Buck Rock Tunnel Hike: Exploring an Abandoned Railroad Project in Southern Oregon

Trail Length: Approximately 6-mile loop

Elevation Gain: Approximately 1,000 feet

Trail Type: Overgrown dirt roads and single-track trails

Recommended Equipment: Flashlight

Location: Near Ashland, Oregon, in the Cascade-Siskiyou region

There aren't many hikes where you can walk through the woods, discover two abandoned railroad tunnel entrances, and explore a piece of Southern Oregon history that was nearly lost to time. The Buck Rock Tunnel hike is one of them.

Tucked away in the mountains south of Ashland, Oregon, these unfinished railroad tunnels are remnants of an ambitious 19th-century project. Chinese immigrant laborers spent months cutting into the mountainside, working from opposite sides of the ridge in an attempt to create a railroad route through the Siskiyou Mountains.

The project was abandoned before the tunnels could meet. Today, more than 140 years later, the two entrances remain hidden among the trees, offering curious hikers a chance to explore a fascinating chapter of Oregon's railroad history.

This approximately six-mile loop takes you to both the western and eastern tunnel entrances, with a few interesting discoveries along the way. It's not necessarily a hike for someone looking for spectacular views and scenery, but if you enjoy history, exploration, and finding unusual places in the woods, Buck Rock Tunnel is worth putting on your list.

Starting at the Buck Rock Tunnel Trailhead

The hike starts at the trailhead off Buckhorn Springs Road. There's parking for approximately 10 to 12 vehicles, but don't expect any facilities. There are no restrooms or other amenities at the trailhead, so plan accordingly.

The route consists of a mixture of overgrown dirt roads and narrower single-track trails. There are several junctions along the way, and not all of them are marked. Most of the route appears on the AllTrails map, but I encountered at least one unmarked trail or road that wasn't shown.

If you watch the trail report video here: https://youtu.be/CvtiCJM0aqg you'll get the important turns and junctions as we go.

Hiking to the Western Buck Rock Tunnel Entrance

From the trailhead, you'll reach your first major junction, a Y intersection. This is where the loop divides, with one direction leading toward the western tunnel entrance and the other eventually taking you toward the eastern entrance.

I recommend starting with the western entrance. It's the easier one to locate, and the route is marked with recently added signposts.

Have a downloaded map, (OnX, AllTrails or Gaia) and pay attention to the signpost with their maps. It's easy to take a side trail and end up missing the trail to the tunnel entrance.

At the side trail, (single track) leading to the western tunnel entrance, you'll find the first part of the trail is fairly steep, but manageable for hikers who are comfortable walking on steep ground. I recommend hiking poles to make it easier.

After the short hill, the path levels out and you'll reach another Y intersection. The trail to the left takes you to a historical plaque installed by the Southern Oregon Historical Society in 1977. It's worth taking a few minutes to look at it before returning to the junction.

From there, take the trail on the right to reach the western tunnel entrance.

Why Was Buck Rock Tunnel Dug?

Standing in front of the western entrance, it's natural to wonder why anyone would go to the trouble of digging a railroad tunnel in such a remote location.

To understand that, we need to go back to the second half of the 19th century, when railroads were transforming the American West.

The Oregon and California Railroad was extending its line south from Portland toward California. Connecting the two states by rail meant finding a practical route through the Siskiyou Mountains, a formidable obstacle for railroad engineers.

One proposed route crossed the mountains near Buck Rock. A tunnel would allow trains to pass through the ridge rather than climb over it, helping create a more manageable railroad grade.

Construction began in 1883, with Chinese immigrant laborers making up a significant part of the workforce. Chinese workers played an important role in building railroads throughout the American West, often performing some of the most difficult and dangerous work.

Imagine what it must have been like to work here in the 1880s.

Before digging could even begin, workers needed tools, food, building materials, and explosives brought into this remote mountain location. Access roads and work areas had to be established. Workers needed somewhere to live, too, often in temporary camps and wooden structures.

Then came the actual excavation.

Working with hand tools, drilling equipment, and explosives, crews gradually broke through the rock. The blasted material had to be removed before they could continue digging. There were risks from premature explosions, unstable rock, falling debris, and the challenges of working through winter in a remote mountain environment.

Two teams worked from opposite sides of the ridge, one at the eastern entrance and the other at the western entrance. Their goal was to eventually meet somewhere inside the mountain.

But they never got that far.

The Buck Rock Tunnel project was abandoned before the two excavations could connect.

Finding the Eastern Buck Rock Tunnel Entrance

After visiting the western entrance, it's time to make our way around the loop toward the eastern side of the mountain.

This is where navigation becomes a little more interesting.

There's three more signposts along the trail and then they end. This is where your downloaded map or printed map helps. Watching the video will help too. :)

There's a straight path leading downhill and as you go down the path you'll see a clearing on the right. This is where you'll leave the more obvious route and head into the forest toward the eastern tunnel entrance. At the clearing, turn right and follow the less obvious route through the trees.

The eastern entrance is considerably more obscured than the western one.

Over the past 142 years, fallen rock and landslides have partially covered the opening. As a result, the entrance is smaller and steeper than you might expect. The surrounding ground is uneven, and path down into the tunnel is loose dirt and rock. Hiking poles make the descenct and return ascent a lot easier.

Why Was the Buck Rock Railroad Tunnel Abandoned?

The historical marker installed by the Southern Oregon Historical Society records the beginning of construction on August 17, 1883, and the abandonment of the work on February 8, 1884.

That means the project lasted only about six months according to the dates on the marker.

So what happened?

The railroad company was going broke, and the proposed route through Buck Rock ultimately lost out to an alternative route over the Siskiyou Summit. With the company's finances under pressure and another route selected, there was no longer a reason to continue excavating the Buck Rock tunnels.

Think about that for a moment.

Workers had spent months in a remote mountain location, doing exhausting and dangerous work, only to have the project suddenly cancelled. They had been digging into solid rock from opposite sides of the mountain, with the expectation that their efforts would eventually produce a working railroad tunnel.

Then the plans changed.

We can only imagine how the workers felt when they learned that the project was over. All that effort, all those difficult working conditions, and all that blasted rock, for a railroad that would never run through Buck Rock.

The tunnel was left unfinished, and the surrounding construction areas gradually disappeared into the forest.

A Forgotten Piece of Southern Oregon History

For decades, the unfinished tunnels remained largely forgotten outside the knowledge of a few locals familiar with the area.

That changed in 1966, when Bureau of Land Management forester Mark Lawrence rediscovered the site. He documented the tunnel entrances, helping bring attention to a remarkable piece of local railroad history.

In 1977, the Southern Oregon Historical Society installed historical markers at both entrances. These markers helped identify and preserve the story of the abandoned project.

The Bureau of Land Management acquired the property in 2014, and the site is now associated with the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

More recent archaeological work by the BLM and Southern Oregon University has helped document the site and the lives of the Chinese workers who lived and worked here. Archaeologists found artifacts associated with the work camps, including pieces of porcelain, glass, nails, and oil lamps.

These discoveries are important because they help tell the story of the people behind the construction, not just the railroad project itself.

Completing the Buck Rock Tunnel Loop

After exploring the eastern entrance, return through the clearing and continue along the route.

You'll pass a car hood with bullet holes on your left. It's one of those unexpected sights you occasionally come across when exploring remote forest roads.

Further along the road, such as it is, ends and you will be walking along a single track carved into the side of the gully. After the gully the road starts again.

A little further on you'll encounter a mound of dirt covering a large boulder. This is where AllTrails indicates the two trails end. But of course, you can just walking around it completing the loop.

Continue onward and you'll eventually reach a large open meadow. This is the viewpoint area identified on the AllTrails map and provides a welcome change from the forested sections of the hike.

From here, continue along the route until you reach the original Y intersection. Take the main trail back toward the trailhead, completing the loop.

What Should You Bring on the Buck Rock Tunnel Hike?

This is a relatively short hike by backpacking standards, but it's still worth preparing properly. The route includes uneven ground, overgrown roads, unmarked junctions, and sections where the trail isn't particularly obvious.

A few items are especially useful:

• Flashlight: Bring a good flashlight if you intend to look into the tunnel openings. A phone flashlight is not going to give you enough light.

  
  

• Navigation: Download your map before leaving home. Cell service may be unreliable, and some junctions aren't marked.

  
  

• Hiking footwear: Wear footwear suitable for uneven dirt trails, loose material, and potentially slippery ground. Several parts of the trail are clay which means when it's been raining, it forms a sticky mud.

  
  

• Water and snacks: Carry enough water for the full hike, particularly during warmer weather.

  
  

• Basic first-aid supplies: A small first-aid kit is sensible for any hike involving remote trails and uneven terrain.

  
  

One important safety point: a flashlight does not make entering an abandoned mine or tunnel safe. The tunnel interiors can contain unstable rock, loose debris, and other hazards that aren't necessarily visible from the entrance. Historical warnings specifically mention falling rock and the potential for serious head injuries.

Is the Buck Rock Tunnel Hike Worth Doing?

If you're looking for a well-maintained trail with spectacular mountain views from beginning to end, this might not be your first choice.

But if you enjoy discovering unusual places, exploring Southern Oregon history, and seeing something that most people would never know was hidden in these woods, Buck Rock Tunnel is a fascinating destination.

The six-mile loop offers more than just a walk through the forest. You're following the remains of an ambitious railroad project that began in 1883, visiting two unfinished tunnel entrances, and getting a glimpse into the difficult work performed by Chinese immigrant laborers more than a century ago.

There's something particularly interesting about standing in front of an unfinished tunnel and imagining the people who spent their days cutting into the mountain, never knowing that their work would eventually become a hiking destination.

The railroad never made it through Buck Rock. But the story has survived.

And that's what makes this hike worth exploring.

If you enjoy discovering unusual trails and forgotten history in Southern Oregon, add Buck Rock Tunnel to your list.

See you out there!