Sharps Creek — LANE COUNTY, OREGON County

Source: Tom Ashworth's Prospectors Cache (tomashworth.com / Mike Higbee / 49erMike). Author: Tom Ashworth. Original page: lane_or.shtml. State index: https://web.archive.org/web/20040830075749/http://www.tomashworth.com/goldloc.shtml Area: SHARPS CREEK. Map coordinates are an approximate county centroid — not a precise claim site. Sharps Creek first gained popularity in 1858 and is part of the Bohemian Mining District because of its excessive gold placer content. Sharps Creek is resupplied with fine gold and flake every year. Mineral Camp and Martin Creek Recreation Sites also have great gold and produce larger nuggets. Please respect private property. To reach Mineral Camp, take exit 174 east out of Cottage Grove from I-5. Follow the Row River Road #2400 13 miles east to Sharps Creek road #2460. Turn Right on the Sharps Creek Road and drive south for about 10 miles, You will pass Sharps Creek Recreation area as mentioned above. Turn left in and go EAST (Thanks Jerry) about 2 miles to Mineral Camp. by: Jerry Eagle A minor correction: In the directions to Sharp's Creek, when you go south on Sharp's Creek Road #2460 for about 10 miles, you turn left and go EAST, not west, up the creek to Mineral Campground. I was there several times last autumn. This 2 mile section of road is now very hazardous. We had very heavy rains last autumn and there was a lot of heavy flow and flooding down Sharp's Creek. Each time I went, I was amazed at how much change and damage had been done, with huge trees washed down and an amazing amount of erosion. This short segment of road washed out last autumn (into Sharp's Creek) and the county repaired it, but it was still very dangerous, with nearly vertical drop to the creek. And that is through soft soil, not rock. There has been a huge amount of snow this winter and I'll be amazed if this road is open this spring. The last time I went last autumn I was afraid to drive up to Mineral, and walked the two miles instead. It's got to be worse now. OAKRIDGE North of Oakridge about 12 miles between Fall and Christy creeks is the Fall Creek District. It had a low production with numerous prospects in secs. 13, 18 and 19 on the USGS maps. The Golden Eagle Prospect had a 1300 foot underground working and the Ironside Mine was worked intermittently for many years. There is some placer being found in Fall and Christy Creeks.