Cummins Creek Wilderness

The Cummins Creek Wilderness features the only old-growth Sitka Spruce forest in the Oregon Wilderness system. Overhung with alder and maple, Cummins and Bob Creeks drain west through this dense rainforest Wilderness, where Sitka spruce sometimes reach nine feet in diameter. Both creeks spill into the Pacific Ocean, whose salty water almost reaches the western Wilderness boundary. Salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout spawn in the cool creek waters. Spruce-covered Cummins Ridge, which peaks at almost 2,000 feet, splits the rain forest in two. Yellow monkey flower, purple aster, white candy flower, and red foxglove brighten summer days, which otherwise tend toward the wet and foggy. Winters rarely see snow. The Cummins Ridge Trail [http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/recreation/recarea/?recid=42391] (approximately 5.8 miles) cuts through the center of the Wilderness area and ascends more than 1,000 feet through towering stands of Sitka spruce, Western hemlock and Douglas-fir. Watch for wildlife along the way. It is the only trail within the wilderness area. View larger map [//usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Embed/index.html?webmap=51f650f63d534c7a9d8f76c8faf3fd40&extent=-124.1069,44.2202,-123.9868,44.2822&home=true&zoom=true&scale=true&legend=true&basemap_gallery=true&disable_scroll=true&theme=light]