Rogers Peak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rogers Peak
Rogers Peak Location in Oregon
Highest point
Elevation	3,706 ft (1,130 m)
Prominence	3,034 ft (925 m)
Geography
Location	Tillamook County, Oregon, U.S.
Parent range	Northern Oregon Coast Range
Topo map	USGS Rogers Peak

Rogers Peak is the tallest mountain in Tillamook County, Oregon. It stands high in the Tillamook State Forest. This peak is also the highest point in the Northern Oregon Coast Range. The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the top part of the larger Oregon Coast Range mountains.

How Rogers Peak Was Formed

The mountains here started forming about 40 million years ago. This was during a time called the Eocene age. During that time, sand and mud hardened into sandstone and siltstone.

Also, hot, melted rock cooled down to form igneous rocks. Basalt, a type of igneous rock, flowed like lava. These flows mixed with basaltic sandstone. This created many of the mountain shapes we see today. Other rocks formed from sediment more recently, about 20 million years ago. Scientists think parts of this area were islands during the Eocene age.

The entire Coast Range sits on a special place where two huge pieces of Earth's crust meet. One piece, the Juan de Fuca Plate, is slowly sliding under North America. This movement helps push up the mountains. The basalt rock in the area came from huge lava flows. These flows covered much of Oregon from cracks in the ground. The mountains were lifted up into a broad arch during the middle Miocene period.

Plants and Animals of Rogers Peak

The forests on Rogers Peak are home to many trees. You can find Sitka spruce and western redcedar. There are also Douglas-fir and western hemlock trees.

Other plants growing here include salmonberry and salal. You might also see sword ferns and Oregon grape. Bracken ferns are also common.

Many small creatures live on the mountain. These include millipedes, collembolans, spiders, and beetles. You can also find various centipedes.

Larger animals that live in the area include weasels and chipmunks. Black bears and snowshoe hares also roam here. You might even spot deer.

Birds are plentiful too. Look for chickadees, kinglets, and woodpeckers. Jays, brown creepers, and red crossbills also make their homes on Rogers Peak.

Where to Find Rogers Peak

Rogers Peak is about 8 miles (13 km) north of Lees Camp. You can reach it from Oregon Route 6 by taking North Fork Road.

If you like hiking, the trail up the mountain is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) round-trip. You will climb about 1,100 feet (340 m) in elevation. The mountain is on private timber land. It is also quite close to the Oregon Coast.

How Rogers Peak Got Its Name

The mountain officially became Rogers Peak in 1964. Before that, people sometimes called it Blue Lake Peak or Nels Rogers Peak.

The mountain was named after Nelson S. Rogers. He was the Oregon State Forester from 1940 to 1949. He was very important in helping the Tillamook Burn area recover. The Tillamook Burn was a series of huge forest fires.