Gold Beach, Port Orford & Sixes, OR (3/31 thru 4/7/2020)

Slightly larger than Port Orford, the town of Gold Beach is the county seat and has a population of about 2300 people.  Originally called Ellensburgh, the name was changed after prospectors discovered gold being brought to the beach by the Rogue River.  The town is famous for the Rogue River jet boat service, also known as the "mail boat" for delivering mail upstream to the community of Agness.  I had hoped to take the jet boat ride, but that business is closed like most everything else.  Gold Beach is also known for its scenic shoreline with unique rock formations.

 In addition to natural beauty, I find the bridge over the Rogue to be attractive, and the house perched high on the mountainside certainly has a great view of the shore.

Since the near constant rain has given way to sunny skies, I've gone to Paradise Point several times to enjoy the sunset.  The recent Super Moon was also visible through thin clouds.

The Sixes River, north of Port Orford, apparently got its name from early miners mispronouncing the Indian name for it.  The tiny community built along the banks of the river has also taken the name Sixes.  The Sixes River Road is another scenic byway that runs up and over the coastal mountains.  While views of the river are limited, there are a few waterfalls along the way.

 

Oregon is a major producer of lumber and the logging industry is quite active in this area.  Seeing a hillside that has been "clear cut" can be sad for most of us, yet we recognize that everyone needs the lumber for housing.  Further, the companies that harvest the timber come along and replant trees for the future.  It just takes a while for the young trees to hide the scars.

As the road climbs higher, drop-offs into canyons become very deep, as much as 1000 feet in places.  No worry about driving off the road however, since trees would stop your fall right away.  There are occasional rock slides, but people simply drive over or around them where there's room.