Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway

Get a below-the-water look at the action at the Winchester Dam fish ladder, just 5 miles north of the city, where trout, salmon, steelhead and other fish funnel past a viewing window on the North Umpqua River.

The acclaimed Douglas County Museum documents the region’s varied past, with exhibits that include fossils, Native American artifacts, logging equipment and one of the state’s most extensive collections of historic photographs.

The North Umpqua and Little River merge head-on in a swirl of white water.

Hikers and mountain bikers will be equally captivated by the North Umpqua Trail, winding for 79 miles along the river’s banks, past crashing rapids and through old-growth forest. Thirteen trailheads provide access.

The rush of water and cool shade of the forest are constant companions as the byway winds through the Umpqua National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands. With more than 15 cascades along its route, the byway has earned the nickname “Highway of Waterfalls.” Several overlooks offer views of the river’s canyons and roiling white water.

A double-tiered waterfall.

272-foot waterfall

Framed by 9,200-foot Mt. Thielsen and 8,363-foot Mt. Bailey, Diamond Lake is indeed a jewel of the Cascade Mountains. In summer and fall, visitors enjoy resort facilities, horse-back riding, boating, swimming, hunting, fishing and cycling a paved path around the lake.

A short path leads to an observation platform overlooking the Rogue Gorge, a collapsed lava tube where the river now courses through a 25-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep chasm.

Explains how the Rogue River disappears through an underground lava tube, forming a land bridge.

Start in Roseburg to begin your journey on the North Umpqua segment of the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway. Startly after driving through the rolling hillsides of mixed oak and conifers, discover the Colliding Rivers, a unique geologic phenomenon where the North Umpqua and the Little Rivers Collide. Then, enjoy a self-guided tour of the Rock Creek Fish Hatchery, which produces close to a million salmon and steelhead trout annually for release into the local rivers and lakes. Enjoy a picnic in the picnic area.

After lunch, explore the many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Discover the Swiftwater Recreation area, a popular fishing spot for steelhead trout and salmon or hike along the North Umpqua Trail, which has many opportunities for hikers of all ages. Observe the changing forest as the trail climbs, starting with old-growth Douglas-fir at the lower elevations and ending with mountain hemlock in the higher elevations. Alternatively, explore the many falls in the area. Susan Creek Falls, which plunges 50 feet over moss-lined rock cliffs, is a .8 mile accessible trail, and Fall Creek Falls, a double-tiered waterfall, is a popular hike for families.

Go over the Mott Bridge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935, the trailhead for the Mott and Panther segments of the North Umpqua Trail. End your day at the North Umpqua River, which offers challenging fishing and exciting whitewater rafting in the midst of spectacular scenery.

After lunch, explore the many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Discover the Swiftwater Recreation rea, a popular fishing spot for steelhead trout and salmon or hike along the North Umpqua Trail, which has many opportunities for hikers of all ages. Observe the changing forest as the trail climbs, starting with old-growth Douglas-fir at the lower elevations and ending with mountain hemlock in the higher elevations. Alternatively, explore the many falls in the area. Susan Creek Falls, which plunges 50 feet over moss-lined rock cliffs, is a .8 mile accessible trail, and Fall Creek Falls, a double-tiered waterfall, is a popular hike for families.

Go over the Mott Bridge, built by the Civilian Conservation Core in 1935, the trailhead for the Mott and Panther segments of the North Umpqua Trail. End your day at the North Umpqua River, which offers challenging fishing and exciting whitewater rafting in the midst of spectacular scenery.