Santa visits the Tillamook State Forest

Sleigh Bells Were Ringing in Rogers Camp!

On December 10th, Santa Claus made a guest appearance at Rogers Camp Trailhead.  He was there to support Trucks In Tight Spots, Off Road's 4th annual Toys for Tots event.  (Rumor has it, Santa can be thanked for bringing the beautiful sunny weather with him!)

Santa handed out candy canes
to the next generation of 4x4 enthusiasts.

Trucks-In-Tight-Spots has partnered with the US Marine Corps Reserve for this event since 2014 and each year the number of toys collected and money raised increases.

This year, over the course of the day, enough toys were donated to fill the Marine Corps Reserve duece-and-a-half and $2,300 dollars was raised for the charity.

Congratulations to Trucks-In-Tight-Spots for a fantastic event!

Thanks to everyone who donated to this wonderful cause!

Santa posed for pictures with his fans.

Santa along with Dennis and Sara of Trucks In Tight Spots prepare for the raffle.

Volunteers load the Marine Corps transport vehicle with boxes of donated toys.

You can help support State Forest Recreation Opportunities

Wayne Naillon was a regular
volunteer at trail work parties in the
Tillamook State Forest.

The State Forests Recreation Fund has been established in memory of Wayne Naillon who passed away in the spring of 2016.  Wayne was a long-time volunteer and trail advocate for the Tillamook State Forest.

Oregon's State Forests host thousands of visitors every year who come to enjoy recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle use, camping, hunting and fishing.  Your gift will contribute to the management and long-term maintenance of trail systems, outdoor recreation facilities and recreation programs on Oregon's State Forests.

The State Forests Recreation Fund is managed by the Tillamook Forest Heritage Trust a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

DONATE NOW

The Holidays are Upon Us!

When you are planning your holiday decorations, remember the Oregon Department of Forestry does not issue permits for nor allow personal or commercial cutting of Christmas trees in Oregon's State Forests.

Please visit your local Christmas tree vendor, u-cut tree farm or the US Forest Service options for obtaining your tree.

Let's keep all of the trees in the Tillamook State Forest growing!

Winter weather is upon us. Please check the forecast, carry emergency supplies, drive carefully and visit TripCheck-Oregon for highway road conditions and Oregon Department of Forestry's Website for forest road reports before your next forest adventure.

Hembre Ridge Road & Murphy Camp Road Closures

Due to active logging operations in the area, a portion of Hembre Ridge Road will be closed Monday to Friday. The closure will begin on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.














A portion of Murphy Camp Road is closed until the end of active logging operations.

University Falls Road Upgrades Complete

University Falls Road improvements have been completed.  University Falls Road access is now open to University Falls Trailhead and Stagecoach Horse Camp.

A new fish passage culvert Was installed on University Falls Road at the water crossing just past the University Falls Trailhead as you head in to Stagecoach Horse Camp.  (Having entered the forest at milepost 33 from Highway 6.)  

As always, ODF encourages folks to scout the alternate routes to Stagecoach without a trailer before making the attempt to drive in on any route aside from the traditional entry of Beaver Dam Road to University Falls Road to the Powerline access.

Storey Burn Road Upgrades Completed

The project work to widen Storey Burn Road is being widened at both the 0.5 mile marker and the 1.5 mile marker has been completed.

Updated 11.06.2017

Thank You Volunteers

A great big THANK YOU to the volunteers who participated in the annual SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup that was held on Saturday, September 23. Volunteers cleaned the banks of the Wilson River from Smith Homestead to the Tillamook Forest Center.

The group was small but mighty and collected 50 pounds of trash which included a large assortment of single shoes!

Storey Burn Trail Temporary Closure Lifted

UPDATED 09.25.2017

All segments of the Storey Burn Trail are now open.

North Fork Road Closure

The North Fork Road, located near milepost 22 off of Hwy 6, will be closed at the 2.5 mile Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24 for culvert replacement. The North Fork Designated Campsites, located at the 3 mile on North Fork Road, will also be closed during this time.

Volunteers Needed for SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup

Volunteer Event: Wilson River Cleanup
Date: Saturday, September 23
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Jones Creek Day Use Area located at Highway 6 and North Fork Road (milepost 22)

The Wilson River has been flooded with visitors this summer. Join us as we clean the riverbanks from Smith Homestead to the Tillamook Forest Center before the fall rains carry the debris to the sea. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for weather. Cleanup supplies will be provided. Registration is open at SOLVE

Morrison Eddy Closure

Morrison Eddy designated campsites, located at milepost 15 on Foss Road, will be closed September 6 through November 1, 2017. Site closure is necessary for site improvements and the installation of a vault toilet.

Beaver Dam Rock Pit (aka Browns Camp Shooting Pit)

Starting on Friday, September 1,2017, the Beaver Dam Rock Pit is OPEN to all public use.

DISCLAIMER:  Even when open, the Beaver Dam Rock Pit may be closed at any time for industrial rock haul activity.  If there is any kind of equipment in the rock pit, it is closed to all public use.  Additionally, industrial rock operators do have the authority to ask folks to cease all target shooting / public use in order to open the pit for industrial rock haul activity.

Hunting Season Road Restrictions

Forest Road Management Helps Deer & Elk Populations

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), partnering with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and the Tillamook Chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association (OHA), will resume road restrictions this fall in the western part of the Tillamook State Forest.  These road restrictions are put in place to improve deer and elk escapement during hunting season.  The partnership has been in place 14 years now and the location of gates changes year to year based on access needs, stand conditions and operations.

Some roads will be closed to motorized use during the general archery and rifle hunting seasons in September, October and November. Selected roads in the Trask, Wilson and Nehalem River areas will be gated and signed. Controlled access during the three-month period is designed to reduce hunting pressure in these areas.

Hunters and other recreational users are welcome to access the gated areas by foot, mountain bike, horse or other non-motorized means.

Motorized access by ODF staff or contractors working in those areas may occur on occasion. Maps of the road management areas are posted on the "Hunting Season" tab of this blog and are also available at the Tillamook ODF office located at 5005 Third St., Tillamook.

If you have questions about the road management program, contact Gary Baker at the Tillamook ODF office, 503-842-2545, or Herman Biederbeck at the Tillamook ODFW office, 503-842-2741.

Cochran Road Improvements

·      Starting the week of August 21^st, road improvement and reconstruction work will be taking place on Cochran Road between Ingersol Road and Round Top Road.  See attached map showing the highlighted location.   Travelers on this segment of Cochran Road should expect periodic delays.

Gales Creek Trail

Updated 08.04.2017

The segment of the Gales Creek Trail between Cochran Road and the bridge by the water trough is now OPEN.

The Step Creek Trail is open.

The Storey Burn Trail between the Storey Burn Trailhead and the Gales Creek Trail junction remains closed due to timber sale activity.

Beaver Dam Paving Project: Smoothing out the Rough Edges

Many of you have commented over the past few months about the rough entry on the patch of pavement as you turn south onto Beaver Dam Road when you leave Highway 6 at milepost 33. (See map below.)

We are delighted to let you know that the asphalt will be patched in a multi-phase project over the next few weeks. 

While the goal is for the road to remain open during the work, there may be temporary closures or delays that impact traffic.

Here's the timeline for the work:

Monday, August 7:   Asphalt cutting.  No delays, half the road will be blocked at a time.  

Tuesday, August 8 -  Thursday, August 10:   2-3 days of excavation and fill work.  The work will be done to half the road at a time so vehicles may still pass.  There still might be very short delays when moving equipment or dumping rock.  The plan is to do the portions that may impact traffic first thing Tuesday morning. 

Tuesday, August 15 – ODOT will pave starting first thing in the morning and should only take about 4 hours.  Vehicles may experience short delays.   

Fire Season Declared for Northwest Oregon

Effective Monday, July 10, 2017 at 1:00 AM, the Northwest Oregon Fire Protective Association (NWOFPA) is in Fire Season.  This area includes the Tillamook State Forest and the Clatsop State Forest.

Don't let the cooler than average temperatures over the past few weeks fool you, fire season is here and it won't be long until the forests and fields are tinder dry. The Oregon Department of Forestry is ready to respond to any wildland fire situation that might occur but hopes that encouraging folks to practice increased fire safety will prevent the need for fire crews to be dispatched to face the flames of a wildfire.

While this doesn't mean that the Regulated Use Fire Restrictions are in effect, it does mean that sky lanterns, tracer rounds and exploding targets are prohibited on ODF protected lands. It also means most counties are either in a burn ban or will be entering a burn ban soon.  You should call your local fire department before lighting any burn piles, even if it's just yard debris. 

It's also a good time to plan ahead so you have your fire prevention tools and strategies in place for when Regulated Use does go into effect.  Prepare your vehicle for visiting State Forests or traveling in rural areas by packing a gallon of water or a 2.5 pound fire extinguisher and a shovel with an 8 inch blade that is at least 26 inches long from the tip of the handle to the tip of the shovel blade.

Thanks for your help in keeping Oregon's State Forests green!

Happy Birthday America!

Independence Day weekend is quickly approaching and while it's not Fire Season quite yet, the Oregon Department of Forestry wants to remind folks that it's never too early to think about fire safety.

When you head out to the woods to celebrate the July 4th weekend, remember that the use of fireworks is not permitted in designated recreation areas such as campgrounds, trail heads, interpretive areas, rest areas or at designated campsites.  

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

2017 OHV Event Calendar Updates

The Tillamook State Forest is the backdrop for a variety of OHV Events each year. 

This summer marks the return of Kids Field Day to the Browns Camp Area.  This fun and educational family event will be hosted by the Lobos Motorcycle Club.

Updated OHV Event Calendar below:

Tillamook Forest Center Summer Events

Diamond Mill Open

Project work at Diamond Mill OHV Staging Area continues but the area is OPEN for camping and OHV staging. Work to be completed includes relocation of the kids track, new parking lot surfacing and improved signage.

Diamond Mill Closure Extended

The Diamond Mill OHV Area enhancement project is still underway. Diamond Mill will remain CLOSED until the project is completed in early June. This means that Diamond Mill will be CLOSED over Memorial Day Weekend.

For OHV users looking to visit Tillamook State Forest over the holiday weekend, please consider visiting nearby Cedar Creek or Jordan Creek. Both areas have an OHV staging area, designated campsites and access to many OHV trails.

For information on camping and OHV trail opportunities in the Tillamook State Forest, please visit the TSF Blog or the ODF Website.

Tillamook State Forest Volunteers ROCK!

Successfully SOLVED!

Before: Cascade Cruisers prepare to tackle a dumpsite.

On Saturday, April 22, seventy-two volunteers braved the coastal climate to help clean-up garbage and invasive plants in the Tillamook state Forest as part of the annual SOLVE Earth Day clean-up.

At the end of the day, these fantastic folks, working with four Forestry staff members, had filled two, 20-yard dumpsters with garbage ranging from a queen sized mattress set to a sectional sofa to several pick-up loads of target shooting trash, collected 52 tires and pulled scotch broom while cleaning up storm debris at one of the campgrounds.

A huge thank-you goes out to everyone who rallied in the rain to remove the refuse.  The Tillamook State Forest is lucky to have volunteers like you!

After:  Garbage gone!  On to the next dumpsite!

Clubs and Organizations represented included:

• Cascade Cruisers
• Friends of Wayne Naillon
• Gitout.com
• Jolly Jeepers
• Oregon Equestrian Trails (Northwest Chapter)
• Oregon Hunters Association
• ORNet
• Pacific Coast Rover Club
• Tillamook State Forest Trail Patrol
• TrashNoLands.org



TrashNoLands.org set up at the Beaver Dam Rock Pit for the day to collect garbage and to distribute information about safe target shooting.

• Trucks in Tight Spots Off-Road

Special thanks goes out to our site partners:

• SOLVE for helping to recruit volunteers and for providing clean-up supplies.
• SWATCO Sanitary, Inc of Banks for donating the dumpsters and hauling service.
• ODOT for providing the staging area for volunteer registration and dumpsters.

2017 Campground Opening Dates

Off to a Late Start - Browns Camp Trip Planner

If you are planning to visit Browns Camp (the campground) this spring, please note that while the trails in the area are open, the campground will be opening later than usual this year.  Just like the trails, the campground was hit hard by the winter weather and the snow has just melted back enough for Recreation Staff to be able to get through all of the facility to do a damage assessment and start to write the spring maintenance project plans.  

If the mild weather holds, we should be able to finish the work needed for us to swing the gate open on Friday, April 21^st.  Confirmation of the opening date will be posted on this blog by mid-April.

In the meantime, for the most up-to-date information about campgrounds, roads and trails, keep your eye on the TSF blog , on the OHV Trails Report and on the Forest Roads Report.

See you in the woods!

OHV Trail Wet Weather Riding

As we finally thaw from the winter wonderland we experienced the last few months, I want to take a moment to visit the idea of trail conservation and the impacts of riding during times of heavy rainfall and highly saturated soils. As I'm sure you all know, the trails have been virtually shut down for the past three months due to heavy snowfall, making riding in The Burn next to impossible. As the rain starts to fall and the snow starts to melt, I know everyone is chomping at the bit to get out and ride! I know I was starting to go stir crazy not being able to rip on my favorite trails in the TSF all winter and I'm sure you all felt the same. 

Now that the snow is subsiding, we're starting to see lots of people out enjoying the trails (the best part of my job). White it always brings a smile to my face seeing people out on the trails in torrential downpours (the sign of a TRUE Tillamook rider), it is also a good time to consider the impacts of riding on the trails in such conditions. When the dirt gets as saturated as it has been lately, it doesn't hold together like it does when it's dry. Add to that equation a spinning rear tire or a 450 with a heavy throttle hand at the helm, and the trails start to breakdown pretty quickly, especially on those challenging up hills that the TSF is so well known for. While I will never discourage people from riding our trails, this is a good time of year to consider which trails you ride and which direction you ride them.  On especially wet days, go down your favorite hill climb rather than going up, or on trails that are already getting rutted, choose an alternate route. Just a little bit of planning can go a long way in saving the trails from turning into a maintenance nightmare and taking valuable time away from construction projects on exciting new trail opportunities we build in the summer.

On another note, I want to say a huge thank you to all the riders who have done trail work in the forest. From carrying a folding saw on your bike to cutting a few limbs here and there on your ride, to breaking out the Pulaski or chainsaw on more extensive projects, your efforts are greatly appreciated by the entire staff at the Oregon Department of Forestry and all of the riders who benefit from your work.  This trail system is nothing without the people who use it and we're darn lucky to have a group of riders who love it as much as you all do.

Thank you again and I hope to see you all out on the trail,
Reid Brown, OHV Specialist

 

 

Weather Impacts Roads, Trails and Campgrounds

Even though spring has arrived, the weather continues to provide challenging conditions in the Tillamook State Forest. This week a large slide came down impacting Jordan Creek Road at milepost 3.6. Other recent road closures include North Fork Trask Road at the one mile and Beaver Creek Road (Aldercrest/Top of the World) at milepost 1.5. Additional road closures and temporary road restrictions are listed on the ODF website.

Winter weather has also had a heavy impact on Tillamook State Forest's trails and campgrounds. Many of the trails in higher elevations are still thick with snow and covered with downed trees. Trail users need to use caution and be prepared for a variety of weather and trail conditions.

Several of our campgrounds are still covered in snow and lots of work will be needed to get them ready for the summer camping season. Please be advised that there may be delays in opening dates as we work to assess winter damage, make repairs, address safety concerns and ready the campgrounds for your arrival.

Please visit Oregon.gov/ODF for road, trail and campground information before your next trip to the Tillamook State Forest.

Four County Point Trail is Open

Timber sale harvest in the areas around the Four County Point trail has been completed and the entire trail is now open.

OHV Trail Status

Happy Friday! 

We know folks are chomping at the bit to get out on the trails so we thought we'd post a trail condition update for the OHV network in the Browns Camp area.

The OHV team has been hard at work clearing trails.  This is a list of what has been cleared of logs and debris as of this morning (02.17.2017).  There may still be patches of ice and snow in spots but these trails should be passable.

#1 Rogers Camp Rd. Trail

#2 Firebreak 1

#3 Crooked Bridge

#3a Marks

#51 K-Thumb

#25 Elliott Creek

#4a-f Powerline

# 6 Browns Powerline

#7 Clydes

#98 One Way

#43 Military

#44 Quarry

#9 Sidewinder

#8 Julies

Wilson River Trail Bridge - Use Caution

Please use caution when crossing the Wilson River Trail bridge located between Jones Creek Campground and the Tillamook Forest Center. The bridge is safe but be advised that a section of handrail leading to the bridge that was damaged in storms this week. The damaged handrail is clearly marked with bright flagging.

High Water - Use Caution

Recent rain activity along with winter snow melt have caused the rivers in the Tillamook State Forest to rise rapidly. Please use caution near all rivers. Due to warm temperatures, snow melt will continue after the rain subsides.

With saturated soils and ice and snow damage, lots of tress, logs and other debris are also making their way down the rivers.  If you kayak, please scout ahead or avoid the rivers until the waters have dropped. If you fish or enjoy other riverside recreation activities, please use extreme caution. Rocks and logs are wet and slick with moss at this time of the year. Make sure you have good footing at all times.


We invite you to enjoy your state forest but we strongly encourage you to do it in a safe manner. Check road and weather conditions and be prepared.

What does the road look like at the Summit of Highway 6?

One of our recreation staff got a phone call this week complaining that the road camera at Lees Camp on www.tripcheck.com is not a good representation of the road conditions at the summit of Highway 6.

It's true.  Many times the Lees Camp camera will show bare or wet pavement at milepost 23.5 while there is packed snow and ice at milepost 33 (aka the Summit of Highway 6).  However, there are a couple of ways to get a good idea of what Highway 6 looks like before you head out to the woods.

• Go to www.tripcheck.com and click the blue dot that appears on Highway 6 at the midway point between Banks and Tillamook.  This is a text pop-up box that lists road conditions and traction device requirements.

• Go to www.tripcheck.com and click on the Sunset Rest Area camera on Oregon Highway 26. While it is on a different highway corridor, the Sunset Rest area is at about the same elevation as the summit of Highway 6 and can provide a rough picture of the road conditions you might find on the Highway 6 corridor.

And as always, if you head out to play in the snow, go prepared for any emergency and remember - even if the highway is clear, forest roads may not be accessible due to snow and ice.