The Rogue River – A Comprehensive Guide from Prospect to Gold Beach: 3rd Edition

The Rogue River – A Comprehensive Guide from Prospect to Gold Beach (2nd Edition - 2015) was published in 2008. After the successful debut of the Middle Fork Guidebook in 2006, Matt began to research his next project. He had heard quite a bit about the Rogue River from the Oregon driftboat crews on the Middle Fork. The 40-mile Wild and Scenic stretch on the Rogue River was a popular whitewater run. Better yet, it did not have a commercially published guidebook. During the summer and fall of 2007 Matt took several research trips down the Rogue River.

General Information: As he soon discovered, the Rogue River flows more than 160 miles from slopes of Mt Mazama (Crater Lake) to the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach. The entire river below Lost Creek reservoir is designated as Scenic, Recreation, or Wild and Scenic as defined by the 1968 the Wild and Scenic Rivers act. The general information section of the guidebook contains a wealth of information and resources for the entire length of the Rogue River.

Wild and Scenic Rogue: When most people think of the Rogue River the nearly 40-mile Wild and Scenic stretch from Grave Creek to Foster Bar comes to mind. This is definitely the focus of the guidebook. High and Low Water descriptions are included as well as accurate and useful campsite information. The detailed 7.5-minute topo maps, however, cover more than 70 miles of river between Hog Creek and Lobster Creek so floaters who wish to add mileage before or after the Wild and Scenic float will be well prepared.

Upper and Lower River: Kayakers will find a detailed map with rapid descriptions for the whitewater run upstream of Lost Creek Reservoir. In addition, larger-scale maps of the Upper river (Lost Creek Reservoir to Hog Creek) and the Lower river (Lobster Bar to Gold Beach) identify the major access points and other points of interest along the river.

Hiking: Unfortunately, most people on river trips get sucked into the social eddy that surrounds the camp scene. This guidebook offers ample information on a variety of hikes from camp that will hopefully inspire people to get out and explore the wilderness. Even though much of the Rogue is covered in dense vegetation, there are plenty of exploratory ridge and canyon hikes. Helpful info on how to handle the Poison Ivy is also included.

Rogue River Trail: There is a trail that runs the length of the Rogue River. It is a popular spring destination for hikers throughout the country. The ability to hike unsupported from a handful of wilderness lodges offers a unique experience. The guidebook included a detailed description of the entire length of the Rogue River Trail.

River Lodges: The guidebook contains a brief description of the numerous lodges along the river as well as contact and reservation information.

History: While researching the Rogue Guidebooks Matt learned quite a bit about the history surrounding the Rogue. Miners in the 1850s plumbed the canyons in search of gold and inevitably conflicted with the local Takelma Native tribes. A detailed history of the Rogue River Indian wars, and the development of the river corridor that followed is an important part of the guidebook.

Geology: As with his Middle Fork Guidebook, Matt spent a lot of time reading professional papers in order to understand the geology of the Rogue River. This section includes a laypersons summary of the regional geology and included several full-color diagrams in order to make the subject matter more palatable to the less geologically-inclined.

Matt sincerely hopes The Rogue River – A Comprehensive Guide from Prospect to Gold beach helps floaters make the most of their time in this beautiful Rogue River Canyon.