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

Patrick Creek Road to Oregon Mountain

The 1886 Gasquet Toll Road

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This section of the tour may not be passable during winter months due to snow at the summit of Oregon Mountain pass. The tour through this section is not recommended during the winter.

If snow has blocked the road and you want to continue the tour, drive to Highway 199 and turn left. Drive about 20 miles to the O'Brien Store (flashing yellow light) and pick up the tour at this point by clicking the Gold Country link below.

The photo to the right shows the Grants Pass-Crescent City stage riding over the old redwood highway in what appears to be the vicinity of Oregon Mountain summit.

0.0 Intersection with Patrick Creek Road – ZERO YOUR ODOMETER as you TURN LEFT on to Patrick Creek Road to continue on tour. The road is rough with wash boarding for the first mile but smooths out as you approach the ridge above Shelly Creek .

2.5 Cross ridge into the Shelly Creek watershed.

The walls of the canyon become steep as the road enters another section of erosion resistant ocean crust. Constructing a road through these rocks in the late 1800s must have been a challenge and it is likely the original road was made to be just wide enough for a freight wagon or stage coach to pass. The picture below and to the left would probably be a good representation of what the road might have looked like. The picture on the right shows the road as it appears today.

The old Redwood Highway near Monumental, California located near the Oregon - California border.

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

7.0 Monumental (site). Monumental was a small community that provided supplies for local prospectors and overnight lodging for travelers. The photo below left was taken from the hill above town. You will enter this picture in the upper middle right and drive toward the lower middle. The first building you would see as you entered town is the store in the photo below right. In the picture on the left, this building is hidden behind a small tree in the middle right.

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

7.2 Lush vegetation changes to brush and dissipated stands of pine trees as the road crosses a geologic boundary. Three types of rocks meet here. Behind you is the ocean crust, to the left are mantle rocks and on the right are rocks from the core of ancient volcanic activity. Note the highly contrasting plant communities seen on both sides of the road. On the left side are dissipated plant communities growing on serpentine rock and on the other side are dense stands of Douglas fir growing on diorite, a granitic-like rock produced in the cooling core of an ancient volcano. Samples of this rock can be seen in the road cut on the right after crossing over Shelly Creek at mile 7.5.

The two photos below show what the road looks like as you continue.

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.

8.4 Road forks. GO TO THE RIGHT. This fork marks the end of the Gasquet Toll Road. The tour route now merges with the Wimer Road, constructed around 1882 by Joseph Wimer, a merchant in the mining town of Waldo, Oregon. The picture to the right shows the Gasquet Toll Road coming up from the middle left and merging with the Wimer Road on the right.

ZERO YOUR ODOMETER as you merge with the Wimer Road. Continue straight ahead.

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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...