Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site

About Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site

Located at the mouth of Mule Creek and nestled in the heart of the National Wild and Scenic River’s wild section of the Rogue River, this historic site tells the story of the area’s transition from mining to recreation and conservation.HistoryThe original structure was built in 1903, and it was quite the process in remote southwest Oregon. A neighbor felled trees for the homesteading Billings family when they decided to build a more permanent two-story dwelling. The windows needed were delivered via the O&C Railroad from Portland then carried by pack mules for 21 miles from Galice. The ranch and beautiful surroundings, much of which are public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, remains just as remote today.The building served as a base of operations for John Billings’ nearby mining operations along Mule Creek, but the family’s entrepreneurial efforts did not stop there. In addition to working the claim, the family also set up a general store that would sell commodities such as mining tools and coffee to local inhabitants of the rogue River Canyon. The top story of the farmhouse was converted to a hotel that would service travelers and seasonal laborers traveling through the Rogue River Canyon. In 1929 Elijah Pierce became the first postmaster of the Rogue River Canyon, and the Ranch was his first post office until it was moved to Illahe down river a few years later.Despite the difficult journey required to reach the ranch, it is obvious why humans have been drawn to the area for thousands of years. Seated at the confluence of Mule Creek and the Rogue River, the abundant water provided bountiful fishing opportunities for Native Americans, while the surrounding forests provided access not just to food resources, but also plants important for basket weaving and other necessities of prosperity. Archaeological excavations from nearby sites, mostly in the 1980s, show that Native American roots in the area go back about 10,000 years.Three generations of the Bil

How to Get There

From Glendale, head West on Brown Road past where it becomes Cow Creek road, approximately 12. Turn left onto BLM Road 32-7-19.3. This is also known as the Dutch Henry Road.Continue on Dutch Henry/32-7-19.3 for 8 miles to its three way junction with 32-8-31, also called Kelsey Mule, and BLM road 32-8-31.1. Dutch Henry/32-7-19.3 ends at this intersection, but continuing straight will put you on Kelsey Mule. Travel 5 miles to the junction with BLM Road 32-9-14.2. This is a large junction with a sign to Marial. Go left as the sign instructs.This is the Marial Road, or BLM road 32-9-14.2. Continue for 3 miles to the Marble Gap Junction and continue ahead after the pavement ends. Travel 3 miles to the Fourmile Saddle Junction, go left and stay on BLM Road 32- 9-14.2 for 9 miles to the Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site.

Plan Your Visit to Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site

Heading to Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)