When it comes to rivers, Oregon has an embarrassment of riches. The Rogue and the Umpqua are two of its most storied, both for their world-famous fishing and rafting and for their primal beauty. This route first travels up the North Umpqua River from I-5 at Roseburg, then arcs back down the Upper Rogue River to Gold Hill, just a short drive back to the inter-state. With abundant opportunities for hiking, fishing and camping, the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway explores one of the state’s best-loved areas.
Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway
Local Visitor Information
Discover more ways to experience this byway — photos and local partners.
A. E. Crane
Photo
Explore Resources
Find maps, guides, weather, and seasonal information for this byway.
Byway Overview
Discover the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway in Oregon, a 172-mile drive through diverse river and mountain landscapes. Experience rolling oak-covered hills, towering coniferous forests, roaring whitewater rapids, and dramatic inter-canyon lava flows. The scenic byway follows the Upper Rogue and North Umpqua Wild and Scenic Rivers, both renowned for world-class fisheries. Enjoy outdoor recreation, stunning natural scenery, and a memorable journey through one of southern Oregon’s most varied and beautiful routes.
Quick Facts
- Designation
- National Scenic Byway (2002)
- Intrinsic Qualities
- Recreation
- Location
- OR
- Total Length
- 172 miles
Visitor Information & Byway Partners
Contact Details
For personalized travel assistance and local recommendations, please reach out to our regional visitor center.
Local Byway Partners
Starting in Roseburg, travel east on SR 138, passing through the towns of Glide and Idleyld Park. Road enters the Umpqua National Forest. Turn south onto SR 230 through the town of Union Creek. Forest boundary ends a few miles past Union Creek. Road turns into SR 62 just before the town of Prospect. Continue southwest until reaching the town of Shady Cove. SR 62 turns into SR 234 just before Gold Hill, where the byway ends.
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Winchester Dam
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.
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Douglas County Museum
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.
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Colliding Rivers
The North Umpqua and Little River merge head-on in a swirl of white water.
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North Umpqua Trail
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.
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Umpqua National Forest
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.
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Toketee Falls
A double-tiered waterfall.
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Watson Falls
272-foot waterfall
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Diamond Lake
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.
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Rogue Gorge
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.
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Natural Bridge interpretive site
Explains how the Rogue River disappears through an underground lava tube, forming a land bridge.
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The North Umpqua Itinerary
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.