Things to do
NATURE
A vast cobweb of wild rivers, snowy mountain trails, and cross-country ski routes, entering Rogue River National Forest is a little like stepping into a live nature documentary. Master whitewater runs on Rogue River, cutting through corridors of towering pine trees. Snowboard 240 acres of thrilling terrain on Mount Ashland. Or picnic beside the refreshing mist of a waterfall. As you walk, sail or swim, listen for a telltale crunch – it could be a black bear foraging for nuts and berries, black-tailed deer darting into the woods, or river otters slipping from the pebbly banks into the water.
BEACH
As well as the end of the Wild River, Gold Beach marks the tail of the Oregon Coast Trail. This is one of the most spectacular ways to see the shoreline – all 363 miles of it – and to appreciate the rich diversity of Oregon. Enter the opaque greenery of ancient spruce forests. Emerge onto headlands that soar high above treetop canopies, where ospreys dip and great blue heron dive. Then cast your gaze across sea stacks to the untamed Pacific Ocean, watching for the rising backs of humpback whales.
CULTURE
Gold Beach promises plenty of small-town charm. Join the local community for the annual glass floats treasure hunt, when beachcombers search for 1,500 hand-made spheres hidden here. As you walk the shore, pause at the Mary D. Hume wreck. This steamboat was in service for 97 years, sailing the Arctic and Alaska, before retiring to her first home in Gold Beach – and joining the National Register of Historic Places. You can go a little deeper into the past at Curry Historical Museum, too.
