Much of the lower Rogue River runs through narrow canyons like this one at Hellgate, making several miles of the river difficult to access. During the 1850s, it presented a formidable barrier between the gold mines and early settlements of the inner valleys and the coastal outposts at Gold Beach (nee Ellensburg) and Port Orford. The Rogue Indians often took refuge in this wild country during periods of hostilities, but white explorers were unsuccessful in finding a convenient route through. Because of this, Army posts on the coast that could easily be outfitted by ship were of little help to the miners and settlers who were battling native tribes inland.