Exotic plants and animals thrive in a rare micro-climate. The Siskiyou National Forest, including three wilderness areas, combines with Bureau of Land Management tracts to dominate the geography. In days gone by, the residents of Curry County earned their livings from the traditional bounties of the forest and the ocean. Mandates to give economic stability a place in natural resource management have been replaced by rules that make habitat protection the primary goal. To make amends, particularly for the loss of timber sales, the federal government has offered help.
Curry County is a stunningly beautiful corner of the world.
Of course, nature has been the lure of tourism to Curry County for many years. The lure of the Oregon Coast and Highway 101 brings thousands of drive-by tourists every year. Whether by plan or by whim, many of them stop for a day or two to fish, ride jet boats up the famous Rogue River, or spend time strolling the county's beaches and swimming in the rivers. Allen Wilson, a Gold Beach carpenter, has expanded his love of running rivers into a professional service offering kayak trips down remote sections of the Chetco River. Attorney Keith Pepper and a consortium of partners are ready to lead mountain biking treks downhill from the mountains to the shore, stopping for a gourmet picnic lunch along the way.