Elder Mountain Forest Trail, Oregon

This is a short loop trail that takes you through a forest that was clearcut in 1949 and has been managed for quick growth and maximum production. Numbered posts are found along the tour route. Additional things to see along the walk are indicated on the map below.

Directions to the trailhead (A generalized map can be obtained on the Jefferson State Byway)

Trailhead for the Elder Mountain Demonstration Forest. Jefferson State Byway, Cave Junction, Oregon From Cave Junction, follow Highway 199 for about six miles to Waldo Road on the left. This is the beginning of the Jefferson State Byway. Turn on Waldo Road (also known as Happy Camp Road) and Drive 9.1 miles to the intersection of USFS 4804 on the left, a gravel surfaced road to Elder Mountain. This intersection is on a sharp right turn making it difficult to see oncoming traffic at the point where you make the turn. Use caution when turning left on to USFS 4804 from the Jefferson State Byway. USFS 4804 is a well graded gravel road but be careful for rocks or branches that may have recently fallen on the road. Drive 2.3 miles to the trailhead. The only intersection along the route is at mile 1.4 where a road takes off uphill to the right. Continue straight ahead at this intersection. The picture shows the trailhead, which is marked by a 4x4 post.

Road 4804 is a gravel surfaced roads managed by the Forest Service (USFS). Assure your vehicle has tires suitable for driving on gravel roads. The road may be closed by snow in the winter.

Trail Map

Tree Farm conservation movement (1955). Cave Junction, southern Oregon. Numbered posts can be found along the trail and were originally installed for a self guided interpretive trail. The Forest Service trail guide is no longer available. The following information provides a best guess at what was being pointed out in the original trail guide.

The Forest Service may have established this demonstration forest as part of an effort to participate in a conservation movement during the 1950s. Tree farms were established on private lands and each owner practiced their own strategy for bringing their forest to maximum productivity. Some owners utilized teams of horses to drag logs out of the forest to avoid compacting the ground with heavy equipment. Others mixed dairy grazing with tree growing, probably to control weeds and fertilize the trees.

The first stop is about 300 feet from the road at the fork in the trail. From this point, you will be following the path to the left.

1) The forest around you began growing after the existing old growth forest was harvested in 1949. Stumps of the old trees can still be seen around the trail and provide an insight to how trees in a natural forest were distributed.

A) Fourth Order Stream: Fourth order streams are controversial because they are considered as part of a stream network but only have running water during the winter. Logging is now generally prohibited in fourth order streams. The large size of stumps in this drainage may indicate that underground water is more prevalent and this may feed springs that sustain rivers through the summer.

Map of Elder Mountain Demonstration Forest, Jefferson State Byway, Cave Junction, southwest Oregon Siskiyou Mountains.

2) Steep terrain is common in the Siskiyou Mountains and forest managers must consider how trees can be produced while at the same time prevent disturbance that leads to erosion and land slides when trees are harvested.

3) Forest debris: Trees constantly drop leaves and branches that accumulate on the forest floor. A problem in forest management is how to deal with this debris. High levels of forest debris is the main reason for the increasing catastrophic fires in the nation every year.

Holes made in the trunk of a tanoak by a sap sucker. Elder Mountain Demonstration Forest Trail, Cave Junction, Oregon B) The hardwood trees seen along the trail probably got their start when the forest was just starting to grow after being clear-cut. Over time, these trees are out competed by the Douglas-fir. Most of these trees are tanoak but some canyon oak are also found along the trail. Note the rings of holes made in the tree by sapsuckers.

4) Trees that were planted after clear-cut logging of this forest the forest were thinned to create a dispersed forest.

5) The small foot bridge was installed because of the water that has seeped to the surface in this area.

C) The hardwoods above the trail grow in a ring that started as sprouts around the stump of the parent tree, probably after the original tree was cut down in 1949. Note the woodrat nest cradled in the trunks of one tree cluster.

6) The large open area is an old log landing where trees were stacked before being shipped down the mountain to the mill.

7) (Uncertain what is being pointed out at this stop)

D) As walking down the road note the forest on the left has the lower branches trimmed on the trees. This is a measure to help prevent small fires from killing the young trees. Low limbs of a tree can act as a ladder to carry fire into the upper part of the tree, which could result in its death. The apparent strategy in this forest was to spread out the trees and cut the lower limbs to prevent fire damage. However, when the shade of the trees is removed and sunlight is able to reach the ground, hundreds of hardwood trees and shrubs such as manzanita and tanoak will sprout from seeds or latent roots and grow vigorously. This creates a separate problem in the control of fire and this brush needs to be periodically removed until the trees grow large enough to shade the forest floor and suppress the growth of these plants.

Watch on the right for the trail going back to the parking area. This trail is unmarked and if you miss it and walk to the intersection with Road 4804, turn right and follow Road 4804 back to your vehicle.

Elder Mountain Vista Point

After walking the trail, you can continue driving on USFS 4804 for another half mile to a point overlooking the Illinois Valley. As you drive from the trailhead GO RIGHT at the fork in the road a short distance from the Elder Mountain Trail. There is no marked vista point. Look for the best vantage point you can find and enjoy the view.

1) Cave Junction; 2) Babyfoot Lake; 3) Fiddler Mountain; 4) Wild and Scenic Illinois River and the TJ Howell Botanical Drive; 5) Eight Dollar Mountain; 6) Briggs Valley; 7) Bridgeview, located on the Oregon Caves History Loop 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...