Bear Creek (Lincoln County, Oregon)

Bear Creek is a tributary of the Salmon River in the Central Oregon Coast Range in the United States. It begins in the Siuslaw National Forest and flows generally northwest through Lincoln County to meet the river between Rose Lodge and Otis. Named tributaries from source to mouth are McMullen, Tarry, Southman, and Morton creeks.[3]

Bear Creek
Covered bridge over Bear Creek, built from former Drift Creek Bridge timbers
Location of the mouth of Bear Creek in Oregon
Location
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Lincoln
Physical characteristics
Source	near Cougar Mountain
• location	Central Oregon Coast Range, Siuslaw National Forest
• coordinates	44°57′50″N 123°51′12″W[1]
• elevation	1,445 ft (440 m)[2]
Mouth	Salmon River
• location	near Rose Lodge
• coordinates	45°00′12″N 123°54′13″W[1]
• elevation	82 ft (25 m)[1]

A covered bridge over Bear Creek is made from timbers salvaged from the former Drift Creek Bridge, also in Lincoln County. In 1988, county officials closed the old bridge after rot and insect damage made it unsafe.[4] They had the bridge dismantled 1997 and gave the timbers to Laura and Kerry Sweitz, who owned land along Bear Creek 8 miles (13 km) north of the Drift Creek site. In 2000, the Sweitz family rebuilt the bridge and granted a permanent public easement for its use.[4] The bridge carries North Rogers Lane, off Bear Creek Road, over the creek.[5]