Klamathon, Iron Gate Dam, and the Fish Hook Restaurant - 2010

A drive along Klamathon Road beside the Klamath River to the Iron Gate Dam and Recreation Area. This is in the far-northern section of California, only a few miles from Oregon, near Interstate 5 and the town of Hornbrook.

The UK (Upper Klamath) in Siskiyou County. Here you see Klamathon Road.

Lupine blooming alongside Klamathon Road.

By Linda Jo Martin
May 5, 2010

I've lived next to the Klamath River for ten years. At home we get electricity from Pacific Power, which owns the hydroelectric facilities at the dams that the Karuk Tribe wants to have removed: Iron Gate Dam, and just behind it, Copco Dam. At this point it looks like it will be at least another fifteen years before the dams are taken out, if in fact it ever comes to that. I've been wondering about the impact dam removal would have on the area, so was very curious to see this part of the state.

We drove north from Yreka. When we got off Interstate 5 we turned right. Most people will turn left, go under the overpass, and then head west on Highway 96 toward Klamath River, Horse Creek, Hamburg, Seiad Valley,Happy Camp and Somes Bar; or they will turn into the Collier's Rest Area there next to Interstate 5. We didn't. We turned right onto an unpaved road - Klamathon Road.

We drove north on the unpaved road and enjoyed the river view. The wildlife got our attention. There were unusual birds; my partner who is a long time naturalist had never seen this species in California; he attempted to take photos of the elusive critters. They didn't come out well. A few miles further we started passing flocks of pelicans with big bumps on their beaks, something neither of us had seen in the Klamath River before. Strange, but lovely! My web research revealed that these are American White Pelicans. The bump on the upper mandible is a 'breeding sail' that is shed when breeding season is over.

American White Pelicans on the Upper Klamath River.

Pitted rocks in the hillside above Klamathon Road.

Old miners cabins next to the Upper Klamath River.

One of the locals! ...on Klamathon Road.

Congested area, Klamathon Road. "Congested" must be a matter of perspective!

This marks the site of the town of Klamathon.

After driving by a few dilapidated homes, including one burnt-out ruin, we came to the historical marker for a long-gone town, Klamathon. Apparently it was a booming sawmill town until a devastating fire destroyed everything in 1902. The historical marker reads: "On this site was located the historic lumber town of Klamathon. Townsite laid out in 1888 by the Klamath River Lumber and Improvement Company with the sawmill completed on July 23, 1892. The town boasted a sawmill, box factory, sash and door factory, hotels, boarding houses, a school, post office, 2 churches and 5 saloons. Loss for the mill were floated down from company holding 25 miles upriver. Shortly after midnight on Monday, October 13, 1902 fire raged through the community and by dawn only a few dwellings remained. Most of these were lost to subsequent fires. At this date only a few traces remain of this once prosperous community. Dedicated April 24, 1982, Humbug Chapter 73, E Clampus Vitus".

We crossed the river at Agar Road then turned right on Copco Road. After a river-view drive on a road in desperate need of repaving, we came to Iron Gate Dam, the first of the two dams the Karuk Tribal Council wants removed. At Iron Gate Dam we paused for a stroll and took photos from the bridge, then drove a bit further uphill and took photos of Iron Gate Reservoir from Overlook Point Recreation Area. The reservoir looked a bit murky, like the Klamath River, which is what the lake is made from... however it is probably a popular area for fishing and boating during summer months. We were there at the beginning of May and the place was closed up and deserted.

Iron Gate Dam and the Klamath River.

A closer view of Iron Gate Dam.

Otter warning sign! We were surprised. Otters we've seen downriver were not so violent!

An osprey nest on the pole next to Iron Gate Dam.

Mugwort near Iron Gate Dam.

Klamath River suds are natural, from vegetation.

The skies that day were lovely - bright blue with puffy white cumulus clouds... and beneath, the hills were bright green. I couldn't help think, "This is God's Country," because nobody and nothing was there to mar the gorgeous landscape spread out before us.

My partner saw it differently. He said something to the effect that the hills were begging for human development and that it was a shame that nothing was being done there. I kept my "God's Country" thoughts to myself. He pointed out a scar on the landscape where a road had once been carved out. It wound up the hillside and between two hills, into a culvert. It was now green with grass like everything else there. Whatever human endeavor had once invaded the area was long gone.

Welcome to the Iron Gate Recreation Area!

Sign at Overlook Point Recreation Area, Iron Gate Reservoir.

Bluegreen Algae warning sign at Iron Gate Reservoir. Bluegreen Algae is used in health foods (spirulina.)

Iron Gate Reservoir.

On Copco Road there's one lonely restaurant, a part of the Klamath Ranch Resort; we decided to take advantage, and went inside for dinner. There wasn't much for vegetarians! (I'm a long-time vegetarian.) My partner eats fish but felt disinclined to order from their enticing but expensive seafood menu, and joined me in eating a grilled cheese sandwich with onion rings and french fries. The sandwich was on garlic-flavored grilled sourdough. Delicious. The onion rings were batter dipped, and huge. They looked like big fried doughnuts. We definitely didn't leave hungry, and while there my partner (the talkative one) enjoyed conversing with friendly locals, including the waitress.

A mural at the Klamath Ranch Resort.

The Fish Hook Restaurant on Copco Road.

I assured the waitress that I never write about places I don't like. If I don't like something, I simply leave it out. Because you see I've included my dinner at the Fish Hook Restaurant, you can be sure I enjoyed our stop there. There were beautiful wildlife murals inside the restaurant, similar to the one you see above, but I didn't photograph them because the owner wasn't there, and I didn't feel right about taking photos inside the restaurant without his permission.

I would love to visit the area later in the season. It looks beautiful in the springtime. During summer I'm sure we'd find much more traffic from vacationers, dry golden grass on the hills, and plenty of heat. When I return I'll drive further on Copco Road as I'd like to see Copco Dam and Lake too.

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Linda Jo Martin lives near Happy Camp, California in the Klamath River Valley. She is a lifelong Californian, a novelist, and a web content writer. Her website: Linda Jo Martin.