Umpqua National Forest

Umpqua Heritage Program

American Indian Names In and Around the Umpqua National Forest

Calamut Lake, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Calamut is of uncertain origin and meaning, but it is possibly an early form of the word Klamath (see Klamath Lake). This small and very blue lake is located on the very northeastern edge of the Umpqua in the Oregon Cascades Recreational Area (25S 5-1/2 E, Sec. 34), and is the origin of an unnamed creek that flows into the North Umpqua River.

Calapooya Mountains, (Umpqua NF)
These mountains divide the Willamette River and Umpqua River watersheds.The Kalapuya (CAL-a-POO-ee-ya) Indians were living in the Willamette Valley when the first Euro-Americans arrived. The Yoncalla Kalapuya occupied the area between the Willamette River and the North Umpqua River.

Camas Creek, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Camas is Chinook jargon for the camas roots, which were an important food. Camas originates from the Nootka word Chamass for "fruit" or "sweet". The Rogue-Umpqua divide area was an important source of camas and olallie (berries). This creek originates at Mud Lake Mountain, and flows into Fish Creek at T27S R3E Sec. 10.

Chemult
Klamath Chief, one of 26 who signed treaty of Oct. 14, 1864

Cultus Creek, (North Umpqua RD; Umpqua NF)
Cultus is Chinook jargon for "worthless" . This creek was named by a US Land Office surveyor who had trouble getting around in this steep area, and considered the area "troublesome". This creek originates near the saddle north of Red Top Spring, and flows into Cavitt Creek near Shadow Falls at 28S 2W Sec. 8.

Howlock Mountain, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
In 1916, this peak was named after Chief Howlock, a well-known Piaute Indian chief who lived in the Central Oregon area. This peak is located about 3 miles north of Mount Thielsen.

Illahee Rock, (North Umpqua RD; Umpqua NF)
Illahee is the Chinook jargon word for "land", "earth", "dirt" or "country", and is derived from the Chinook word ilahekh. Illahee Rock is the location of a lookout on the edge of Boulder Creek Wilderness on the ridge dividing the Steamboat Creek and Boulder Creek drainages. The meadows to the south in 24S 2E Sec. 22 called Illahee Flats are said to have been an important gathering place, and local lore is that there were horse races and associated gambling around some large oak trees that are still in the meadow.

Johnnie Springs, (Tiller RD; Umpqua NF)
This spring, located in 29S 2W Sec. 2, was named for John Rondeau (as was Rondeau Butte), who was a member of the Rondeau family of the Cow Creek Indian Band. He worked for the Forest Service, and laid out many of the present roads in the South Umpqua River area.

Klamath Lake, (Klamath County)
The locality around the lake was named for the Klamath Indians, who referred to this area as Clemmat or Tlamath - there are many variations on the spelling. The Klamath Indians call themselves the Eukshikni, or Auksni - "people of the lake". A.G. Gatshet has prepared the Dictionary of the Klamath Language, which describes the language used by the Eukshikni.

Lemolo Falls (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Lemolo is the Chinook jargon word for "wild" or "untamed". This spectacular 170-foot waterfall is located along the North Umpqua River about two miles downstream from Lemolo Lake.

Limpy Mountain, (North Umpqua RD; Umpqua NF)
This mountain, as well as Limpy Prairie and Limpy Rock, were named for an Indian resident of the Little River area who had an injured leg, and walked with a halting gait.

Llao Rock, (Crater Lake NP)
This large bluff, located on the northwest rim of Crater Lake, was apparently named for an Klamath deity that was associated with this lake.

Lonewoman Creek, (Tiller RD; Umpqua NF)
This creek was named for Dolley Tomason, a Cow Creek Indian who used a trail along this creek to travel to the Klamath. This creek originates in the Rouge-Umpqua Divide Wilderness near the peak of Hershberger Mountain, and drains into Jackson Creek at 29S 2E Sec 36. The trail along this creek connected into a series of trails in the Jackson Creek - South Umpqua River area.

Maidu Lake, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
This lake was named for the Maidu Indian tribe from the Sierra Nevada region of California. This wild, beautiful, and remote lake is the source of the North Umpqua River, and is located in the Mount. Thielsen Wilderness near Miller Mountain at Range 27S, Township 6-1/2E, Section 4.

Maklaks Pass, (Crater Lake NP)
Maklaks is a Klamath word meaning "encamped", "community" or "tribe". This pass is in a spur running southeast from the rim of Crater Lake.

Mount Bailey, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
While the current name is not of Native American origin, (actually, this mountain was originally know as Old Baldy, and was probably mistakenly wrote down as Old Bailey), this mountain was known as Youxlokes to the Klamath, which meant "Medicine Mountain". According to legend, medicine men and priests often feasted on the summit and communed with the upper world.

Mount Thielsen, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Also known as Big Cowhorn. This mountain was known as Hischokwolas to Indians of the area. This rugged horn-like mountain is unique and very distinguishable.

Mowich Creek, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Mowich is the Chinook jargon word for "deer". Mowich Creek originates on Elephant Mountain, and flows along Mowich Park into the Clearwater River.

Rabbit Ears
A descriptive name. Indians called it Kalistopox (meaning unknown).

Siskiyou Mountains, (Jackson County)
Siskiyou is a Chinook jargon word that means "a bob-tailed horse". There are several local stories to the origin of this name; one is that a Hudson Bay trader lost a bob-tailed race horse here during a snow storm in 1828.

Skookum Lake, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Skookum is the Chinook jargon word for "strong" or "powerful", and was often used to refer to evil deities (the opposite of Hehe spirits, which were good, or fun). When used in connection with localities, the word skookum generally indicated a place inhabited by a skookum, or evil god of the woods. Indians avoided skookum places and considered them haunted. In contradistinction to a skookum, a hehe was a good spirit and a Hehe Chuck was a fine place for games, races and other sports and festivities. This lake is located north of Skookum Prairie, and along the western edge of Devils Canyon. This steep, rugged box canyon does seem to have a certain eerie feeling to it.

Tenas Peak, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Tenas is the Chinook jargon word for "small". This peak is located on the northwestern corner of the Mount Thielsen Wilderness Area.

Tioga, (Douglas County)
Tioga is an Iroquois word meaning "where it forks". It was named for a place in Pennsylvania called Tioga.

Tipsoo Peak, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Tipsoo is the Chinook jargon word for "grass" or "hair". This peak is located about six miles north of Mount Thielsen. Tipsoo Creek, which originates to the east of this peak, drains into Miller Lake.

Toketee Falls, (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Toketee is the Chinook jargon word for "pretty" or "graceful". These picturesque falls are located on the North Umpqua River about a half-mile downstream from the confluence of the Clearwater and the North Umpqua rivers.

Tolo Mountain (Diamond Lake RD; Umpqua NF)
Tolo is the Chinook jargon word for "win", "earn", "prevail", or "succeed". This prominent peak is the divide between the North Umpqua, Little Deschutes, and Deschutes River drainages.

Tututni Pass, (Crater Lake NP)
Named for the Tututni Indians that lived along the mouth of the Rogue River. This pass is located at Vidae Ridge, south of Crater Lake.

Tyee Mountain, (Douglas County)
Tyee is the Chinook jargon for "Chief". This mountain, located west of Sutherlin, was apparently named because of it's prominent position in the area. Sagallie Tyee means "High Chief", and is the name for The Great Spirit, The Old One, or God.

Umpqua
Many theories exist as to the meaning of Umpqua. Most have something to do with water. The most accepted definition is "thunder water", or more specifically, the noise water makes when it rushes through canyons and gorges and over rocks. Other theories are the name for "river", or "bring across the river", "water", or "dancing water". Another source says the name means "satisfied". It is the name given to several bands of Athapascan language speakers who occupied the drainages of the Umpqua River and its tributaries prior to Anglo occupation. The band we refer to as Upper Umpquas, early occupants of this region , called themselves Etnemitane. The meaning of this word is unknown.

Umpqua River, (Douglas County)
Umpqua was the Indian name used to refer to the locality of the Umpqua River, and the Umpqua Indian Tribes of the area were named after the Umpqua. The word Umpqua was recorded as early as 1825 by David Douglas. The Umpqua River is made of three major river systems; the North Umpqua, which originates at Maidu Lake, the South Umpqua River which originates in the Rouge-Umpqua Divide Wilderness near Highrock Mtn., and Cow Creek which originates near Red Mountain. The Umpqua River flows into the Pacific Ocean at Winchester Bay.

Willamette River, (Lane and other many other counties)
Derived from Wal-lamt, which designated a place along the Willamette River near Oregon City on the west bank. David Douglas referred to this river as the Willamette in 1826. Lewis and Clark explored the mouth of the river in 1806, but called it the Multnomah at the time.

Windigo Pass
Indian evil spirits.

Yakso Falls, (North Umpqua RD; Umpqua NF)
Yakso is the Chinook jargon word for "the hair of the head". This beautiful 70-foot waterfall, located on Little River a mile northeast of Lake in the Woods, does resemble long, flowing hair.

Yoncalla, (Douglas County)
Uncertain origin, it meant "home of the eagles" and was the name of a butte near present-day Yoncalla that was an eagle nesting area. The Yoncalla Indians, a Kalapooian tribe, were apparently named for this butte. The Yoncalla High School teams are appropriately named "The Yoncalla Eagles".

Youtikut Pillars, (North Umpqua RD; Umpqua NF)
Youtikut is the Chinook jargon word for "long in length". This is a rock formation of tilted volcanic columnar basalt, and weathering has highlighted these columns. It is located on the southwest side of OK Butte, in 27S 1E Sec. 14.

USDA Forest Service - Umpqua National Forest
Last Modified: Monday, 11 September 2006 at 12:25:45 EDT