Prospect, OR

The area near the town of Prospect is filled with a plethora of beautiful scenery and fascinating wonders.

Rogue Gorge

French-Canadian trappers named the Rogue River after the local Indians who they called "Coquins" which means rascals or rogues.

Waters at the Chasm Entrance

Black Lava Wall of the Rogue Gorge

Chasm Outlet

The Rogue Gorge is a distinct narrowing of this river. Its chasm is 500 feet long, narrows to 25 feet wide, and is 45 feet from its top to the river.

Above the Chasm

Inside the Chasm

The Douglas Fir trees near the Rogue Gorge live as a group not as individuals. Their roots have grown together by which they share nutrients and water. This is how this stump continues to live after the main part of the tree was cut down.

The Living Stump

Natural Bridge

On the way to Natural Bridge, a bridge provides a nice viewpoint above the Rogue River.

Upstream View from Bridge

Downstream View

This "cave" is the opening to a lava tube. Water appears to flow in, circulate, and then return to the main river channel. This means the lava tube has collapsed somewhere behind the opening.

Cave

Natural Bridge is a 200-foot-long lava tube where the Rogue River disappears from sight, passes through the lava tube, and then reappears a short distance later.

Natural Bridge

Closer View of the Top Layer of the Lava Tube

At the river's peak flow, approximately 335,000 gallons enter and exit Natural Bridge each minute at 6 feet per second.

Entrance to Natural Bridge

Water Exits Natural Bridge

Rogue River

Instead of driving, I chose to hike beside the Rogue River the 8-mile roundtrip between Natural Bridge and Rogue Gorge. Although they were beginning to fade, the fall colors along the riverbanks were still beautiful.

Red, Yellow & Green Hug the Trail

Rogue River amid Fall Colors

A deeper shade of red stood out among the leaves a few times.

Red-Berried Elder

Red Berries

The river seemed to have a split personality as it would shift back and forth between quiet and serene to raging and roaring.

Calm Waters

Narrow Channel

Whitewater

There were a couple of unique spots on the river. At one, I was able to walk out on lava rock which appears to get covered when the water volume increases and the river rises. It was like walking among tide pools at the beach during low tide. At another, the water's current and refracted sunlight mixed in a way that I thought the river was creating abstract art.

Rogue River at "Low Tide"

River Current + Light Refraction = Nature's Artwork

For a mile or more, I played tag with an osprey. Just as I got close enough to take a picture using my telephoto lens, the osprey would chirp or cry and fly upriver and out of sight. This process repeated itself four times before the osprey flew off in the other direction.

Osprey in Profile

Osprey Displays Its White Breast

National Creek Falls

This waterfall almost felt untouched due to its location off the beaten track and the lack of development around the falls themselves.

National Creek Falls

Once the trail descended to the canyon bottom, it did not arrive straight on but perpendicularly. Also, a rocky outcropping shielded one side of the falls, and the creek turned a bend just a short distance downstream. Put all together, the only clear views were gained by climbing and perching oneself atop the outcropping or standing almost directly in front of the falls on a sandbar in the creek.

View from the Outcropping

Since I was only 30 feet or so from the waterfall, I was directly in the path of the mist created by the cascading waters. The proximity, sound, and moisture made the experience feel intimate.

Deluge

Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint

Just outside of town in a space less than two miles wide are two waterfalls, a natural wonder, and a piece of local history.

As I walked amid the forest from one spot to the next, I was surrounded by fall colors.

Vine Maple Turned Yellow

Vine Maple Shows Green, Yellow, Orange & Red

The first waterfall I spied across the canyon was Mill Creek Falls. While the view was partially obstructed most of the time, I did find one good spot.

Mill Creek Falls

Waterfall Between the Trees

Only about a quarter mile further down the trail was an outcropping from which I sat down and enjoyed looking at the next waterfall, Barr Creek Falls. Both waterfalls flow into the Rogue River at the bottom of the canyon.

Waterfall in the Shade

Barr Creek Falls

Upstream from the waterfalls is a place named Avenue of the Giant Boulders. I found scrambling among and over them to be a challenge due to both their size and slipperiness. I also stopped at a roadside spot to view the area from above.

Avenue of the Giant Boulders

Amid the Giant Boulders

The Rogue River Exits the Avenue

While I was next to the Rogue River, I unexpectedly came upon some remnants from the area's first hydroelectric plant built by the Pacific Power & Light Company in 1911.

Rock Walls