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While
Highway 58 itself has outstanding scenic qualities and there are
hundreds of miles of Forest Service and logging roads, to get off
the beaten path and enjoy beautiful forest and mountain vistas,
the Aufderheide National Scenic Byway was one of the Nations
first National Scenic Byways and is a "must see" excursion,
when visiting the Upper Willamette area.
Robert
Aufderheide - Aufderheide National Scenic Byway is dedicated
tor Robert Aufderheide, a man who devoted his life to forestry.
Bob was the Supervisor of the Willamette National Forest from 1954
until his death in 1959. He was known for his commitment to public
service.
Directions;
From I-5, take Highway 58 approximately 33 miles to the town of
Westfir. Drive through Westfir and follow Forest Service Road 19.
Auto
Tape Tour - You can borrow a copy of an audio cassette tour
(free of charge), from the following locations:
- Blue
River Ranger Station off Hwy 126 in Blue River
- Middle
Fork Ranger Station in Oakridge
- Westfir
Lodge Bed & Breakfast accross from covered bridge in Westfir
- Visitor's
Center at rest stop east of Oakridge, open weekends from Memorial
Day through Labor Day.
When
you've completed the tour, a drop box for the tape is provided at
the Blue River Ranger Station and Westfir Lodge Bed and Breakfast.
Aufderheide
National Scenic Byway winds through the lush undergrowth of the
majestic Willamette National Forest and meanders along the cold,
clear waters of the South Fork of the McKenzie and the North Fork
of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. As well as scenic vistas,
Aufderheide Drive gives you the oportunity to see various National
Forest management practices involving timber, recreation, water
and wildlife resources.
As
you drive along listening to the auto tape, you relive the early
logging and mining days of the Westfir and Blue River communities.
Aufderheide Drive has developed from a horse and wagon trail in
the late 1800's to today's National Scenic Byway. Because of heavy
snowfall, the route is generally from November until early April.
Points
of Interest
Some
of the thing you will see will include:
Westfir
Covered Bridge
The
180-foot bridge is the longest covered bridge in the state. It is
unique because of the covered foot walk separate from the roadway
of the bridge.
The
Incline
In
the late 1920's a unique railroad incline was constructed to harvest
timber from Huckleberry Flats. A short incline trail and interprtive
signs, 8 miles north of Westfir, rlive the story.
The
Gorge
Featured
here are rocks covered by spewing lava some three million years
ago, lichen enveloping blocks of lava rock, and a spectacular river-carved
canyon.
Constitution
Grove
In
1987 the Forest Service dedicated Constitution Grove to commemorate
the 200th anniversary of the signing of our country's constitution.
Plaques bearing the constitution signers names are found on 200
year old trees along a gentle 1/8th mile loop trail.
Box
Canyon
Box
Canyon guard station and horse camp are located midway along the
tour. The guard station was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation
Corps. Interpretive signs describe recreational opportunities and
historic facts of the area.
Kiosk
An
informational kiosk awaits the visitor at the south end of Cougar
Reservoir. Stop, take a break and learn about wildlife and local
history of the area.
Cougar
Reservoir
When
full, Cougar Reservoir stretches for 6 miles and covers 1,280 acres.
The dam, located at the north end of the reservoir, was completed
in 1963. It is the tallest rock-filled dam in Oregon. The view from
the road alongside the reservoir provide many vistas into the French
Pete Wilderness Area
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