Gasquet Toll Road

Patrick Creek Loop Drive, California

Backcountry Adventures - Smith River National Recreation Area

The original Gasquet Toll Road was designed and constructed for stagecoaches and freight wagons. The wheel base of stagecoaches and wagons were narrow so the road was also narrow. Smith River National Recreation Area, Redwood Highway 199, northwest California Klamath Mountain coast

The Gasquet Toll Road climbs steadily up the Shelly Creek drainage toward Oregon Mountain and the Oregon-California border. This was the main route used by people traveling between southern Oregon and Crescent City, California and was in use from around 1885 to 1922 when Highway 199 was constructed.

The road is now considerably wider than it probably was when it was first constructed for stagecoaches and horse drawn freight wagons. The picture to the right may give you an idea of what this narrow road may have looked like before it was widened.

The first seven miles of this road goes through an ocean crust and the ocean sediments that once covered the ocean floor. A dramatic change in plant communities will be seen as the road leaves the nutrient rich soils of the ocean crust and enters into a section of the nutrient poor mantle rock.

ZERO YOUR ODOMETER as you turn RIGHT on to Patrick Creek Road (County Road 316)

0.0 Intersection

0.5 High Dome and a small meadow near the top can be seen in front and above road. The tour will be going around the other side of High Dome where you will have an opportunity to take a short hike to the meadows. To the left of the peak, you should be able to see a sharp change in plant communities with lush vegetation growing on High Dome and thin stands of trees in the region to the left (south). This is a geologic boundary between ocean crust rock and upper mantle rock similar to what was discussed in the first section of the tour.

2.5 Patrick Creek - Shelly Creek Divide: As you cross this saddle, you will be entering into the Shelly Creek drainage.

3.4 Pillow lava (road narrows sign): Pillow lava forms very hard rock and is difficult to excavate. In the Smith River region, the "road narrows" sign is usually a good indication that you are driving through the hard rocks of the ocean crust. If you want to look for pieces of pillow lava, pull over in the turnout and look for samples in the rock that has fallen from the road cut.

4.9 (mile marker 8) The quarry of black shale on the left signals you have arrived at the top of the ocean crust. These sediments settled in deep water probably several miles from the nearest beach and covered the pillow lava flows of the ocean crust.

6.0 Baker Flat: Bridge and road to right goes to Monkey Creek Ridge

7.0 Monumental (site): Monumental was a small community that provided supplies for local prospectors and overnight lodging for travelers. The photos below were taken from the same direction as you will be entering the site.

Historic Monumental on the Gasquet Toll Road. Circa 1920. Smith River National Recreation Area, Redwood Highway 199, northwest California Klamath Mountain coast
Monumental was built on the down hill side of the Gasquet Toll Road. The other side of the road had a steep embankment and no buildings. The picture above-left is what you would have seen as you drove into town. The building in the far left background is the same as is seen on the upper right photo. That was about all there was to the town of Monumental.

7.2 Lush vegetation changes to low scrub brush and dissipated stands of trees as the road crosses a boundary between ocean sedimentary rocks (shale) to mantle rock. This change takes place after mile post 10.27.

7.3 Note the difference of the vegetation. On the left is a plant community of scrub brush and dissipated stands of Jeffrey pine and incense cedar. On the right are stands of tall Douglas fir trees. There is a geologic difference between these two sides but the difference is distinctly unique from the change you just drove through. You are driving through a place where three geologic regimes meet; the ocean crust behind you, the mantle to your left and a different regime on the right that will be discussed when you cross into these rocks at the next stop.

7.5 Shelly Creek crossing: Take a minute to pull over before crossing Shelly Creek at mile post 10.77. Notice the difference in color between the brick red mantle rock in the road cut behind you and the white colored rock in the road cut on the other side of the creek. The white colored sands come from decomposed diorite, a rock with a salt and pepper appearance that prompts many people to call it granite. These rocks come from the crystallized interior of an ancient volcano that was created when and ocean crust was pushed under the edge of the continent to a depth that it melted. The molten magma melted its way upward through the continental crust, perhaps getting close enough to the surface of the earth to create a volcano. The molten magma that was left behind slowly cooled and crystallized over the span of millions of years. The crystallized interior of this ancient volcano is the diorite we see here.

8.4 Road Forks: You will want to go to the LEFT at this fork in the road.

SET YOUR ODOMETER TO ZERO as you make the LEFT turn at the fork.

NOTE: If you want to look down into the valley where Oregon's 1851 gold rush took place, you can take the right fork and drive about 0.2 miles to where the road begins to descend to the left. The best view of the valley is about a mile down this grade where the road crosses over a small saddle. Pull into the turnout on this saddle and walk down the road a short distance to where the trees open and the valley can be seen. You have gone too far if you drive under the power lines. The picture to the right shows the vista of Oregon's gold rush country with the Wimer Road climbing toward Oregon Mountain in the lower middle and left side of the picture. Illinois Valley is the low area in the background. The first gold in the Oregon was discovered near Eight Dollar Mountain, partially hidden by the ridge on the left. Kerby Peak and Little Grayback Peak form the high ridge in the background right.

Return to the Shelly Creek fork and ZERO YOUR ODOMETER to continue the tour.

NEXT...

Introduction | The Moho | Gasquet Toll Road | Wimer Road | Cold Springs Mountain Trail

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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...