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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.
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.
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.
I’ve been showing some pictures of Mexico on my other blog this week. Most are of Ashland’s sister city, Guanajuato. By searching for those pictures, I’ve discovered some others of Southern Oregon like the last two days’ photos.
Today’s picture is of a hike I took with my kids several years ago in May. Snow was still on some of the local mountains even though everything had turned green. The hike was to Wagner Butte, a place that can be seen from Ashland. We didn’t make it all the way there, but I went back a month later without my kids to complete the trip. (Wagner Butte Hike is over 10 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2,200 feet.) This photograph was taken after just a mile (which is actually the steepest part of the whole hike).
We would have hit snow long before we reached Wagner Butte anyway so the intent on that day wasn’t to do the whole thing. To get to the trailhead you go through Talent, the town just north of Ashland. Best time to do it is late spring or summer as there can be tons of wildflowers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Photo taken in August 2008
Which trail do you want to walk along?
Photo taken in September of 2007
Pilot Rock isn’t technically in Ashland. It is on the California/Oregon border just south of Ashland and can be seen from many vantage points in Ashland. The landmark can also be climbed. The views from the top are spectacular on a clear day. One can see Mt. Ashland (in the background above), Mt. Shasta, and much more.
Getting there can be tricky and climbing it can be even worse. I don’t recommend the climb for kids or for those not in decent shape. To get there get off at the Mt. Ashland Exit on I-5 (Exit 6). Get on the east side of the freeway heading south on Old Highway 99 (which doesn’t resemble a highway anymore and may even turn into dirt and rocks if memory serves). Make a left just beyond the crest onto a likely unmarked Pilot Rock Road 40-2E-33. The road immediately splits. Take the left. Drive about 2 miles before turning left. Turn right onto Road 41-2E-3 (again, probably not marked) where there is a large plateau area. After another half mile you will keep right when the road splits. Another .2 miles later you will cross the Pacific Crest Trail. There is a small parking area on the right.
After parking you begin your Pilot Rock ascent by walking across the road and getting on the Pacific Crest Trail for about 900 feet. Stay right and you’ll eventually see Pilot Rock and be able to take it from there. When you get to the rock itself, stay left against the wall.
Make sure to bring water and wear high tops or your shoes will fill up with small rocks. Bug repellent is also a good thing to bring along in certain seasons. The above lizard lives off of the little guys.