There are many paths to pick from when you get outside of Ashland’s main streets. I like to try a different one each time. It can get a little crazy if you are pressed for time or don’t want to get lost so take this along if that is your situation. Click on the image for a much larger and detailed version (which you can print) of this free map of places to hike, bike, and run in the mountains around Ashland. Keep heading south (from Four Corners) if you want to go to the top of Mt. Ashland.

Posted on September 18th, 2010 under places. Tags: biking, hike. Comments Off on City of Ashland – Creek to Crest Trail Route (map)

Revisiting one of my favorite places in Southern Oregon, the Avenue of Giant Boulders.

Posted on August 9th, 2010 under nature, places. Tags: avenue of the giant boulders, clouds, hike, mountains, trees, water. Comments: 1

The hike to this lake is not very difficult. It is a bit under 2 miles each way from the trail head. Next time I want to take the more difficult, 9.6-mile loop trail that takes you above this lake and right by the Long Gulch Lake.

The location is northern California, about an hour and a half south of Ashland.

Posted on July 12th, 2010 under nature, places. Tags: california, hike, summer, trail gulch lake, water. Comments Off on Trinity Alps – Trail Gulch Lake

I could have taken this photo on a number of hikes near Ashland. But I didn’t because I won’t be back in Ashland for another four and a half months. I took this picture on a hike in Kamakura, Japan earlier this month.

Posted on March 23rd, 2010 under places. Tags: hike, trees. Comments: 2

Table Rock in Medford makes for a great hike or a great view from any angle.

Posted on January 28th, 2010 under nature, places. Tags: aerial, clouds, hike, medford, skywatch. Comments: 2

The overlook location for Barr Falls is really nice. I could sit here for hours. The wide angle on my LX3 provides a nice overview of the scene. I’ll show you a close up in a later entry. Next we’ll turn to my pick for the best thing to see in the Prospect area–Avenue of the Giant Boulders. For directions see my prior entry.

Posted on September 23rd, 2009 under nature, places. Tags: hike, lx3, trees, water. Comments Off on Barr Falls

I took this photograph from N Phoenix Road in Phoenix, just north of Ashland. Although the “mountain” on the right seems higher, it is actually only at an altitude of about 7,150 feet. The name is Wagner Butte and it makes for a beautiful hike in late spring.

To the left, and still covered in snow, is Mt. Ashland. The elevation of Mt. Ashland is over 7,500 feet. It appears lower from this angle simply because it is further away.

Posted on March 28th, 2009 under nature, places. Tags: clouds, hike, mountains, mt. ashland, skywatch. Comments: 1

When we stayed at the Alfred A. Loeb State Park a little over a month ago there was a trail from our cabin called the Riverview Trail which follows the Chetco River. It was very nice, and I highly recommend it if you are in the Brookings area. However, when the trail ends you do not want to turn around and head back. Instead, cross the street and take another trail. This one is called the Redwood Nature Trail.

While not as spectacular as Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, this trail is still pretty darn special. Stout Grove in Jed Smith can get a bit crowded (relatively speaking for this neck of the deserted woods anyway), but you won’t likely see another soul on the Redwood Nature Trail. The trees can get hundreds of feet high and some are hundreds of years old. Lots of moss and ferns cover the ground; natural creeks with mini-waterfalls abound as well.

Posted on December 3rd, 2008 under nature. Tags: brookings, hike, trees. Comments: 4

Today’s picture goes along with yesterday’s. It was taken a couple of months after yesterday’s photo in 2004. My kids and I were hiking on Bull Gap Trail. In the background (upper left) you can see Wagner Butte.

Bull Gap is a trail that leads you right up to the ski lodge on Mt. Ashland. I’ve hiked it a couple of times and ridden my bike down it a half dozen or so times. If you want to bike down it you should ride your bike up the main road to the lodge or you can ride up some fire roads to get there. If you start from Ashland you’ll be in for a long day. If you don’t have the time you can drive a car up to four corners and ride up from there.

Both Bull Gap and Wagner Butte are in the Siskiyou Mountains. From both you can view the Cascade Mountain Range.

Posted on November 28th, 2008 under nature, only in ashland, people, places. Tags: biking, hike, mountains, people, trees. Comments Off on Bull Gap Trail