Quartzville Back Country Byway | Oregon

The Quartzville Back Country Byway is home to full meadows, dazzled by native foliage and the twisting Quartzville Creek Wild and Scenic River. This 50-mile, Type I road is an excellent glimpse into beautiful old-growth forestry and stunning mountain vistas. Pan for gold at the creek, kayak at the reservoir, and hike and swim below some of the largest trees in Oregon at the nearby Yellowbottom Recreation Site. The Old Miner's Meadow Group Site and Dogwood Dayuse is great for additional recreational activities. 

Byway Details

Enjoy a day of hiking and exploring along the BLM's Quartzville Back Country Byway, or spend the day fishing, swimming, and gold panning on the serene Quartzville River back country byway.

The Linn County segment of Quartzville Road meanders along Green Peter Reservoir, offering visitors panoramic views of emerald-green waters, forested landscapes and glimpses of wildlife, like bald eagles. The BLM segment leads visitors along Quartzville Creek into a canyon of old-growth forest intermixed with mature and younger stands and vivid colors in the fall. The first part of the USFS segment continues along Quartzville Creek and then brings visitors into maturing forested stands, offering opportunities for interpretation of forest management and ecosystem management. Visitors also enjoy spectacular views of surrounding Cascade Range Peaks. In addition to scenic driving, the byway corridor offers a large variety of recreational opportunities including camping, boating, fishing, recreational mining, huckleberry picking, hiking (Middle Santiam Wilderness), picnicking, and wildlife viewing. The mining history surrounding the old Quartzville Townsite also brings many visitors to the area.

Attractions & Features

• Native Wildflower Viewing along Quartzville Creek River
• Gold panning and fishing in Quartzville River
• Camping and swimming at Old Miner’s Meadow Group Campground
• Scenic vistas of old growth forests throughout the byway