Union Creek (Rogue River)
Encyclopedia
Union Creek is a tributary, about 15 miles (24 km) long, of the Rogue River
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Beginning west of Union Peak
in the Cascade Range
, it flows through the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest to meet the Rogue at Union Creek
and the Union Creek Historic District
.
The creek begins near Rocktop Butte and flows north through Jackson County
, roughly parallel to the nearby border of Crater Lake National Park
and the Jackson–Klamath
county line, which are on the right. At about river mile
10 or river kilometer (RK) 16, the creek curves to the west. After Grouse and Crawford creeks enter from the left, Union Creek passes over Union Creek Falls, a 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m) slide, before reaching the unincorporated
community of Union Creek. There the stream passes under Oregon Route 62 (Crater Lake Highway), flows through a picnic area and campground, and enters the Rogue River just below Rogue Gorge, about 187 miles (301 km) from the Rogue's mouth on the Pacific Ocean.
Union Creek supports brook
, cutthroat
, rainbow
, and brown
trout. Forest roads parallel the creek for much of its course, and a hiking trail runs along the lower reaches for several miles. United States Forest Service
campgrounds in the vicinity include Farewell Bend, Natural Bridge, and Union Creek.
In 1865, a new wagon road was cleared in an effort to link Fort Klamath with Jacksonville
via the valleys of the Wood River
, Union Creek, and the Rogue River. The road was constructed by about twenty men led by Captain Franklin B. Sprague
. On August 1 two men from the party, Francis M. Smith and John M. Corbell, rediscovered Crater Lake
—the deepest lake in the United States and one of the clearest in the world—while hunting. (It had been discovered previously by John Wesley Hillman
in 1853, but its location was never effectively recorded.) After visiting it several times, Sprague and several other men became the first European American
s to reach the lake's shore on August 24.
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 the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. Beginning west of Union Peak
Union Peak
Union Peak is a heavily eroded shield volcano in the Cascade Range of central Oregon, located along the Cascade Crest less than southwest of the rim of Crater Lake. Ice Age glaciers eroded away most of the flanks of the volcano, leaving numerous deep cirques surrounding a central glacial horn...
in 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...
, it flows through the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest to meet the Rogue at Union Creek
Union Creek, Oregon
Union Creek is an unincorporated community in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located along Union Creek and Oregon Route 62 , about from Crater Lake National Park. The community is home to the Union Creek Historic District, which has been listed on the National Register of...
and the Union Creek Historic District
Union Creek Historic District
Union Creek Historic District near the upper Rogue River in Union Creek, Oregon, is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places for rustic structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s...
.
The creek begins near Rocktop Butte and flows north through 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:...
, roughly parallel to the nearby border of Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
and the Jackson–Klamath
Klamath County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge* Crater Lake National Park * Deschutes National Forest * Fremont National Forest * Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge* Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge...
county line, which are on the right. At about river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
10 or river kilometer (RK) 16, the creek curves to the west. After Grouse and Crawford creeks enter from the left, Union Creek passes over Union Creek Falls, a 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m) slide, before reaching the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community of Union Creek. There the stream passes under Oregon Route 62 (Crater Lake Highway), flows through a picnic area and campground, and enters the Rogue River just below Rogue Gorge, about 187 miles (301 km) from the Rogue's mouth on the Pacific Ocean.
Union Creek supports brook
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, cutthroat
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
, rainbow
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, and brown
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
trout. Forest roads parallel the creek for much of its course, and a hiking trail runs along the lower reaches for several miles. United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
campgrounds in the vicinity include Farewell Bend, Natural Bridge, and Union Creek.
In 1865, a new wagon road was cleared in an effort to link Fort Klamath with Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
via the valleys of the Wood River
Wood River (Oregon)
The Wood River is a short river in the southern region of the U.S. state of Oregon, and part of the Klamath Basin drainage. It flows through the Fremont-Winema National Forests, Bureau of Land Management land, and private property in southern Oregon. Its watershed consists of of conifer forest,...
, Union Creek, and the Rogue River. The road was constructed by about twenty men led by Captain Franklin B. Sprague
Franklin B. Sprague
Franklin Burnet Sprague was an American military officer, businessman, and judge. He joined the Union Army during the Civil War, serving on the Oregon frontier. During his military service, Sprague explored much of Southern Oregon. While building a road near Fort Klamath, Sprague led a party...
. On August 1 two men from the party, Francis M. Smith and John M. Corbell, rediscovered Crater Lake
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a caldera lake located in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a nearly deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years agoby the...
—the deepest lake in the United States and one of the clearest in the world—while hunting. (It had been discovered previously by John Wesley Hillman
John Wesley Hillman
John Wesley Hillman was an American prospector during the California Gold Rush and explorer who was among the first European Americans to see Crater Lake in the U.S. state of Oregon....
in 1853, but its location was never effectively recorded.) After visiting it several times, Sprague and several other men became the first European American
European American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
s to reach the lake's shore on August 24.