NEWS

Opening up Santiam Canyon outdoors

Justin Much
Stayton Mail
Rafting trips on the North Santiam River.

In years gone by, communities in the Santiam Canyon lived by the saw.

For decades, a timber-based economy kept workers busy, mills humming and paychecks flowing.

Things changed in the 1980s.

"When you think about the canyon in the late 1980s that’s when things went downhill,” Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron said, referring to regional economic downturns via decreased timber revenues, equating it with a natural disaster. “Whenever you have a disaster like that, you end up in a recovery period.

"I see the canyon as still in a recovery period and formulating a new norm, and tourism is going to be an important part of that,” he said. “You’ve got the rivers; you’ve got the fishing; you’ve got the hunting and the (Detroit) lake.”

But two consecutive years of drought, a drought that kept skiers off local slopes and dramatically lowered the level of Detroit Lake, has been a gut punch to that new tourist-based economy.

Santiam Canyon leaders aren't backing away from their plans. If anything, they're expanding and accelerating them, seeing a need to find new options to lure visitors to the area.

“There are a lot of threads to weave together,” said Detroit City Councilor Mark Messmer. “We’re not going to live and die by this lake.”

Those conversations are expected to hit a crescendo late this month when individuals and entities throughout the canyon gather to pool assets and ideas during a Rural Tourism Studio. Organized by economic development nonprofit GROW EDC and patterned through Travel Oregon, the Rural Tourism Studio is described as a progressive project that includes community training to ultimately build a cohesive outdoor recreation product and brand for the region.

Scenic view from Detroit Dam.

To that end, GROW EDC Director Allison McKenzie and Travel Oregon representatives have been scouting and sampling the region through the early part of this year, seeking various attractions that may elicit certain visitors or entice a driver to stop and spend some time.

“We are much, much richer in assets than we think we are,” McKenzie said.

Some tourism numbers also appear favorable. Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Lou Torres said that on average, 5,200 drivers travel Highway 22 through the Detroit area daily; farther east at Marion Forks, 4,000 vehicles travel through each day, while west around Mill City it’s 5,600.

That pencils out to 1.9 million vehicles traveling by Detroit each year; 1.46 million through Marion Forks; more than 2 million cruise by Mill City.

The Willamette National Forest — a slice of which is entered via Santiam Canyon — is a steadfast draw in itself.

Matt Peterson, the Forest Service’s acting recreation, heritage, lands and minerals staff officer, shared data that bears out that popularity. Raw numbers from 2012, the most recent year available, show that the entire WNF received 51,000 visitors for skiing and 887,000 for non-skiing visits, totaling 938,000 visitors.

Those numbers appear elastic: 2007 total visits of 970,000 eclipsed 2012, largely due to a dip in ski visitors by roughly 28,000.

Of course, the flip side to tourism advantages is the collective footprint.

A sample of that challenge played out during the hot July days of 2015 when North Santiam River swimming holes drew swarms (and complaints along with them), prompting Marion County Sheriff's Office to step up patrols northeast of Mehama and strictly enforce parking restrictions, which in turn tended to curtail visitor numbers.

Larger expanses encounter the same challenges.

As Willamette National Forest spokeswoman Jude McHugh said, wilderness areas are supposed to be untrammeled and natural. That's their allure. That's also the element that's jeopardized with use.

“It always is a challenge — making sure that when people use different recreational sites they clean up after themselves,” said Grady McMahan, ranger of the Detroit District of the Willamette National Forest.  “Hopefully when they leave you can’t tell that people were there; that’s the ideal.

“Some people assume that there is garbage pickup,” he added. “We know that because they bag it up nicely and leave it there. But by the time we get to it the crows have scattered it all over the ground. So, yes, you want people to use, but not abuse (the forest).”

McHugh said one challenge for all entities involved is providing both sustainable and safe recreation.

“It is exciting to engage with individuals, businesses and other agencies to continue to build sustainable recreation opportunities in the canyon,” McHugh said. “Together we will find ways to attract visitors who love and care for the same lands that we are fortunate to live near and help manage.”

Snapshots of Santiam Canyon’s appeal

Setting out on the water
Tucked in by Mill City Historic Society and the Canyon Museum, Northwest River Guides is on the banks of the North Fork of the Santiam River, which owner Sam Drevo touts as one of the most popular intermediate kayak and rafting rivers in northwest Oregon.

Kayaking on the North Santiam River.


“We offer everything from beginner kayak instruction, to play-boating and creek-boating workshops for kayakers,” Drevo said of his seasonal operation. “We also run whitewater and scenic raft trips and inflatable kayak trips on the, upper, lower, and Little North Fork, South Fork, and Middle fork of the Santiam River.

“Whether you want a guided trip or a rental boat or equipment, we are located in the canyon to (provide it),” he added. “We also offer hiking trips, bike tours, and hot spring soaks to amazing places in the canyon as add-on adventures to your river experience.”

Throw in shuttle services, stand-up paddle boarding on Big Cliff and Detroit Lake, overnight camping at its riverside camp in Idhana, and swift-water rescue workshops and NRG practically serves as a paragon of Santiam Canyon adventure options. Drevo also stressed the essential ecological consciousness shared by the forest district.

“We’re dedicated to river stewardship; NRG is a founding partner in ‘We Love Clean Rivers’ (a 501c3), working to keep our local rivers cleaner than we found them.”

Northwest River Guides kicked off "Rukus on the River" in Mill City last September, envisioned as a friendly annual kayak, canoe, rafting and tubing competition. It’s slated to run again on Labor Day Weekend 2016.

The equestrian presence
Santiam Horse Camp is just a few minutes outside of Gates, notched off a forest road into a foothill with immediate, scenic views of more rugged Cascade terrain. Assembled roughly a decade ago, the camp and its surrounding Santiam State Forest has about 28 miles of multi-use trails that are open to equestrians, hikers and mountain bikers.

"It's a delightful horse camp, and a lot of people enjoy going there," said Kim McCarrel of Bend, author of a series of Oregon Horse Trail books. "It brings people in from Salem; it brings people in from Eugene; it brings people in from Woodburn and the surrounding areas."

Oregon Department of Forestry listed the camp and day-use area as open from May through October and describes it as a Douglas-fir shaded starting point for a system of non-motorized trails. The spot features plenty of room for horse trailers, corrals, hitching posts, a picnic shelter and stock water.

McCarrel commended the even, horse-friendly trails, clear signs and diverse vegetation as part of the camp's allure.

"I discovered a fundamental truth about trail riding when I visited Santiam Horse Camp," McCarrel wrote. "It’s this:  If you ride a loop trail one direction on Saturday, and then ride it the opposite direction on Sunday, it’s like being on a completely different trail!  Everything looks totally new!"

Beyond the venue, horseback riding is an instrumental piece of forest hiking-trail health. Once the snow melts and exposes foot trails, obstacles and debris rendered by winter weather are widespread, enough to overwhelm forest service crews.

Saddled up and armed with handsaws, a group known as the Back Country Horsemen chip into the cause and clear the way. The volunteers ride out and cut winter tree falls and clear other brush, essentially opening the trails up for users.

"Hikers use the trails; bikers use the trails; horseback riders use the trails — but it's mostly the horsemen who clear the trails," said Norm Kaser of Silverton, a frequent rider and volunteer in the group.

Detroit’s water, and the road
Detroit Lake has been a water recreation staple for decades. Events on the lake include wake-boarding competitions, water-skiing competitions, a mud run on the flats in the fall, a fishing derby and an abundance of boating.

But a dry 2015 left a shallow lake in its wake, prompting area leaders to expand their recreational vocabulary.


A significant piece of that expansion came via a recent $2 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to build a bicycle visitors center that will be a starting point for visitors biking on a new state bikeway between Detroit and Estacada.

Among the chief federal advocates involved in securing that grant was Sen. Jeff Merkley.

“By making the new Detroit-to-Estacada bikeway a more attractive destination, we’re also bringing new customers to local businesses and boosting the economy of the region,” Merkley said.

Mark Messmer’s wife, Yvonne Messmer, was among the chief advocates working to achieve the recent Oregon Scenic Bikeway designation for the 72-mile route threading through state highways 46 and 224, dubbed the Cascading Rivers Scenic Bikeway. And it's been a draw.

“We are drawing a different type of client than we’ve seen before, which was primarily outdoorsmen and watersports people,” Mark Messmer said. “We’re seeing more bicyclists coming through, and they are from all over the world too. Recreation is happening all over and we are part of that. Detroit is really a jump-off point into the heart of the Cascades.”

As spring nears, 2016 snow-pack reports also appear promising for Detroit.

“This year the water is going to be back up and things will be going on with the lake; there will be a resurgence this year,” McMahan said.

A Marion Forks experience
Late last July dozens of celebrants cut the ribbon on a newly spruced-up park area adjacent to the Marion Forks Fish Hatchery and connected campground.

The enhanced site included environmental aesthetics of finished-log railings and sturdy, rock-step trails, information kiosks and riparian restoration to Marion Creek banks, along with road improvements for smoother access to the site from whirring Highway 22 traffic.

McMahan described the area as a nexus; a popular stopping place that dates back to native cultures, a tidbit that adds to the edification element of the stop.
Across the highway the Marion Forks restaurant was revived last year.

Checking out the improvements: several dozen people of various walks turned out to celebrate the dedication of Marion Forks day-use arsa. Improvements to fish hatchery grounds site include environmentally aesthetic informational kiosks, railings and picnic areas along with riparian restoration and relocated campgrounds and rest-stop facilities.

The two work well together.

“We bring the (hatchery’s) day-use area up a lot to our customers,” Marion Forks Restaurant co-owner Alicia Boyd said. “We encourage a lot of the customers to go over there. For a lot of people who travel with animals it’s a great place to go, take the dog out for a walk.”

Boyd said the eatery, which is closed until March 21 for remodeling, has caught a few eyes since its Jan. 1, 2015 opening.

“We now have a lot more repeat customers who make it a point to stop there. Definitely a lot more traffic,” she said.

Boyd said fire dangers and low lake levels of 2015 may have crimped business in 2015, so the restaurant is prepared for an even stronger 2016 summer going in with the day-use area intact.

“There are new facilities at the Marion Forks Fish Hatchery and the interpretive signs are up now,” McMahan said. “There’s an opportunity to stop and learn about the fish themselves. In August and September there are actually fish coming up there in the creek and spawning.

“At Marion Forks Restaurant, you can dine right there on the water in the summer, which is nice. There are lots and lots of hummingbirds there during the summer, which is also pretty neat.”

Boyd agreed: "They come for the hummingbirds, and they are quite a sight."

jmuch@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 769-6338, cell (503) 508-8157 or follow at twitter.com/justinmuch

What's next? 
What: Travel Oregon's Rural Tourism Studio 
When: Community tourism workshop, part 1, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 29; individual online training (a series of four, 20-minute sessions), March 30 – April 11; community tourism workshop, part 2, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12. 
Where: Gates Fire Hall, 140 E. Sorbin St., Gates, Oregon
Contact: Allison McKenzie, allison@growsantiam.org, (503) 871-5188
Websites: http://growsantiam.org/, http://traveloregon.com/ 

Related stories:

A paddle boarder and rafters prepare to go over the Mill City Falls during the Ruckus on the River Santiam Whitewater Festival in Mill City in 2015.
Rafting trips on the North Santiam River.
North Santiam River, a venue providing a wealth of recreation: fishing, swimming, camping, boating experiences and the like.
Kayaking on the North Santiam River.
Scenic view from Detroit Dam.
Checking out the improvements: several dozen people of various walks turned out to celebrate the dedication of Marion Forks day-use arsa. Improvements to fish hatchery grounds site include environmentally aesthetic informational kiosks, railings and picnic areas along with riparian restoration and relocated campgrounds and rest-stop facilities.