Cummins Creek Wilderness

The Cummins Creek Wilderness is one of three small Wilderness areas established on the Siuslaw National Forest by Act of Congress in 1984. It lies in the Oregon Coast Range south of Waldport and north of Florence. It 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, where Sitka spruce sometimes reach nine feet in diameter. Both creeks spill into the Pacific Ocean, whose salty water almost reaches the western 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 never see snow. The Cummins Ridge Trail, approximately 6.5 miles, bisects the area and is the only trail within it. A special forest order prohibits stock use because of the fragile soils. The Wilderness is in Oregon and is managed by the Forest Service.