New Weyerhaeuser gate forces alternate route to popular Butte Creek Falls and campground

Zach Urness | Statesman Journal

SCOTTS MILLS — Visitors to popular Butte Creek Falls and campground will need to take a new route beginning this weekend.

That's because timber giant Weyerhaeuser and the Oregon Department of Forestry agreed to place a new gate across Crooked Finger Road, about 10 miles south of Scotts Mills.

The gate was placed to protect Weyerhaeuser’s private timberland from a host of vandalism problems that include people dumping trash, setting illegal fires and timber damage and theft, officials said.

MORE: Challenging trek to Trappers Butte

"There have been huge problems in that area for a long time, but it really escalated with the illegal fires that were being set," said Greg Miller, public affairs manager for Weyerhaeuser in Oregon. "A human-caused fire getting out of hand up there is a huge risk."

The new gate means visitors need to take a different route driving to popular Butte Creek Falls, home to hiking trails, swimming holes and a small campground.

The new route begins in Scotts Mills, and though it includes more twists and turns, it takes about the same amount of time, said Shannon Loffelmacher, Santiam State Forest Unit Manager.

(See below for directions).

Loffelmacher stressed that the new gate wouldn’t impact the public’s ability to drive to popular nearby places such as Camp Dakota, Abiqua Falls and an OHV riding area.

“There has been a lot of trouble up Crooked Finger Road,” she said. “The cleanup has been very costly and the gate is on their private land."

The public is allowed to walk past the gate on Crooked Finger Road, they just can’t drive anymore.

“So, you could walk from the gate to Butte Creek Falls, if you wanted,” Loffelmacher said. It would add about 1.5 miles of hiking to the trip — around 30 to 40 minutes.

The problems off Crooked Finger Road are not limited to private timberland, Loffelmacher said.

In Santiam State Forest — the location of Butte Creek Falls that's adjacent to Weyerhaeuser land — there have been major problems with vandalism as well.

Garbage dumping, illegal shooting, graffiti and people defecating all over the pit toilet have been rampant for years, Loffelmacher said.

"It's extremely frustrating as a land manager, the amount of vandalism and problems up there," she said. "It's reached the point that we may have to end up locking up more if it doesn't stop."

New route to Butte Creek Falls (courtesy of ODF):

New directions via ODF and OregonHikers.com.

Drive into Scotts Mills.

On the far side of town, turn left onto Maple Grove Road (instead of right onto Crooked Finger Road).

After 4.4 miles, turn right at a "T" intersection with Groshog Road to stay on Maple Grove Road.

3 miles beyond that, turn right on Sawtell Road. Sawtell Road becomes Family Camp Road after 5.2 miles, then becomes Butte Creek Mainline after about 3 more miles.

Half a mile after a crossing of Fall Creek (or 8.4 miles after leaving Maple Grove Road), turn right on BC 500 Road; turn right again onto CF 400 Road after 1.2 miles.

Follow CF 400 Road for 1.8 miles to the trailhead.

- Directions courtesy of Oregon Department of Forestry and OregonHikers.com.

Coordinates: 44.92088, -122.51123 / N44 55.257, W122 30.671

Butte Creek Falls A short hike to two waterfalls near Scotts Mills.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 10 years. He is the author of the book “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.