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Klamath Mountains
WESTERN OREGON
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GPS Coordinates (to Mount Eddy area): 41.342721, -124.1064563
REGIONS > WESTERN OREGON

The Klamath Mountains are the major geological feature in the much larger Klamath Mountain ecoregion which covers a large area of southern Oregon and northern California. An ecoregion is a major ecosystem with unique geography and receiving similar sunlight and precipitation. The Klamath Mountain ecoregion includes the Umpqua and Siskiyou Mountains and several interior valleys. The tallest point in the ecoregion is Mount Eddy (California) at 9,025 ft (2,751 m).

The Klamath Mountains begin near the South Umpqua River and extend south to the Trinity River area in California. Its diverse geography includes forested peaks, sprawling meadows and sloping foothills crisscrossed by rivers and streams. The elevation varies between 600 to 7,400 feet (182 to 2,255 m).  

The mountains have a mild climate with wet winters but hot, dry summers.
​The Klamath Mountain's rugged landscape isolates many plants and animals, resulting in several endemic (a plant or animal restricted to a certain area) species, including the Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana spp. balfouriana) and Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana). Because of its unique biotic communities, much of this wilderness is protected and includes eleven distinct wilderness areas in both Oregon and California, part of the United States’ National Wilderness Preservation System. Most of these areas are administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Most of the mountain area is light populated or completely untouched by human presence. Contained within its boundaries are the towns of Roseburg and Myrtle Creek. Grants Pass, Jacksonville, Medford and Ashland all lie within the larger ecoregion.

RELATED FEATURES: Mystery Animals of the Klamath Mountains | Monster Bear: The Legend of Clubfoot

Exploring the Klamath Mountain Area:

Ashland and Vicinity
Medford and Vicinity
Umpqua River
Chetco River
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Grants Pass and Vicinity
Rogue River Valley
Landmark Place: Oregon Caves
Roseburg and Vicinity

Representative Species of the Klamath Mountains:

Arrowleaf balsamroot
California black oak
Douglas-fir
Northern goshawk
Raccoon
Bigleaf maple
Canada lynx
Golden eagle
Oregon ash
Roosevelt elk
Black bear
Columbia lily
Largemouth bass
Pacific madrone
Silver-haired bat
Black widow spider
Cougar
Northern flicker
Ponderosa pine
Steelhead trout

Suggested Activities for the Klamath Mountains:

Art
Conservation Projects
Kayaking
Reading and Writing
Camping
Fishing
Music and Dance
Treasure Hunting
Citizen Science
Geocaching
Photography and Video
Wildlife Spotting
Climate Change Action
Hiking
Picnicking
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