Merlin is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The area is known for sport fishing and whitewater rafting on the Rogue River Merlin's ZIP code is 97532.A new railroad station in this location in 1883 was called "Jump Off Joe" for a local stream. The station was renamed Merlin in October 1886. The name came from a railroad civil engineer who named it for the Merlins he saw in the area. "McAllister" post office was established about a mile north of Merlin in 1885, then moved to the vicinity of the railroad station and renamed Merlin in 1891.Merlin is located about 10 km northwest of Grants Pass.Merlin lies at an elevation of about 277 m above MSL.