Rogers Road / Gales Creek Day Use and Trailhead Temporarily Closed!

Rogers Road leading into the Gales Creek Day Use Area and Trailhead will be temporarily closed while ODOT completes repair work on the Highway 6 slide. Estimated closure time: 2 weeks. 

Christmas Trees

Happy Holidays!

Thanks to everyone who has called to start the Holiday Season off on the right foot by checking to see if Christmas tree cutting is allowed on State Forests.  We really appreciate everyone working to "do the right thing" on State Forest lands.

Oregon's State Forests don't issue permits for or allow cutting of Christmas trees.  There are great opportunities to cut your own Christmas trees on most National Forests and at local Christmas tree farms.

Here are some resources to help you find the best place to cut your Christmas tree:

Links for more information on cutting Christmas trees in National Forests:

Mt. Hood National Forest

Siuslaw National Forest

Links for information on private Christmas tree farms:

Pick Your Own Christmas Tree

Mushrooms & Wildlife Don't Care About Fashion

The arrival of autumn finds the Tillamook State Forest filled with the brilliant reds, oranges and yellows of maples and alders donning their fall finery.  Autumn also brings out hundreds of visitors who engage in activities such as foraging for mushrooms or hunting for game that take them off of the beaten path into the brush.

If your recreation activities take you off of established roads, please consider the following safety tips:

Does someone know where you are?  If you head out to the woods, let someone know where you are going and when you plan on returning and don't deviate from your plans. That way, if there is an emergency that prevents you from returning home, you can be sure folks know where to start looking for you.

Safety orange is not just for game hunters.  High visibility clothing is your friend whether you are traveling on a designated trail, hunting for deer, fishing a remote stream or foraging for mushrooms.  It makes you visible not just to your fellow visitors but to search teams as well.

Don't block access for others. Please do not park in front of locked gates. Locked gates on public land don't mean that no one will be using the road systems behind them.  Forestry staff, loggers, road builders and law enforcement partners may be working behind and out of sight of that locked gate - weekdays and weekends.

Can you survive the night?  Carry food and water with you whenever you are in the woods even if you only plan on being in the woods for a few hours or away from your vehicle for a short time.  Temperatures can vary wildly during the early days of autumn so taking an extra layer with you when you head into the woods can be a lifesaver.

How's your whistle?  Most foresters carry a whistle with them at all times when they are crashing through the brush.  The sound of a whistle will carry farther than the human voice and can be used alert people to your presence.

Shelter in place.  If you do get turned around when you are out in the woods the best thing you can do is to stay in one place.  It's easier to find someone when they remain stationary.

And finally, keep a good thought.  Your best friend in planning and enjoying a forest visit or in working through an emergency situation is a positive attitude.

See you in the woods!