umpqua River
The North Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River, approximately long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains a scenic and rugged area of the Cascade Range southwest of Eugene, flowing through steep canyons and surrounded by large Douglas-fir forests...
. A topographic
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
map in the Atlas of Oregon shows the Calapooya Mountains curving northwest from near Potter, McGowan, and Balm mountains past Bohemia Mountain to Holland Point, south of Oakridge
Oakridge, Oregon
Oakridge is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was estimated at 3,205 in 2010. It is located east of Westfir on Oregon Route 58, about east of Eugene, and southeast of Portland...
. From near Bohemia Mountain, a block of mountains connected to the Calapooya Mountains runs due west along the border between Lane
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
and Douglas
Douglas County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...
counties to the vicinity of Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
(I-5) near Rice Hill
Rice Hill, Oregon
Rice Hill is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. It is located about 10 miles north of Oakland on Interstate 5....
. This block is known as the Calapooya Divide. To the north along I-5 are Cottage Grove
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It received its name from its first postmaster, G. C. Pierce, in September 1861. Pierce's home at the time was in an oak grove. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and to the south are Sutherlin
Sutherlin, Oregon
Sutherlin is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 6,669 at the 2000 census. Nearby features include Cooper Creek Reservoir, the Umpqua River, a few golf courses, and numerous vineyards.-Geography:...
and Roseburg
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
Streams flowing south from the Calapooyas into the North Umpqua River include Steamboat, Canton, and Rock creeks, while Calapooya Creek flows west from the divide into the Umpqua main stem. Streams flowing north or east into the Middle Fork Willamette River include Tumblebug, Staley, Coal, and Packard creeks. Flowing northwest or west into the Coast Fork Willamette River
Coast Fork Willamette River
The Coast Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It is about long, draining an area of the mountains at the south end of the Willamette Valley south of Eugene.-Course:...
or its major tributary, the Row River
Row River
The Row River is a river, approximately long, in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It rises in the Cascade Range and flows into the Coast Fork Willamette River near Cottage Grove. The stream was originally known as the "East Fork Coast Fork", but was later renamed after a dispute between...
, are Brice, Layng, and Mosby creeks and Big River
Big River (Oregon)
The Big River is a tributary of the Coast Fork Willamette River, approximately 12 mi long, in western Oregon in the United States. It drains an area of the Calapooya Mountains south of Eugene....
. The Umpqua flows west through the Oregon Coast Range
Oregon Coast Range
The Oregon Coast Range, often called simply the Coast Range and sometimes the Pacific Coast Range, is a mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, in the U.S. state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean...
to the Pacific Ocean at Reedsport
Reedsport, Oregon
Reedsport is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,154.- History :Reedsport was established on the estuary of the Umpqua River on January 7, 1852. It was named for a local settler, Alfred W. Reed, who founded the city in 1912...
, while the Willamette flows north to the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, which flows northwest to the Pacific Ocean at Astoria
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
.
The highest peaks in the range include Balm Mountain at 6165 feet (1,879.1 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, Potter Mountain at 6145 feet (1,873 m), and McGowan Mountain at 6130 feet (1,868.4 m), all near the southeastern end of the range. Along the divide, Huckleberry Mountain in the east rises to 4754 feet (1,449 m), while Ben More Mountain near I-5 is only 2480 feet (755.9 m) high. Bohemia Mountain and its close neighbor Fairview Peak reach identical peak elevations of 5933 feet (1,808.4 m), while Holland Point near Oakridge is 5048 feet (1,538.6 m) high.
Climate
The climate in the Calapooya Mountains follows a pattern of wet winters and dry summers. Precipitation generally increases with elevation, ranging from an average of 40 to 50 in (1,016 to 1,270 mm) per year in the valleys to 70 to 80 in (1,778 to 2,032 mm) on the mountain peaks. Above 4000 feet (1,219.2 m), a significant part of this falls as snow.History
Throughout the history of the region the range has provided a geographic and cultural barrier between the Willamette ValleyWillamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
and the South Umpqua Valley, effectively separating Western Oregon
Western Oregon
Western Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to mean the part of Oregon within 120 miles of the Oregon Coast, on the west side of the crest of the Cascade Range. The term is applied somewhat loosely however, and is sometimes taken to exclude the southwestern areas of the state,...
from Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area, which consists of the...
. In the 19th century, it separated the tribal domains of the Kalapuya and Coquille
Coquille (tribe)
The Coquille are a Native American tribe centered in southwest Oregon in the United States, where the Coos River flows into Coos Bay.-Name:The name of the Coquille is derived from the French, literally translated as "shell"...
tribes of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, both of which ceded their lands to the U.S. government in the 1854 Treaty with the Umpqua and Kalapuya. During the 1840s the mountains became an inconvenient barrier for white settlers seeking to move into southern Oregon or to move southward to the California gold fields
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. The Applegate Trail
Applegate Trail
The Applegate Trail was a wilderness trail through today's U.S. states of Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon, and was originally intended as a less dangerous route to the Oregon Territory.-Background:...
, blazed in the late 1840s provided the first reliable path for white settlement through the western end of the mountains. Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
essentially follows the route of the trail between Eugene and Roseburg.
The mountains have been an important timber source in the 20th century. The eastern end of the mountains are largely within the Umpqua National Forest
Umpqua National Forest
Umpqua National Forest, in southern Oregon's Cascade mountains, covers an area of one-million acres in Douglas, Lane, and Jackson Counties, and borders Crater Lake National Park. The four ranger districts that comprise the Forest are Cottage Grove, Diamond Lake, North Umpqua, and Tiller Ranger...
and Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...
.
Works cited
- Loy, William G., et al.. (2001). Atlas of Oregon. Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Press. ISBN 0-87114-102-7.