Row River Rail-Trail-Oregon

Our second rail to trail adventure begins at the Row River trail, which is part of the covered bridges scenic byway. This 14 mile paved trail is part of the National Recreation trail. This section follows along the Rogue River and Dorena Reservoir and was once part of the Oregon Pacific and Eastern Railroad line.

Day 1 - Eastbound

Our first days outing we packed a lunch and headed east to Dorena and Culp creek. The trail follows Dorena Reservoir along this route. We were greeted by mixed forest trees and panoramic views of the reservoir. There are several scenic picnic areas along the way. We stopped right before Dorena and lunched by the Row River. In the early century trains brought tourist from Cottage Grove to the end of the line, with many stops for picnicking and fishing.

Fun Fact: The movie Stand By Me was filmed on the trail! There are movie plaques denoting film locations along the way. We rewatched the movie, before our adventure, to compare then to now. The information about the movie really adds another layer to the experience. We are not affiliated with the Oregon Film Trail but for more information on other film locations around the state, check out their website.

Day 2 - Westbound

Our second days outing was to Mosby Creek trailhead west of our campground. This included trestle crossings and covered bridges. Lane County has more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi. From Mosby Creek there is a 3 mile section to Cottage Gove maintained by the city. Cottage Grove's downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. We explored Cottage Grove and lunched in the quaint downtown area.

Fun Fact: The trestle bridge at Harms park has been featured in many movies like Stand By Me, Emperor of the North, and The General according to Travel Oregon. We did not see the other movie sites but something to look for along your journey.

Cheers Jeff and Liz