Rogue, North Fork
4. Mill Creek Falls to Lost Creek Reservoir(Mill Creek Run)
| Difficulty | IV |
| Length | 3.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 109 fpm |
| Gauge | Rogue River Below Prospect, or |
| Flow Rate as of 29 minutes | 845 cfshigh runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 11, 2023 |
River Description
This is a short but great continuous class IV creek-ish run on the upper Rogue River. The first 1.3 miles from Mill Creek Falls to North Fork/Prospect powerhouse is nearly continuous whitewater with many class IV drops connected by class II and III whitewater. Below the powerhouse, the river eases off to class III but the powerhouse adds up to an additional 1,000 cfs. Most paddlers take out at the powerhouse to take advantage of the free shuttle on scheduled release weekends. Continuing downstream to Lost Creek Reservoir increases the total run length to approximately two miles and adds several class III rapids but requires a hike out at the end once you reach the reservoir.
Before embarking on the Mill Creek run, curious paddlers may want to take a look at the stout Avenue of the Boulders section upstream. The best view is from the bridge over the Rogue on Mill Creek Drive. This class V-VI section has been run in parts but is more scenic than paddling material for most. Upstream from the bridge is the class V+ Prospect Falls that was featured in a now-vintage Ashland Mine Productions film. From this scenic view spot it's 0.4 miles down the road to the Mill Creek and Barr Creek Falls trailhead parking area, from which you hike your boat to the water.
Getting to the put-in is more frightening and strenuous than the river for the experienced creek boater. During PacifiCorp's scheduled recreational flow releases there is a free van shuttle from the powerhouse take-out back to the put-in. Be sure to sign up for the shuttle at the put-in using the the clipboard that's on the picnic table at the southeast corner of the of the parking area. From this spot the hike is all downhill, gentle at first and then ridiculously steep. Take the most direct downhill trail at each intersection. The hike is gentle until the trail drops into the basalt gorge, where you shoulder your boat on the right and down climb a steep trail using handholds on the cliff to your lef
...River Features
Mill Creek Falls Put In
A steep trail enters the gorge across from Mill Creek Falls.
Powerhouse Access
PacifiCorp provides a shuttle to this access points on release weekends.
Lost Creek Reservoir Take Out
A trail up from the reservoir crosses private property requiring permission from the landowner.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportThe Pacificorp Prospect Whitewater Page link is out of commission and has been since at least Labor Day weekend this year when I first attempted to access flow information. I am removing all but one references to the link from the description text. Was maintaining this page part of the agreement with AW? Here is the link for future reference.
https://www.pacificorp.com/es/hydro/hl/wr/rr/bf.html
A run from Mill Creek Falls down to the reservoir with Thomas O'Keefe, Omar Jepperson, Jennie Goldberg, and Pat Welch.
I managed to get on this run a no. of times last summer during the schedule release. The three times I did, the stick gauge at the put in read between 2.1 and 2.8 a low to medium flow. Perfect for the class 4 boater such as my self. With-in these flow parameters there were lots of eddys and the water did not have much push giving you plenty of time to make the technical moves necessary for this run. I hear as the flow goes up so does the rating, and I can see that. The class 4 section starting below Mill Creek falls to the Powerhouse is essentially a 1.3 mile long class 3 to 4 rapid and tons of fun, all set in a spectacular gorge with 2, 170' tall waterfalls, tall canyon walls and fantastic water color and quality. Even though I live less than an hour from the put-in, I like to camp up above Prospect on the release weekends, That way you maximize your boating time and can get the whole NF Rogue boating experience by adding runs down the Natural Bridge, Takilma Gorge and River Bridge sections as well as a couple of laps down the Mill Creek section. That all adds up to a great summer weekend of boating! Below the powerhouse is a good section of class 3 that reminded me of the upper McCloud...continuous, fairly shallow rocky rapids with good gradient (50fpm) and a couple of nice surf waves on the day I paddled it..The class 3 section goes 24/7/365 but has access problems both at the put-in and the take-out...too bad because I bet it would be fun in the playboat.
A 3 person survey field crew from Minister and Glaeser Surveying ran the section of the North Fork of the Rogue River on the 6th, 7th and 9th of October, 2009. The field crew put in at the Power House and floated down to Lost Creek Reservoir. The field crew was surveying sedimentation ranges for the USACE. The sedimentation ranges had not been surveyed since 1977. A 14 foot pontoon raft was used. The section of the river was fast and full of boulders with numerous drops. The field crew was able to complete the project.
1000 cfs is taken from this run for use of hydropower. In order to run this stretch there needs to be more than 1000 cfs on the gauge. This is a beautiful class IV to III run with two 170' waterfalls flowing into the Rogue gorge.
Access can be challenging, so few people paddle this run. It is worth it if you get the chance. Best run in the winter months.
This is the first rapid of the Mill Creek Falls run. It is probably the most difficult rapid on the run as well.
If you choose to put in at the eddy above this rapid, you with have to paddle through the maelstrom of storm-force winds and stinging spray and then blindly run the line through the rapid. I would recommend entering on the right and moving into the center to avoid a potential piton on the bottom right and the 'toilet bowl sieve of death' on the bottom left of the rapid. The seive is marked/created by the large boulder on the left. STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE SEIVE! It is VERY dangerous!
If you want to avoid this rapid you can easily put-in in the eddy below on the right.
View of Barr Creek Falls looking downstream from the put-in at Mill Creek Falls.
This is a typical rapid of the first half of this run...cold,blue water and big green mossy boulders. Keep an eye out for wood! (as seen on the right).
Barr Creek falls marks the division of the river around two long-shaped islands. Both sides of the island can be run but the last rapid on the right channel seems to be the gnarliest (shown) with lots of piton potential!
The alternative is a steeper run down the left side of the island, with the last rapid ending in a pretty good sized pool.(shown here in the upper right corner of the photo)
A closer look at Barr Creek Falls Rapid, on the left side of the islands
Looking down into gorge from the rim. Flow from Barr Creek Falls is coming in on river left.
View looking across the gorge at Barr Creek Falls (170 ft). This run offers spectacular scenery and great class IV to III whitewater. A more challenging run immediatly upstream offers V+ whitewater.
Gerber lands a boof in the first steep drop.
The steepest part of the put-in trail can be walked--carefully.
Boaters must sign in on this clipboard before each lap to use the free Pacificorp shuttle (on release days only).
Only boaters would load a trailer like this.
View of the Avenue of the Giant Boulders, class V and VI, just 0.4 miles upstream from the Mill Creek Falls launch point.