Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

Infobox park
park = Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site


image size = 140px
caption = Oregon State Parks
type = Public, state
location = Klamath County, Oregon, USA
coordinates = coord|42.736405|-121.977087|display=title,inline
size = 19 acres
opened =
operator = Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department
annual visitors =
status =

Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site is a state park in southern Oregon. The park is operated and maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located approximately convert|20|mi|km southeast of Crater Lake National Park and convert|3|mi|km north of Fort Klamath. The park was established in 1955, and covers 19 acres including the headwaters of the Wood River.

History

In 1943, the State of Oregon purchased convert|14450|acre|km2 near Sun Mountain to establish Sun Pass State Forest. Additional land was added to the forest in 1944, 1947, and 1948. In 1955, the Oregon Board of Forestry deeded 19 acres of Sun Pass land to the Oregon State Highway Division to create "Jackson F. Kimball State Park". The park was named after Jackson F. Kimball, a district forest warden for the Klamath-Lake Forest Protective Association.Brown, Jame E. (Oregon State Forester) and Roy Woo (Klamath-Lake District Forester), [http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/management/state_forests/sfplan/eorfmp95-final/1_back.pdf "Section I, Background and Planning Process"] , "Eastern Oregon Region Long-Range Forest Management Plan", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, May 1995.] The park was officially renamed the "Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site" in 2004.

Jackson Kimball was born in Maine probably in 1874. In 1905 Kimball began working for the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company. While he worked for Weyerhauser, Kimball also acted as agent or broker for the several smaller timber companies, and was a trustee of the American National Bank of Klamath Falls. He spent considerable time in Salem lobbying the Oregon Legislature on behalf of the timber industry. Kimball began his associated with the Klamath-Lake Counties Forest Fire Association, the forerunner of the Klamath Forest Protective Association, in 1908. He remained active in the association until his death in 1944. [Drew, Harry J., "Weyerhaeuser Company: A History of People, Land and Growth", Weyerhaeuser Company, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 1979. ( [http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/archive/mss/kimball_des.html Oregon State Library Archives and Records Management Program] )]

Recreation

. A short trail connects the main campground to the Wood River’s headwaters spring site. [http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_229.php "Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site"] , Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, "Oregon.gov", 21 May 2008.]

The park has ten primitive camping near the headwater lagoon of the Wood River. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The park has primitive-toilet facilities, but potable water is not available in the park. Campground quiet hours begin at 10 p.m. and end at 7 a.m. Use park permits cost $9 during the summer season and $5 the rest of the year.

There is a popular horse trail that begins at Collier Memorial State Park that leads through the forest to Kimball State Recreation Site. Riders must make a round trip from Collier State Park since there are no horse corrals at Kimball Recreation Site. [ [http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_228.php "Collier Memorial State Park"] , Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon.gov, 23 May 2008.]

Wood River

.">Brown, Jame E. (Oregon State Forester) and Roy Woo (Klamath-Lake District Forester), [http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/management/state_forests/sfplan/eorfmp95-final/3_1_half.pdf "Section III, Resource Description"] , "Eastern Oregon Region Long-Range Forest Management Plan", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, May 1995.]

Wood River offers fine fishing that can be accessed from the shore or by canoe or kayak. Brook, brown, and rainbow trout are found in the Wood River and its tributaries. In addition, Bureau of Land Management biologist have found native redband trout in the Wood River between the Kimball State Recreation Site and the confluence of Annie Creek about a mile downstream from the park. [ [http://www.oregon.gov/OWEB/MONITOR/docs/mr_WRW_2003-05.pdf "Wood River Wetland Monitoring Report 2003-2005"] , Klamath resource Area, Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of Interior, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 2005.]

Access

The area in the Cascade Mountains around the park experiences cold winters with significant snowfall. Summers are generally dry with warm temperatures. The park’s elevation is convert|4211|ft|m above sea level. It is usually opens in mid-April weather permitting. However, in some years deep winter snowfalls can delay the park’s opening until June. After the summer visitor season slacks off, the park usually closes in October.

The Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site located just off of Highway 232, approximately convert|20|mi|km southeast of Crater Lake National Park, and convert|3|mi|km north of Fort Klamath. The parks approximately convert|40|mi|km northwest of Klamath Falls, Oregon.

References

External links

* [http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_229.php Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site]
* [http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/ Oregon Parks and Recreation Department]