Squaw Lake
Photo taken in September of 2004
Not far from Ashland is Squaw Lake, a cute little place which is usually devoid of people. The shores were covered in butterflies the day we visited.
Ashland Daily Photo - A picture a day from beautiful Ashland, Southern Oregon USA in the Rogue Valley
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Applegate Lake
Photo taken in August 2007
To the west of Ashland lies Applegate Lake (sometimes referred to as Applegate Reservoir). There are some good biking and hiking trails around the lake.
Near Fish Lake
Photo taken in July of 2007
The above picture is from a spot near Fish Lake, just east of Ashland, in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. There was a nice little trail that we road our bikes on, but you could also hike it if you wanted to. We didn’t see anyone else until we got to the resort area of Fish Lake.
Cloudy day
My daughter, who was 9 at the time, took this picture through her bedroom window on June 6, 2007. Our mountains are in their transition phase in early June. They aren’t as green as they were a month or two before, but they aren’t nearly as brown as they get later in the summer either.
Rogue River Gorge
Photo taken in August 2008
The Rogue River Gorge is spectacular. You can walk the Rogue Gorge Trail for several miles and be treated to amazing views like this.
The trail is easy to find off of Highway 62 just north of the Union Creek Campground. Look for the Natural Bridge Viewpoint parking lot on your left. If you miss it you’ll know you have once you see the river on your left. But you probably won’t because the parking lot is clearly marked and quite large (and empty every time we have been there). If you are going to Crater Lake from Medford this is right on the way.
Ashland Loop Road
Photo taken in September 2008
This past Monday morning we dropped the kids off at school and headed up Tolman Creek Road to Four Corners. From there we hopped on our bikes and road for about 20 miles on most of Ashland Loop Road (Forest Road 2060 or Horn Creek Road on Google Maps). The above picture is from about four miles in from Four Corners at one of the two Ashland Creek forks one passes on the road. Both of the creek’s forks eventually drop into Reeder Reservoir. I’ll have a picture or two that actually include water on a later date.
After about 10-12 miles from Four Corners there is a fun bit of single track on your right called Horn Gap Trail if you like real mountain biking. At the end of the single-track portion of Horn Gap be sure to turn left even though it seems like you should be turning right. When you end up at a T in the road (with a Horn Gap sign behind you) turn right to ride the last few miles downhill into Lithia Park.
I’ve done this loop before from my driveway and have to say that it is much more enjoyable from Four Corners. From my driveway to Four Corners is about 6 miles of all uphill. In just 6 miles you gain 3,000 feet of elevation. Needless to say, the next 20+ miles isn’t so enjoyable after such a climb. You feel like you’ve accomplished something but you are in agony most of the way. If you start from Four Corners it’s fun the whole time.
Another great thing about this ride is the lack of people. In my 50 or so miles doing it on two occasions I’ve yet to see another human being. I have seen a couple of bears and other wildlife but no humans.
Camping
Photo taken in September 2008
Didn’t go camping this year for the first time in probably 20 years, but we did set up the tent in the backyard for a few nights.
Grizzly Peak
Photo taken in August 2008
The above picture was taken from Tolman Creek Road in front of the house near the YMCA that usually has many geese in their yard and also features a small pond. The angle was my way of greening up Grizzly Peak which is pretty brown this time of year.
National Creek Falls
Photo taken in August 2008
On the Friday of Labor Day weekend we decided to visit this waterfall since we hadn’t previously. The drive was very easy and very beautiful. We were on paved road for everything but the last few feet.
Amazingly enough, we were the only ones there! That is one of the things I love about Southern Oregon. Places that would have hundreds of people elsewhere are empty, or nearly so, here. While not as spectacular as Silver Falls near Salem, this place is still wonderful. We enjoyed a lunch and a soak in the freezing cold water.
Note that you may want warmer clothes than what the temperature in the parking lot would seem to indicate. It was over 90 degrees in the parking lot on the day we went, but I’m guessing it wasn’t more than 75 degrees once we hiked the half mile down to the falls. You can feel the temperature drop with each step you take on the downward, swichbacking path.
To get to the falls from the Rogue Valley take Highway 62 east from Medford to the Union Creek area. The road splits with a right turn taking cars off to Crater Lake. Don’t turn. Continue straight on Highway 230 north toward Diamond Lake. At mile marker 6 turn right on Forest Road 6530. These roads are clearly marked, and there are signs to National Creek Falls several places along the way so don’t worry. Stay on Road 6530 for 1.3 miles; bear left at a fork in the road to stay on 6530. Continue about 2.5 miles to a junction with Road 300. Turn right and the parking lot will be immediately in front of you.
You can make this your only stop on a short day trip if you get a late start, or if you get an early start you can make it one stop on a trip to or from Diamond Lake, Crater Lake, or the Rogue River Gorge. Note that once the snows hit you won’t be able to drive on Road 6530.
Rogue River Chipmunk
Photo taken in August of 2008
We don’t actually have chipmunks in Ashland (that I know of anyway). We have squirrels. I took the above picture a little over an hour from Ashland near Union Creek next to the Rogue River.