Umpqua National Forest

Covering nearly one million acres of Oregon's western Cascades between Eugene and Medford, Umpqua National Forest is celebrated for its spectacular waterfalls, volcanic peaks, and natural hot springs that make it one of the most scenically diverse forests in the Pacific Northwest. Toketee Falls, plunging over columnar basalt into an emerald pool, is often cited as Oregon's most beautiful waterfall, while Watson Falls at 272 feet ranks as the third highest in the state. Umpqua Hot Springs, perched in travertine pools on a cliff above the North Umpqua River, offers a quintessential Oregon soaking experience with views across the forested canyon. The Boulder Creek and Mount Thielsen Wilderness areas protect dramatic volcanic landscapes, with Mount Thielsen's distinctive lightning-rod spire rising to 9,184 feet as a landmark visible from across southern Oregon. Diamond Lake, nestled between Mount Thielsen and Mount Bailey at 5,182 feet elevation, provides excellent trout fishing, boating, and lakeside camping, and serves as a popular base camp for visitors to nearby Crater Lake National Park. The North Umpqua River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, is renowned among fly fishers as one of the premier summer steelhead streams in the world, with the 79-mile North Umpqua Trail paralleling its course through old-growth Douglas fir forest.