The Gold Rush - Gold Beach, Oregon

Discover the Riches of Gold Beach

Nestled only fifty miles north of the California border is one of the best well-kept of Oregon’s secrets – Gold Beach. The small port town is home to approximately two thousand year round residents who have come to adore the natural beauty and wildlife of their town.

The history of the town is as colorful as the flora and fauna of the region, mixing Native American cultures and influences with that of the Spanish and European explorers, hunters and fishermen who were the first to reach this area in the New World. Eventually, westward expansion allowed ranchers, loggers, trappers, miners and shopkeepers to add their unique touch to the town’s flavor.

In the 1850s Gold Beach finally made a name for itself, literally, when gold was found at the mouth of the Rogue River. The town is the meeting place for this beautiful river and the Pacific Ocean, and gold from the hills above had traveled to the beach and gave the town its name.

This was the height of the “Gold Rush” and miners hurried in to make their “claims”. While this did prove beneficial to the town, creating the many industries around the copper, gold and jade mining operations that bloomed, the area did not yield enough gold or other materials to allow the industry to continue. By that time it didn’t matter because salmon fishing and canning had all ready taken over as the chief economic contributor for the town.

Today the industrial fishing is also gone, but the excellent crops of salmon, trout and other sport fish bring passionate fishing enthusiasts to Gold Beach year after year.

The outdoor lifestyle continues to be the biggest tourist attraction in Gold Beach, with many coming for the incredible hiking, biking, boating and wildlife watching that the surrounding hills provide. The residents of Gold Beach passionately protect the pristine beauty of the area, and many of the most popular river excursions and hiking trails are through a permit only arrangement. A common way for visitors to head up the Rogue River is via a guided jet boat ride, and these take place from April through October each year.

The port town of Gold Beach is a traveler’s delight with delicious fresh fish, local arts and crafts and charming and friendly people to welcome them. The mild weather year round also makes it a pleasant place to stroll along the peaceful streets, or to head out to the beach to pan for agates or gold.