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Bridge over Rogue river. Rogue River Scenic Loop Drive, Grants Pass, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains

Return to Rogue River Valley Grants Pass

Rogue River - Wolf Creek Inn Loop Drive

Points of interest

Historic Wolf Creek Inn

Historic Golden

Applegate Trail Museum

Trails

Camping

Indian Mary, Alameda and Wolf Creek campgrounds -see reservation links in road guide below.

The Rogue River loop drive is a 60 mile tour route near Grants Pass, Oregon that takes you on the Hell Gate-Galice Backcountry Byway through the Rogue Wild and Scenic River corridor to hiking trails, campgrounds, picnic sites, the historic Wolf Creek Inn, Applegate Trail Museum, the old mining town of Golden and a well preserved historic Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Rand (Smullin) where a visitor center provides information about rafting on the Rogue Wild and Scenic River.
Map of Rogue River Scenic Loop Drive, Grants Pass, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains

Map of Rogue River Scenic Loop Drive, Grants Pass, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains

Directions
From Grants Pass, drive about three miles north on Interstate 5 to Exit 61 (Merlin off-ramp to Galice and Indian Mary campground). Exit and at the stop sign turn left under the freeway. Set your odometer to zero as you pass through the first stop light (Monument Avenue). Continue straight ahead following the road guide below for suggested stops and side trips.

Special note about this scenic loop drive
The entire Rogue River Scenic Loop drive, highlighted in yellow on the map, is paved but drivers who are unfamiliar with driving back country roads should keep in mind that there are sections of this loop route where the road narrows into a single lane for traffic going in both directions. The length of these narrow sections may be a few hundred yards to half a mile before the road widens again into a two lane, divided road. Most of these narrow sections have occasional wide spots on the shoulders where one car can pull over to let the other pass. Drive slow through these narrow sections. If you see a car approaching from the other direction, find the nearest wide spot in the road and pull over to let the other car pass. If the other car finds a place to pull over before you do, proceed and say thank you as you drive by.

NOTE: This section of the Rogue River is a popular rafting area. There are outfitters in Merlin who rent rafts and kayaks and can provide transportation. Permits are needed to take float trips below Grave Creek bridge from 15 May through 15 October. Call the Smullin Visitor Center for more information 541 479-3735.

Road Log
Mileage is given on the left at the beginning of each stop listed below. Note that the mileage is frequently set to zero so people who take side trips have opportunity to get back on the tour:

0.0 Monument Drive (first stop light after turning of the freeway). Set odometer to zero and drive straight ahead to begin tour.

2.8 Railroad crossing: You are entering the small town of Merlin, Oregon with gas stations, grocery store and several white water rafting companies. The next gas station is at Wolf Creek

3.0 Veterans Memorial Park on the left. Park at the church on the other end of the memorial.

3.5 Pleasant Valley Road (right). There are a couple of things on this road that may be of interest including the Haines family homestead site, Pottsville and the Sprague Seed Orchard.

Haines Homestead: Turn down Pleasant Valley road and drive about a quarter mile to where you cross the railroad tracks. A few yards past the tracks turn right on the first road and drive to the end where you will find a historic sign and some apple trees planted in the mid 1800's. The story of the family fortifies the reality that atrocities happened to both Native Americans and settlers during the early mining history of this region.

Sprague Seed Orchard: Drive 1.3 miles from the highway and turn left where the sign points to the seed orchard. Drive another half mile to where a chain link fence surrounds the forest trees used for production of seed used in replanting land after harvesting of timber. The orchard is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Pottsville: During Fathers Day weekend there is an annual historic gas engine show at this site and in early September they hold an annual Native American Pow Wow. Drive 2.5 miles from the highway to the large field on the left.

Return to the highway and turn right to continue the tour.

3.7 Robertson Bridge Road (left): If you are interested in wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation, you may want to take the side trip to Wildlife Images. Turn left and drive about one mile to the first stop sign (Azalea Road). Continue straight ahead and drive about two miles to the next stop sign. Turn left and look for Wildlife Images on your right. To continue the tour, return to the Rogue River Scenic Loop Drive tour route and turn left.

8.3 Hog Creek river access: This is a popular boat and raft launching point for visitors who want to fish or white water raft in the Rogue River. It is also the top of Hellgate Canyon seen at the next stop.

8.6 The road enters the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River corridor and becomes the official Hellgate-Galice Back Country Byway.

9.0 Turnout above Hellgate Canyon: This is a long wide spot on the left side of the road. It is NOT recommended you try to pull into this turnout due to difficulty of seeing on-coming traffic around the curve in the road. Continue a little more and look for the wide turnout on the left at mile 9.1.

9.1 Vista point on left side of the road. Watch for on coming traffic before making the turn into this turnout. From this point you see the classic vista of the Hellgate-Galice Back Country Byway and also a good place to look down into Hellgate Canyon.

10.0 Bridge over Rogue River. A kiosk in the large turnout before crossing the bridge gives information about white water rafting and fishing.

10.7 Indian Mary County Park and Campground: Josephine County Parks and Recreation

11.2 Rainbow picnic site: An access point to the Rogue River.

12.0 Briggs Valley Road (Taylor Creek Road) - USFS Road 25: There are several hiking trails up this road and Briggs Valley campground has an accessible trail to see the tallest Ponderosa pine in the Nation. Local mountain bikers give high marks to the Jedi mountain biking trail in this area. Several horse trails are also available. The closest hiking opportunity is the Burned Timber Trail about five miles up the road.

Set your odometer to zero as you pass Briggs Valley Road. Odometers are reset about every 10-15 miles along the tour route because your car may register mileage slightly different from the ones used for development of this road log. Also, travelers who take side trips from the main loop drive have an opportunity to get back on track with mileage.

0.0 Briggs Valley Road - continue towards Galice on the Rogue River Scenic Loop Drive.

1.3 Ennis Riffle: Camping on rocky beach. Sometimes the entry to this site can be deeply rutted. High clearance vehicles recommended.

What is a Riffle: A riffle is a shallow part of the river where fast moving rapids are found. Below every riffle there is usually a deep pool where fish will rest before going through the fast moving water of the riffle or feed on aquatic insects that live on the rocky bottom of the riffle. For this reason, riffles are popular fishing sites. This is also where rafters enjoy fast moving white water rapids.

2.4 Carpenters Island Riffle: River access point.

2.9 Bear Camp road (Galice Access Road) to Agness and Gold Beach on the Oregon coast. This is the road used to return rafters to Galice after taking a raft trip down the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River through the Wild Rogue wilderness. The road is paved but may be closed due to a variety of things such as forest fire, land slides or snow. Always ask about the condition of the road and updates on detour routes before driving this road to Gold Beach on the Oregon coast. WARNING: This road is closed in the winter. No snow removal.

3.0 Galice: Store, gas, restaurant and white water rafting operations. Shuttle services for rafters and hikers. Raft and inflatable kayak rentals.

5.4 Chair Riffle (rough road)

5.7 Rand Day Use Area: Picnicking and river access. Paved road.

5.8 Smullin (Rand) visitor center. Ask for the handout on the historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp seen below the visitor center.

6.4 Alameda County Park and Campground: Josephine County Parks and Recreation

6.6 Alameda Mine. Tailings from the mine tunnels are seen on the hill across the river. Sulfur and other minerals were mined here.

7.2 Several nice vista points are along this part of the road. Watch for sharp drop off and cliffs when walking along the road shoulder in this area.

8.5 Argo Riffle: Parking and dock.

8.8 Turbidites: The rocks on the left are volcanic sediments from an ancient volcanic island that sat about 15 miles off the coast during the Jurassic (mid dinosaur age).

10.4 Grave Creek Bridge over the Rogue River. There are two hikes that take off near this bridge. See Rogue River Trails for more information.

To continue on the tour, drive across the bridge and turn right at the fork in the road.
Set your odometer to zero as you turn on to this road.

0.0 Graves Creek Road intersection.

2.2 Rock Creek road

8.8 Fall Creek Road

9.0 Lower Grave Creek Road - Short cut to Sunny Valley and Interstate 5.

9.8 Railroad trestle on right

14.7 Road turns under railroad bridge.

14.75 Wolf Creek County Park and Campground. Josephine County Parks and Recreation

14.8 Historic Wolf Creek Inn State Park

To continue on the tour, go to the stop sign and turn right. Drive for half a mile to the onramp for Interstate Five south to Grants Pass. Zero your odometer as you enter the onramp.

0.0 Onramp for Interstate 5 south.

4.5 Exit 71 - Sunny Valley. Take the off-ramp and turn left at the stop sign. Drive about half a mile to the Applegate Trail Interpretive Center and Grave Creek covered bridge.

The Applegate Trail Interpretive Center is a surprise for anyone who enters and takes the self guided tour that starts with an award winning, three-screen video program and continues past life size dioramas of oxen pulling Conestoga wagons and through rooms illustrating the historic chronology of the local area.

To continue the tour, return to the freeway and take the south onramp to Grants Pass.

7.1 Mt Sexton summit (1,960 feet elevation)

9.6 Exit 66, Hugo

10.5 Jump Off Joe Creek

13.0 Rest Area

15.0 Exit 61, Merlin

18.0 Exit 18.0 Grants Pass - end of tour

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Disclaimer: All information in Highway199.org is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, conditions in outdoor settings can change dramatically after storms or fires. For this reason, travelers are advised to check current road conditions before traveling through the area, drive responsibly and take measures to understand safety issues in the region. When participating in outdoor activities, always plan and prepare for safe hiking, swimming or any other activities mentioned in the Highway 199 website. More on disclaimer and copyright...