Destination: Blue River, Oregon

?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?It’s no longer gold that draws in adventurers to the fluorite creek beds of Blue River, but the sense of place, the green wild abandon that is the heart of the Pacific Northwest.

?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?Only a forty-five minute drive east of Oregon’s largest public university, University of Oregon Ducks flock to Blue River year-round for all manners of recreational activity. Dozens of large spotted brook trout hover over their shadows in shaded pools of some of Oregon’s clearest water. The striking blue-green of the river is caused by the rocky river bed . From river rafting to fishing, bird watching to horseback riding, the Willamette National Forest opens welcoming leafy green arms to thousands of people every year. With natural hot springs, stocked fishing holes, the area with frequented by many lovers of the Oregon wild.

?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?The small Blue River community (population 883) emerged from a now-extinct gold mining operation. Gold-bearing quartz ledges in the upper reaches of the Blue River drainage attracted minors from around the country to the Willamette Valley beginning in the late 1800’s. The mining operation burned out quickly, however, as the primary operations closed down in 1924. However, it is still possible to find bits of quartz settled in the blue bed of the river.

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Just as the gold disappeared from the area, Blue River, along with the rest of Oregon, is suffering from another disappearance of a vital natural resource. With little to no snowfall this past winter, the Oregon snowcaps are all but depleted. With no drainage from the mountains, reservoirs, lakes, and rivers are left with dangerously low water levels. Earlier this year Governor Kate Brown declared a drought-related state of emergency prompting Oregon residents to prepare for the battle to conserve and preserve the crucial substance that keeps this state green.

?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?We live in a magical place. One straight from the lyrical pages of fantasy novels, with trees older than American civilization, home to free-roaming gentle beasts, large and small. We drink water straight from our faucets and some nights, the stars are so bright you can’t sleep. Blue River, and the Willamette National Forrest that surrounds it, is something to treasure. Certainly more than gold.