Grave Creek is a tributary, about 30 miles (48.3 km) long, of the Rogue River

Rogue River (Oregon)

The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...

 in 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 creek begins near Cedar Springs Mountain just north of the Douglas County

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 -...

 – Jackson County

Jackson County, Oregon

-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...

 border and flows generally southwest through Jackson County and Josephine County

Josephine County, Oregon

Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...

 to its confluence with the Rogue. Wolf Creek

Wolf Creek, Oregon

Wolf Creek is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States, just off Interstate 5. Its ZIP code is 97497.There are a number of creeks in Oregon named Wolf Creek, after the wolves that were once abundant in the state. Wolf Creek post office was established 1882, while a...

 and Sunny Valley

Sunny Valley, Oregon

Sunny Valley is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. Sunny Valley lies at just east of exit number 71, the Sunny Valley exit, on Interstate 5....

 are the main communities along the creek. Major tributaries include Reuben, Poorman, Wolf, and Rock creeks.

Outdoor activities

Hiking trails and river runs converge at the confluence of Grave Creek and the Rogue River. Boaters sometimes run the lower 6 miles (10 km) of Grave Creek when its flow is 500 cuft/s. The run, rated class 3 on the International Scale of River Difficulty

International Scale of River Difficulty

The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river, or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required associated with the section of river...

, has "short twisting blind drops on the section not visible from the road" and possible hazards that include low-hanging footbridge

Footbridge

A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...

s as well as brush along the stream banks. A handy stopping place for this run is the boat ramp near the Grave Creek Bridge over the Rogue River. The ramp is also popular with raft

Raft

A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...

ers and kayak

Kayak

A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...

ers running the 40 miles (64.4 km) "wild" stretch of the Wild and Scenic

National Wild and Scenic River

National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...

 lower Rogue, which begins at the mouth of Grave Creek. It is "one of the best-known whitewater runs in the United States." Parallel to the wild stretch of the river, the Lower Rogue River Trail winds through the Wild Rogue Wilderness

Wild Rogue Wilderness

The Wild Rogue Wilderness is a wilderness area surrounding the eighty-four mile Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue River in southwestern Oregon, U.S. to protect the watershed. The Wilderness was established in 1987 and now comprises...

 between the mouth of Grave Creek and Illahe

Illahe, Oregon

Illahe is an unincorporated community and the site of a former post office in Curry County, Oregon, United States. Located along the Rogue River about upriver from Agness, the area was home to Takelma Indians, then to white and Karok settlers, before becoming part of a designated wilderness. In...

.

Works cited

• Giordano, Pete (2004). Soggy Sneakers: A Paddler's Guide to Oregon's Rivers, fourth edition. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 978-0-89886-815-9.
• Sullivan, William L. (2002). Exploring Oregon's Wild Areas, third edition. Seattle: The Mountaineers Press. ISBN 0-89886-793-2.