Entry No. 42 — the Portland file — filed under: history
Ogle Mountain Mine
Discovered in 1862 by prospector Bob Ogle, this historic gold mine was operated by the Ogle Mountain Mining Company from 1903 to 1915. Today, the site is reclaimed by dense forest, leaving behind several open adits, a 50-foot-deep vertical shaft, and scattered debris like rusted stove pipes. The land was sold to the Weyerhaeuser timber company in 1953, ending active mining operations.
The story
In 1862, a prospector named Bob Ogle stumbled across gold in these Cascade foothills, but it took until 1903 for the Ogle Mountain Mining Company to turn his claim into a full-scale industrial enterprise. For twelve years, miners hammered horizontal adits deep into rock faces, chasing veins of calcite, gold, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, and sphalerite before abandoning the tunnels to the elements in 1915. In 1953, timber giant Weyerhaeuser acquired the acreage, folding the historic ruins into private working forest.
Decades of damp mountain growth have since swallowed the site, leaving behind a scatter of rusted stove pipes, collapsing timbers, open horizontal tunnel entrances, and a sheer, pitch-black 50-foot vertical drop. It is a textbook piece of forgotten Oregon mining history—completely wild, untamed, and thoroughly un-sanitized.
What it's like
Don't expect a gift shop or safety handrails here. The site sits on private Weyerhaeuser timberland, and access trails—including the Ogle Mountain Trail—are closed following severe damage from the Beachie Creek Fire. Even if you made it to the site, the unsealed 50-foot vertical drop and collapsing adits present lethal fall and cave-in risks. Treat this as a strictly off-limits historical ghost: appreciate the rugged Cascade wilderness from a scenic drive along the public turnouts of the Molalla River Corridor instead.
The move: While the hazardous mine workings and surrounding trails are currently closed to the public, couples can plan a future scenic drive along the Molalla River Corridor to enjoy the rugged Cascade wilderness from safe, open viewpoints.
📍 Before you go The mine is located on private timberland owned by Weyerhaeuser, and the surrounding trails (including the Ogle Mountain Trail) are closed due to severe wildfire damage from the Beachie Creek Fire. Additionally, the site contains highly dangerous, unsealed vertical shafts and unstable adits.
- 📍 Ogle Mountain Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Ogle Mountain Mine, Oregon 97358, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Bagby Hot Springs — Pair a scenic drive along the timbered Cascade river corridors with a hike to hollowed-out cedar soaking tubs deep in the neighboring Mt. Hood National Forest.
- Enchanted Forest — Trade the real, hazardous ruins reclaimed by Cascade timberland for a hand-built fairytale park constructed bag-by-bag out of cement.
- Roosevelt's Terrariums — Shift from wild, uncontained mountain forest taking over rusted industrial debris to building your own contained glass ecosystem back in Portland.
Good to know
Is Ogle Mountain Mine open to the public?
No. The site is located on private Weyerhaeuser timberland, and surrounding access trails remain closed due to severe wildfire damage from the Beachie Creek Fire.
What minerals were mined here?
Gold was the primary target discovered by Bob Ogle, but geological surveys record chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, galena, and calcite veins throughout the workings.
Why is the mine site dangerous?
The site contains unsealed, highly unstable horizontal tunnels (adits) and an exposed 50-foot vertical shaft hidden among dense forest regrowth.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · geocaching.com
last checked: 2026-07-20