Bear Creek (Lincoln County, Oregon)

Summary

Bear Creek is a tributary of the Salmon River in the Central Oregon Coast Range in the United States. It begins in the Siuslaw National Forest and flows generally northwest through Lincoln County to meet the river between Rose Lodge and Otis. Named tributaries from source to mouth are McMullen, Tarry, Southman, and Morton creeks.[3]

Bear Creek
Covered bridge over Bear Creek, built from former Drift Creek Bridge timbers
Bear Creek (Lincoln County, Oregon) is located in Oregon
Bear Creek (Lincoln County, Oregon)
Location of the mouth of Bear Creek in Oregon
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyLincoln
Physical characteristics
Sourcenear Cougar Mountain
 • locationCentral Oregon Coast Range, Siuslaw National Forest
 • coordinates44°57′50″N 123°51′12″W / 44.96389°N 123.85333°W / 44.96389; -123.85333[1]
 • elevation1,445 ft (440 m)[2]
MouthSalmon River
 • location
near Rose Lodge
 • coordinates
45°00′12″N 123°54′13″W / 45.00333°N 123.90361°W / 45.00333; -123.90361[1]
 • elevation
82 ft (25 m)[1]

A covered bridge over Bear Creek is made from timbers salvaged from the former Drift Creek Bridge, also in Lincoln County. In 1988, county officials closed the old bridge after rot and insect damage made it unsafe.[4] They had the bridge dismantled 1997 and gave the timbers to Laura and Kerry Sweitz, who owned land along Bear Creek 8 miles (13 km) north of the Drift Creek site. In 2000, the Sweitz family rebuilt the bridge and granted a permanent public easement for its use.[4] The bridge carries North Rogers Lane, off Bear Creek Road, over the creek.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Bear Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  2. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. ^ "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved March 14, 2016 – via Acme Mapper.
  4. ^ a b "Drift Creek (Bear Creek) Covered Bridge" (PDF). Oregon Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  5. ^ "Map". Google. 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016.