Verdant morning light reflects in the Rogue.
Potholes scoured in the bedrock from eons of erosion.
A peaceful scene along the river at Kelsey Geology Camp.
Getting ready for another day on the trail.
During lower water summertime flows, the Rogue flows through a narrow inner gorge carved into solid bedrock.
Lush forest offers some great wildlife viewing.
A nice view from the trail.
The ups and downs of walking along the Rogue.
Another window in the forest.
The Mule Creek Ranch is a wonderful historic stop along the trail. This ranch was home to the Billings family, some of the earliest settlers along the Rogue.
An interpretive panel showing the huge mining tressle that used to carry water across the mouth of Mule Creek Canyon into a hyrdraulic giant for mining downstream along the Rogue.
A side trip up the Mule Creek Canyon Trail is worth the effort. This photo is from the bridge spanning a confluence up Mule Creek.
Evidence of early mining activity up Mule Creek.
The burned remnants of mining or milling equipment.
Rusted gears.
Beautiful cascades in Mule Creek.
The trail hugs the shaded left wall of Mule Creek.
Just downstream from the ranch and on the river is the Class IV slot of Mule Creek Canyon (named after Mule Creek upstream).
The inner gorge of Mule Creek Canyon is a wonderland of beautifully sculpted bedrock.
Coffee Pot Rapid (Class IV) is the crux of Mule Creek Canyon.
The constricted Rogue River flows through Mule Creek Canyon toward Coffee Pot Rapid.
Mule Creek Canyon is easy to access from the Rogue River Trail by scrambling over the bedrock ledges to the water's edge.