Osgood Ditch Trail, Oregon

Hydraulic mining operations using water under high pressure to wash gold bearing gravel into sluice boxes near the gold rush town of Waldo, Highway 199, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains Many of the mining operations during the Oregon gold rush of 1851 used high pressure water nozzles to excavate gravel from hill sides and wash the rock and sand through sluice boxes to separate the gold. To get this high pressure, the miners needed a water source high above their mine that could be fed into pipes and routed to their mining operations. Sometimes, water ditches were constructed to carry water from a nearby river to supply mining operations. The ditches generally followed the contour of the land and were sometimes carried across gullies or creeks in a metal or wooden flue to prevent damage during winter flooding.

The Osgood Ditch was used to carry water from the East Fork of the Illinois River to Water flume for hydraulic mining operations in Oregon. mining operations near the gold rush town of Waldo. The ditch is high on the mountain because its end point, the place where the water was fed into pipes for the mine, had to be high above the mining operations to obtain the necessary water pressure.

Directions to the trailhead

Drive about six and a half miles south of Cave Junction on Highway 199 and turn on Waldo Road (also called Happy Camp Road. This is the beginning of the Jefferson State Scenic Byway. Drive about 5 miles to the stop sign at Takilma Road. TURN RIGHT on Takilma Road and drive 3.6 miles to the fork in the road. GO RIGHT at the fork and drive about 0.3 miles to the bridge. Immediately after crossing the bridge, TURN LEFT on the dirt road. It is two miles from the bridge to the Osgood trailhead on this road. Note that the gravel road typically has deep potholes for the first half a mile but these become less of a problem once you pass the parking area for the East Fork Trailhead on the left and start climbing up the mountain to the right. Watch for the Osgood Ditch trailhead on the left as you approach mile 2. The parking area is just past this on the right.

Trail Description

Osgood Water Ditch is seen in the lower right of the picture. The trail is on the burm of dirt that was excavated and piled beside the ditch. Osgood Ditch Trail, Cave Junction, Highway 199, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains The trail follows the shoulder of the Osgood Ditch, which generally has a very gentle grade. Several years ago, the ditch experienced a "blow out" where the water breached the wall of the ditch and water eroded a large gully down the mountain side. The trail goes around this and continues. At some places a flue was used to cross gullies. The ditch ends abruptly and a foot trail cross these low areas. Typically the crossings are not difficult except near the end of the trail where the geology changes to harder rock. In this area, the builders of the ditch apparently elected to use a flue to go over the rocks rather than try to excavate a ditch. This section of the trail is marked by rock outcrops and an up-and-down, poorly defined trail over the rock outcrops. If you continue, there is a fair amount of rock scrambling involved to get to the other side of the gully and, once you get back on the ditch, the Osgood Trail ends at the East Fork Trail to the Siskiyou Wilderness. For most people, it is best to turn around before going over these rocks and return to your vehicle.

Water flume spanning a gully, Oregon.

________________________________________________________________________________

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...