Dive Sites

Takelma Boat Ramp - Lost Creek Lake
Take highway 62 North from Medford. Go thirty miles, look for the "Cole M. Rivers Fish Hatchery" sign. Turn left, go uphill two miles. Turn right at the boat ramp sign and continue down to the lake. You're there. Allow one hour for the drive.

Swining Bridge - Illinois River
Go out highway 199 West from Grants Pass, 20 twenty miles to Selma. The Selma Market (at milepost 20) is our usual meeting place. To continue to the dive site, pass the market and turn right just before the 76 gas station, onto Illinois River Rd. Go slow 11 miles or so. At the end, take the left-hand road, which zigzags down and crosses the river. You're there. Allow 1½ hours for the drive. The Boy Scout have recently installed chamber toilets to all of our great pleasure. Please take care of the area so that we do not lose the privilege of using this pristine area.

Copper Boat Ramp - Applegate Lake
Take highway 238 through Murphy, turn R onto Applegate Road (look for the "Applegate Dam" sign). You'll pass the dam at about milepost 15. At 17¾ miles, turn left at the "boat ramp" sign and follow it down to the lake. You're there. Allow one hour for the drive.

Carberry Creek - Applegate Lake
Take highway 238 Murphy, turn R onto Applegate Road (look for the "Applegate Dam" sign). You'll pass the dam at about milepost 15. At about mile 19, the road goes over Carberry creek and ends at a tee. Turn right, go ¼ mile and park in the gravel parking lot on the right. You're there. Allow one hour for the drive.

Early Hole - Smith River
Go out highway 199 West from Grants Pass, 72 miles to Hiouchi. Continue 1½ miles on 199 and turn right onto highway 197. From there, go 3 miles and turn left onto Charlie Drive (there's a "winding road" sign on the right). Go slow as it turns to dirt, then to river rock. Turn left when you reach a crossroads on the flood plain, then straight to the cliffs. You're there. Allow 2 hours for the drive to Hiouchi, 15 minutes more to get to the site.

Slant Bridge - Smith River
Go out highway 199 West from Grants Pass. 1 1/2 miles before Hiouchi (about 70 miles out on 199), turn left onto South Fork Road (there's a gravel lot at the turnoff). Drive over the Nels Christensen Memorial (aka Slant) Bridge, then watch for the "Forks Boat Ramp - River Access" sign. Turn right and drive down to the parking lot. Go to the left, down to the boat turnaround at the head of the boat ramp. Unload at the "No Day Use" sign, then park up in the lot. Hike your gear to the river on the trail that starts at that sign. You're there. Allow 2 hours for the drive.