The Elk River is in southwestern Oregon in the United States. About 29mi long, the river drains a remote 92mi2 area of the Coast Range into the Pacific Ocean.Rising in the mountains in northern Curry County, in the Siskiyou National Forest at confluence of its north and south forks, the river initially flows generally west along the south edge of the Grassy Knob Wilderness. It then flows northwest, approaching the coast north of Port Orford and entering the Pacific between Cape Blanco to the north and The Heads to the south.CourseFrom the confluence of its two forks, Elk River flows generally west and northwest for about 29mi. All but the lowermost 10mi of it are in the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest. Forest Road 5325 follows the river along its left bank, becoming County Road 208 (Elk Creek Road) after leaving the national forest. County Road 208 ends when it reaches U.S. Route 101 about 3mi by water from the mouth of the river.In its first stretch, Elk River receives McCurdy and Blackberry creeks from the left, then Bungalow Creek from the right before Milbury Creek enters from the left at river mile (RM) 26 or river kilometer (RK) 42. About 1mi further downstream, Butler Creek enters from the right at Butler Bar Campground, and the river becomes the southern border of Grassy Knob Wilderness. Over the next few miles, Lost and Panther creeks enter from the left, then Sunshine Creek from the right near Sunshine Bar Campground, 19mi from the river mouth. Below this, Red Cedar and Slate creeks enter from the right and Platinum Creek from the left.
