FS

BLM

Welcome to the Quartzville 

Recreation Corridor and 

Back Country Byway

The Quartzville Back Country Byway

leads you past the emerald depths of 

Green Peter Reservoir and along the clear, 

cool waters of Quartzville Creek National Wild 

and Scenic River. Discover a landscape of 

old-growth and maturing forests, accented 

by rock outcroppings, wildflowers, and vivid 

colors during the fall. Enjoy panoramic views 

of Cascade Range peaks including Mount 

Jefferson.

Know Before You Go...

Getting There

The Quartzville Back Country Byway is 

approximately 50 miles in length and

connects U.S. Highway 20, one mile east of 

Sweet Home and State Highway 22, 19 miles 

east of Detroit. 

Driving Conditions - Please Drive Carefully

rnouts. Most of the road is The road is paved and varies from two lanes to one lane with tu

narrow and winding with two-way traffic.

Watch Out For:

• Truck traffic, fallen rocks, or wildlife on the road.

• Non-motorized uses such as bicycles and pedestrians.

• Slippery road conditions during wet or icy weather.

• Road closures during the winter and early spring due to snow. Check local conditions 

before starting your trip.

Plan Ahead:

Services: The closest full-service communities with food, gas, lodging 

and supplies are Detroit, Sisters, or Sweet Home.

Seasonal Driving Conditions:

Fall: Vivid fall colors accent the route. After mid-September, traffic is often low. 

w. Winter: Much of the route at higher elevations is closed by sno

Spring: Watch as spring leaves and wildflowers emerge. Traffic is often low to 

moderate.

Summer: Enjoy a variety of summer activities. Traffic is moderate to high.

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For More Information Contact:

Bureau of Land Management

Salem District

1717 Fabry Road SE

Salem, OR 97306

(503) 375-5646

U.S. Forest Service

Detroit Ranger District

HC 73 Box 320

Mill City, OR 97360

(503) 854-3366

U.S. Forest Service

Sweet Home Ranger District

3225 Hwy. 20

Sweet Home, OR 97386

(541) 367-5168

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Mid-Willamette Valley Projects

P.O. Box 706

Foster, OR 97345

(541) 367-5127

Linn County Parks Department

3010 Ferry S.W. 

Albany, OR 97321

(541) 967-3917

Campfires . . .

Campfires: Reduce chances 

of wildfire by not leaving fires 

unattended, extinguishing 

fires before you leave, 

and obeying fire 

restrictions. Help keep 

fire rings clean by leaving 

out items such as glass, cans, 

diapers, or plastics. 

Pack It Out . . .

Pack it Out: Pack out your personal 

property and garbage when leaving. 

Help keep the corridor beautiful by 

leaving it cleaner than you found it. 

You can make a difference in the 

Quartzville Recreation Corridor!

Please do your part to keep the Quartzville Recreation Corridor a safe 

and enjoyable place for everyone by following the guidelines listed 

below:

Camping . . . 

Undeveloped Camping: Camping is allowed 

outside developed recreation sites on public 

lands in several areas within the corridor. Areas 

where undeveloped camping is not allowed are 

either blocked or signed as no camping. 

Stay Limit: All of the federal land management 

agencies have a 14-day stay limit. For more 

information contact, the BLM, USFS, or the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Protect Vegetation: You can collect downed 

dead wood for use while camping in the 

corridor. 

Cutting or carving live vegetation 

or standing dead trees is 

prohibited. Please use removable 

ropes instead of nails to hang 

things from trees and bring 

your own stakes and roasting 

sticks. Remember––scarring 

trees exposes them to insect 

infestation and disease.

Human Waste and Washing: Bringing your own self-contained portable toilet unit is 

the best way to reduce health hazards and potential water pollution. Otherwise, please 

bury human waste at least 100 feet from any water source, in a hole 6 inches deep and 

cover it with soil. Bury or pack out all toilet paper and pack out 

diapers. Bathing with soap and washing 

dishes or clothing must also be done at 

least 100 feet from any water source.

Illustrations by Nick Teague

Be a Good Neighbor . . .

Firearms/Fireworks: The use of 

both firearms and fireworks in the 

corridor creates safety concerns 

for those around you. If you plan 

to target practice (including air 

rifles), find an area at least 

1/2 mile from the byway. Use 

of fireworks is prohibited on 

federal lands. 

Parking and Valuables: Avoid parking on 

narrow shoulders or blind corners. Keep your 

personal property safer by locking your vehicle 

and storing your valuables out of view. 

Recreation Activities

The Quartzville Corridor offers more than a back country scenic drive. You may want to allow time to 

enjoy some of the great recreation opportunities the corridor provides. More information is available 

on the map or at the offices listed. 

Quartzville Mining History

Jeremiah Driggs established the first legal 

claim in the Quartzville area on September 

5, 1863. The Union and Santiam Companies 

were established and a tent city along with 

a few wooden structures sprang to life. 

Quartzville was named after the quartz rock 

formations found with the gold in the mines. 

Within four years, more than 500 mining 

claims were established and over a thousand 

people lived in Quartzville. The main access 

to Quartzville was from Gatesville (now the 

City of Gates), because the trip from Lebanon 

and Sweet Home was more difficult. By 1870, 

the inefficiency of the mills made large scale 

mining in the Quartzville area unprofitable and 

the town was abandoned. 

In 1888, the Lawler and Medina companies 

resumed mining and two new towns (Anadiem 

and Bryant) were built. George Whitcomb 

started a post office and pack train to shuttle 

supplies to the miners, but by 1892 the towns 

were again abandoned. 

Today the old Quartzville townsite is located on 

private land and has been reclaimed by nature. 

The Quartzville Recreational Mining Corridor 

(see map) still offers opportunities to pan for 

 gold, much like the old-timers did.

 Huckleberries Huckleberry Picking:

can be found in several places along 

the Quartzville Byway.

 Recreational Recreational Mining:

mining and rock hounding are allowed 

along Quartzville Creek between 

Rocky Top Bridge and Galena Creek. 

Recreational mining guidelines are 

available from the BLM, Salem District 

Office. 

 Use of off- Off-Highway Vehicle Use:

highway vehicles (OHVs) is allowed 

on the Quartzville Byway if they are 

licensed for public streets. Otherwise, 

OHVs are limited to designated roads 

and trails. Contact local BLM and 

USFS offices for more information. 

 Both Camping/Picnicking: 

developed and undeveloped camping 

and picnicking opportunities are 

available in the corridor.

 Cool off in one of the Swimming:

many swimming holes on Quartzville 

Creek or in Green Peter Reservoir.

 Fish for trout in Quartzville Fishing:

Creek or trout and bass in Green 

Peter Reservoir. Be sure to carry your 

fishing license and comply with state 

fishing regulations.

 Explore one of the many trails Hiking:

near the byway that offer a variety of 

forest settings and scenic views. Be 

sure you have a Trail Park Pass where 

required (see hiking opportunities). 

 Green Peter Reservoir Boating:

offers a variety of watercraft opportunities. Parking and camping is often 

limited, especially on the weekends.

 You may catch Wildlife Viewing:

glimpses of bald eagles, osprey, deer, 

squirrels, chipmunks, harlequin ducks, 

and other forest creatures. Please just 

observe and do not disturb. 

RV Dumping: Draining gray water or septic tanks is strictly prohibited except 

at facilities which provide such services. The closest RV dump station is in Sweet 

Home, so plan ahead. 

Thanks for your help and 

have a great visit!

Recreation Corridor 

and Back Country Byway

Quartzville

Pets: Keep pets quiet and leashed to avoid disturbing people 

and wildlife. Your neighbors are here to enjoy nature’s peace 

and quiet.
Come Discover the Quartzville Recreation Corridor and Back Country Byway

Recreation 

Facility

Fee

Drinking 

water

Toilets

Comments

Camp 

sites

Developed Recreation Facilities

Quartzville has a variety of developed camping, picnicking, and boating facilities. Most of these sites open in May 

and close in September. Check with local management agency about off-season use.

Byway Mileage Guide

Discovery Areas

A Partnership in Progress: The 

in Quartzville Recreation Corridor and 

surrounding the Quartzville Back Country 

Byway are managed in partnership by several 

public land management agencies and as 

well as private land owners. If traveling the 

byway from Sweet Home, the first 12.5 miles 

is surrounded primarily by private land. Linn 

County manages most of the parks along 

Green Peter and Foster Reservoir, while the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages most 

of the dispersed use around the reservoirs. 

The next 12.5 miles is a mix of private forest 

lands, and public lands managed by the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Salem 

District. The last 25 miles of the corridor 

is managed by the Sweet Home Ranger 

District and the Detroit Ranger District of the 

Willamette National Forest. In addition to the 

recreation opportunities the corridor offers, the 

byway is a great opportunity to drive through 

public lands with a wide variety of forest, 

management practices, and uses. Information 

about reaching these agencies is provided on 

the back of this brochure.

Green Peter Dam: In 1961, construction 

of Green Peter and Foster Dams began. 

They were completed in 1968 at an estimated 

cost of 82.3 million dollars. Both dams are 

managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

and since their construction, the dams have 

provided protection from an estimated 600 

million dollars worth of potential flooding 

damage. Green Peter Dam is concrete 

structure approximately 327 feet in height and 

1,500 feet in length. Behind the dam, Green 

Peter Reservoir extends over 10 miles in 

length providing for a variety of recreational 

opportunities including boating, fishing, and 

swimming. 

A National Wild and Scenic River: In 1988 

the U.S. Congress added the lower 9.6 miles 

of Quartzville Creek (beginning in the slack 

waters of Green Peter Reservoir and ending 

at Galena Creek) to the National Wild and 

Scenic River System. Quartzville Creek was 

recognized for the outstanding scenic driving, 

white water boating, and recreational mining 

opportunities it offers. The public lands along 

the designated segment are managed by the 

BLM to protect Quartzville Creek’s free-flowing 

qualities and outstanding resource values. 

Exploring Quartzville’s Old Growth: 

Much of the older forest along the byway is 

managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service 

as part of a Late Successional Reserve 

(LSR’s). These reserves were recently 

established by the Northwest Forest Plan to 

provide habitat to plant and animal species 

which are dependent on old-growth forest 

characteristics. Gazing at old growth forests 

as you drive along the corridor is great fun, but 

wandering amongst the giants can really ease 

the tensions of daily life. Whether you want to 

climb the ridges of old Cascade Mountains or 

walk into the Middle Santiam Wilderness, you 

can pick from several trails (see trail matrix) to 

do a little exploring. 

Nature’s Power: Whether its wind, water, 

snow or mud, the forces of nature are most 

profound when seen as damage to physical 

features. Floods in 1996 ripped through this 

drainage, causing millions of dollars in damage 

to roads and other facilities. A windstorm in 

1990 blew trees down in over 2000 acres in 

the headwaters of Quartzville and Pyramid 

Creeks. But the flood of 1969 is still one of the 

more recent events to beat. To get an idea of 

the power of this flood, stop at bridge #6 where 

you can still see the remains of the original 

concrete bridge. Take a minute to imagine 

the water levels needed to toss the old bridge 

aside. 

Huckleberry Picking: late summer pulls 

locals and other visitors to the Quartzville area 

in search of wild berries. Four varieties (red, 

bigleaf, oval leaf, and Alaska) of huckleberries 

can be found in this area. Openings in oldgrowth forests nurture good berry patches, 

but don’t overlook older harvest units where 

bushes grow dense from deer and elk 

browsing.

Managing Forests: Forests on public 

lands outside the LSR’s are managed for 

a variety of uses including forest products, 

habitat, and the protection of water quality. 

Within the first 12 miles from State Highway 

22, many of the stands you pass have been 

thinned at one time or another. Thinning is 

a way of helping forest grow by selectively 

removing some of the trees to reduce 

competition for sunlight, nutrients and water. 

Thinning can also increase tree vigor and 

health. Allowing more sunlight and moisture in 

the stand, helps undergrowth and can improve 

wildlife habitat for a variety of species. You’ll 

see three kinds of thinning along the byway 

including pre-commercial thinning, commercial 

thinning and partial cutting. Pre-commercial 

thinning occurs within 10 to 15 years after an 

area has been harvested and replanted, while 

commercial thinning occurs later when tree are 

larger and generally between 40 to 100 years 

old. Partial cutting is similar to commercial 

thinning, however, trees are often older than 

100 years old. Partial cutting is a method that 

is utilized to increase the life of the stand and 

enhance habitat. 

In addition the thinning, you may also notice 

that on some of the younger stands the lower 

third of the limbs on trees have been removed. 

This pruning reduces the development of knots 

and produces better quality wood. Western 

white pine is also pruned to help prevent 

the spread of white pine blister rust disease. 

When possible, thinning and pruning benefits 

are combined with the need for special forest 

products such as Christmas trees and boughs.

Wildfire’s Legacy: At milepost 8 from State 

Highway 22, you can see several prominent 

features including Cub Point, Buck, Bachelor, 

and Coffin (named for its ominous box-like 

appearance) Mountains. With frequent 

lightening strikes, wildfire has played a key 

role in the natural processes within this region. 

Lewis Creek (CO) $ Day-use Faucet Flush (A) Foster Reservoir, boat moorage available. 

Sunnyside (CO) $ 165 Faucet Flush (A) X Showers, RV Hookups, Dump Station, and Group Facilities.

Whitecomb (CO) $ 39 Faucet Vault (A) X Swimming beach and easy access to Green Peter Reservoir.

Thistle Creek (CO) Day-Use Vault (A) X Boat and vehicle parking.

Dogwood (BLM) Day-Use Vault (A) Picnic sites and river frontage.

Yellowbottom (BLM) $ 22 Hand Pump Vault (A) Picnic sites, great swimming hole, and a hiking trail.

Riverside (USFS) $ 37 Faucet Vault Along scenic North Santiam River. 

Marion Forks (USFS) $ 15 Faucet Vault Along Marion Creek next to fish hatchery. Hatchery tours 

(A) = Accessible

0 U.S. Highway 20 / Quartzville Road Junction 50 

1 Sunnyside Campground 49

5 Visitor Information Kiosk / Green Peter Dam 45

9 Thistle Creek Boat Ramp 41

11 Whitcomb Creek Campground 39

18 Dogwood Recreation Site 32

24 Yellowbottom Recreation Site 26

28 Road 1142 / Trail Access 22

35/40 Road 1152 / Trail Access 15/10

42 Road 1161 / Trail Access 8

46 Road 1168 / Trail Access 4

49 Visitor Information Kiosk 1

50 State Highway 22 / Straight Creek Road Junction 0

Before suppression was actively practiced, 

wildfires were generally very intense (hot) 

and often burn large across the landscape. 

In the 1890’s fires burned much of the area 

round these peaks, and the age of the stands 

you see on many of these mountain peaks 

today began from those fires. Buck Mountain 

burned a second time in 1967. The intensity 

of these fires combined with the shallow, rocky 

soils of most of the upper slopes have limited 

tree growth after the fires. Large stands of 

predominately noble fir, blankets most of the 

area previously burned. Huckleberries also 

thrive in open areas created by wildfire. Take 

a hike on the Mountain Trail and look for 

evidence of past fires.

Hiking Opportunities in the Quartzville Area

Many of the trails are moderate to difficult. Come prepared with proper clothing, footwear, potable water, and don’t forget 

your camera! Obtain trail information and maps from a local ranger station prior to your hike.

Trail 

Name

Map#Length

Difficulty

Points of Interest

Rhododendron 0 1.0 Moderate/Difficult Old-growth forest, rhododendrons.

McQuade* 1 5.2 Moderate Middle Santiam Wilderness, Chimney Peak, old-growth forest.

Chimney Peak* 2 12.3 Moderate/Difficult Donaca Lake, Chimney Peak.

Swamp Peak* 3 6.1 Moderate Middle Santiam Wilderness, Cascade peaks.

Gordan Peak* 4 4.6 Moderate Middle Santiam Wilderness, Cascade peaks, old growth.

Scar Mountain* 5 8.9 Moderate Cascade peaks and huckleberry picking.

South Pyramid Creek* 6 7.2 Moderate Middle Santiam River, old-growth forest.

North Pyramid* 7 3.4 Moderate Three Pyramids, wildflowers.

Three Pyramids* 8 2.1 Easy/Moderate Three Pyramids, wildflowers.

Coffin Lookout* B 1.5 Moderate/Difficult Cascade peaks, staffed fire lookout during fire season, lookout area closes at 

dusk.

Bachelor Mountain* C 1.9 Easy/Difficult Former fire lookout with views of Cascade peaks, remnants of wildfire (snags).

Bruno Meadows D 1.0 Easy/Moderate Old-growth forest, rock gardens, wildflowers, wetland vegetation, views.

Bugaboo Ridge E 2.5 Easy/Moderate Old-growth forests at lower elevations, wildflowers, Cascade peaks.

* Trail Park Pass is required for these trails. Daily or annual passes may be purchased at National Forest Offices and participating local 

businesses in Sweet Home or Detroit.