Mill Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Ochoco National Forest

Ochoco National Forest

The Ochoco National Forest is located in Central Oregon in the United States, north and east of the City of Prineville, location of the National Forest Headquarters. It encompasses of rimrock, canyons, geologic oddities, dense pine forests, and high desert terrain, as well as the headwaters of...

 of central 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...

. It was established in 1984 and comprises 17400 acre. Of the three wilderness areas in the Ochoco National Forest - Mill Creek, Bridge Creek

Bridge Creek Wilderness

Bridge Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Ochoco Mountains of central Oregon, within the Ochoco National Forest. It was established in 1984 and comprises , making it one of the smallest Wilderness areas in the state.-Topography:...

, and Black Canyon - Mill Creek is the largest and most heavily used.

The first sawmill in Crook County

Crook County, Oregon

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,182 people, 7,354 households, and 5,427 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 8,264 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...

 was located on Mill Creek, hence its name.

Topography

Mill Creek Wilderness consists of towering stone pinnacles, steep canyons, barren ridge tops, and high elevation meadows. A unique feature of this wilderness is the pair of volcanic plugs called Twin Pillars. The northwest corner of the Wilderness is Bingham Prairie, an almost flat plateau

Plateau

In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...

 with open meadows and a lodgepole pine forest. Mill Creek drains approximately 85% of the Wilderness, with Marks Creek drainage accounting for the difference. Both creeks are tributaries of Ochoco Creek.

Geology

Mill Creek Wilderness features some unique geological features. Popular among visitors are the 200 feet (61 m) tall volcanic plug

Volcanic plug

A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...

s in the northwest portion of the Wilderness, Twin Pillars. Thunderegg

Thunderegg

A thunderegg is a nodule-like geological structure, similar to a geode, that is formed within a rhyolitic lava flow.-Appearance and composition:...

s, the state rock of Oregon, have been found in the Wilderness at Desolation Canyon and just outside the boundary at Steins Pillar. Rockhounding

Rockhounding

Amateur geology is the recreational study and hobby of collecting rocks and mineral specimens from their natural environment.-Collecting:...

 is no longer permitted.

There are several gemstone mining claims located in Mill Creek Wilderness. The claims are all small surface operations and access is provided by primitive roads.

Vegetation

A mix of conifer tree species account for approximately 84% of the forested area of Mill Creek Wilderness. The northwest corner plateau area, Bingham Prairie, is mostly forested with lodgepole pine

Lodgepole Pine

Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...

, which have recently been attacked by the mountain pine beetle

Mountain pine beetle

The mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America from Mexico to central British Columbia. It has a hard black exoskeleton, and measures about 5 millimeters, about the size of a grain of rice.Mountain pine beetles inhabit...

, causing some trees to die. In August and September 2000, the Hash Rock Fire burned 14236 acres (5,761.1 ha) of the Mill Creek Wilderness. However, the area is quickly recovering and currently contains examples of an exemplary climax forest

Climax community

In ecology, a climax community, or climatic climax community, is a biological community of plants and animals which, through the process of ecological succession — the development of vegetation in an area over time — has reached a steady state. This equilibrium occurs because the climax community...

 of ponderosa pine

Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...

. Other plants in Mill Creek Wilderness include aster (genus), bull thistle, snowberry, and both native and non-native species of grass.

Wildlife

Mill Creek Wilderness is home to a variety of wildlife, including black bear

American black bear

The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...

, wild turkey

Wild Turkey

The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...

, pileated woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...

, goshawk, elk

Elk

The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...

, mule deer

Mule Deer

The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...

, bobcat

Bobcat

The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...

, and mountain lion. The Wilderness is popular with big game hunters during the fall, and anglers often seek the small rainbow trout that inhabit its perennial streams.

External links

• Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests - Mill Creek Wilderness