In fact, mining was the first major resource use of the ecoregion, and Jacksonville was Oregon’s most classic “gold rush” town.

In the Klamath Mountains, serpentine mineral bedrock has weathered to a soil rich in heavy metals, including chromium, nickel, and gold, and in other parts, mineral deposits have crystallized in fractures. The geology of the Klamath Mountains can be better described as a mosaic rather than the layer-cake geology of most of the rest of the state. Unlike other parts of Oregon, the landscape of the Klamath Mountains ecoregion has not been significantly shaped by volcanism.

This variation, along with the varied marine influence, supports a climate that ranges from the lush, rainy western portion of the ecoregion to the dry, warmer interior valleys and cold, snowy mountains. The elevation ranges from about 600 to more than 7,400 feet, from steep mountains and canyons to gentle foothills and flat valley bottoms. Within the ecoregion, there are wide ranges in elevation, topography, geology, and climate. Even though many streams in the Rogue sub-basin dry up naturally in summer, the streams are still used for spawning by salmon and steelhead at other times of the year. Many salmon and steelhead make their homes in these rivers. Several popular and scenic rivers run through the ecoregion, including the Umpqua, Rogue, Illinois, and Applegate rivers. The Rogue watershed has the largest population of any coastal watershed in Oregon (Jackson County, Josephine County, and a portion of Curry County). The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Umpqua Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range.

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