Adventures in history: The Old Redwood Stage Road of Oregon and California

Patrick Creek Road, California

The 1886 Gasquet Toll Road

SET YOUR ODOMETER TO ZERO as you turn from the Wimer Road on to the Gasquet Toll Road (Patrick Creek Road). You are now entering the Shelly Creek watershed.

The old Redwood Highway begins to drop down from Oregon Mountain in the Shelly Creek drainage. White highway markers like the one in the lower right, are seen periodically along the route. The first half mile of this road is a little rocky. Drive with caution. 0.0 Intersection of Wimer Road and Gasquet Toll Road

The picture to the right shows the road as it descends from the Wimer Road on Oregon Mountain into the Shelly Creek drainage. The first section of the drive is a little more rocky compared to the rest of the tour. Drive carefully for the first half mile.

1.0 Shelly Creek. Just before crossing Shelly Creek, There are some good exposures of diorite in the road cut on the left. Compare diorite with the rocks on the other side of the creek, which are a type of mantle rock called wehrlite. The pictures show wehrlite on the left and diorite on the right. The large crystals of pyroxine in wehrlite make these rocks sparkle in the sunlight. Shelly Creek appears to have developed along the contact between these two rocks. As you drive to the next feature, note how the plant community on one side of the creek is made up of brush and pine trees. On the other side are stands of large Douglas fir.

1.2 You are approaching a junction between three types of geology. Watch how the vegetation on both sides of the road changes from scrub brush to lush vegetation including ferns. At this point you will be entering a section of ancient ocean crust.

1.3 The vegetation changes from dissipated stands of scrub brush and pines to a dense, lush forest. You have just entered the nutrient rich sediments of an ancient ocean and will be driving through this type of geology for the next two and a half miles.

Just past this change in geology is the site of Monumental, a small community that provided supplies for local prospectors and overnight lodging for travelers. The photo below left shows the town from the same direction that you will be approaching from the lower right. The road is situated under the snow between the hillside and the buildings. The building in the center left is the same as the one shown in the picture on the right.

Monumental, California located near the Oregon - California border on the old Redwood Highway to Crescent City, California.

2.5 Baker Flat. A lumber mill was once located at this site.

The old Redwood Highway near Monumental, California located near the Oregon - California border. 3.6 A quarry of black shale on the right marks the bottom of the ocean sediments and the beginning of the ocean crust. Rocks of the ocean crust were created by volcanic activity along large cracks in the ocean floor and for this reason are called "rift" volcanoes. The lava fields from these eruptions is what you will be driving through for the next five miles.

The ocean crust has rock that is much more resistant to erosion and as you continue on the tour look to see how the walls of the canyon become steeper. Making a road through these rocks in the 1880s must have been challenging and it is likely the road was made just wide enough for a single wagon or vehicle to pass. The picture to the right is what the road may have looked like in 1918. It is now twice as wide with room for two cars to pass.

5.1 A large turnout on the left provides a good place to pull over and look at the rocks in the road cut where you might find samples of the ocean crust lava flows. These lava flows are called pillow lavas because of the way the lava interacts with the water to form rounded, pillow-shaped blobs. Gas is released from the lava and some of this gets trapped inside the rock forming bubbles that cool to create small, rounded holes that give the lava a sponge-like appearance. Over long periods of time being under water, these 1/8-1/4 inch holes have filled with a pale green-blue mineral that give these rocks an odd looking polka-dot appearance.

6.0 Shelly Creek - Patrick Creek Divide. The road crosses over a saddle from the Shelly Creek watershed to the Patrick Creek watershed.

8.5 Intersection with Patrick Creek Road – TURN RIGHT to continue on the tour.
ZERO YOUR ODOMETER
Note: If you have had enough of dirt roads and want to return to Highway 199 at this point, you can turn left at this intersection and drive 3.1 to Highway 199 and Patrick Creek Lodge.

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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...