Myrtle Creek (South Umpqua River)

Myrtle Creek is a short tributary of the South Umpqua River in Douglas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Its main stem, formed by the confluence of two forks just south of the city of Myrtle Creek, is only about 1mi long. Its only named tributaries are the two forks, North Myrtle Creek and South Myrtle Creek, each of which is much longer than the main stem.The Myrtle Creek watershed contains one of the largest blocks of land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management in western Oregon. The unbroken forest and its stream network provide habitat for species such as coho salmon and the northern spotted owl as well as clean drinking water for humans. Recreation in the watershed includes hiking, mushroom gathering, camping, horseback riding, and a wide variety of other outdoor activities.In 1990, the City of Myrtle Creek acquired timbers from the former Horse Creek Bridge in Lane County and used them to build a covered bridge over Myrtle Creek. The bridge connects a parking area to the city's Mill Site Park.North forkNorth Myrtle Creek begins in the Cascade Range at on the slopes of Buck Peak, and it flows generally southwest. The named tributaries of North Myrtle Creek from source to mouth are Buck Fork followed by Lee, Slide, Frozen, Big Lick, Little Lick, and Bilger creeks.