Willamette National Forest

The Canyon Creek and East Detroit Roadless Areas are 50 miles east of Salem, just northeast of the city of Detroit. The forests here are on the very steep slopes of the east and west sides of the Breitenbush River, with steep rock outcroppings that jut from the thin forest soil. A wide range of wildlife and a multilayered canopy make for excellent habitat to connect Bull of the Woods and Opal Creek Wilderness areas to the north, and the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area to the south. Part of the East Detroit Roadless area has been designated a Bald Eagle Management Area because this forest has highly suitable nesting and hunting habitat for eagles, including numreous snags, prey, and warm updrafts.

Much of the two roadless areas are within a quarter mile of the Breitenbush River, which is proposed for federal Wild and Scenic river designation. The forests around the Breitenbush are also important to the recreation-based economy in Detroit, because these forests are the closest pristine wild lands to the city center.