Hiking the Rogue River (Medford, Grants Pass: live in, shops, cabins)

[Vertigo]

Does anyone have any suggestions for hiking trails on the Rogue River? Easy or hard and where they are...

Thanks!

[Steve97415]

You can start either on the coast side of the mts. or the inland side. From Gold Beach, you can drive up Jerry's Flat Rd. to Illahee and then hike up the lower Rogue Canyon to Flora Dell Creek and back for a quick half-day hike. The more impressive leg of the hike, though, would be the second leg from Flora Dell to Paradise Lodge. A popular way to do this is to hike to Paradise Lodge the first day (11 miles) and stay there that night, taking the mail boat back to Illahee the next day.
Most hikes from the inland side start at the Grave Creek trailhead which is about 30 miles west of Grants Pass. These hikes tend to be multiple-day hikes, but you can do whatever amount you want as an out-and-back hike. The really impressive scenery, though, is in the Wild and Scenic River portion in the middle.

[Vertigo]

Thanks Steve...I probably should have mentioned that I'm in Medford and looking for some half day hikes around this area. But you've got me wanting to try those out now! I've been in Oregon for three years and finally found a hiking partner; we did Upper Table Rock yesterday and now I'm itching to do some more. I'm from the midwest and I hope you lifelong Oregonians know what gorgeous country you live in!

[bluebird39]

You could do the hike to Rainy Falls, from past Galice, where the boats take off from the launch for the wild and scenic.

Amazon.com: 76 Day Hikes Within 100 Miles of the Rogue Valley: Books

This is a great book. You can probably find a copy of it locally. It has a TON of great places.

We used to love doing parts of the Pacific Crest Trail. Have you been up to Pilot Rock? It's a must! I never got tired of the Table Rocks, especially in Spring.

Toketee Falls is beautiful, as are many falls along the N Umpqua Hwy. There is also the lava tube and gorge along Hwy 62 near Prospect, as well as the lava beds and tubes just South of Klamath Falls. Crater Lake, Mt Ashland, I could go on and on....

I miss water falls. We moved to Michigan a few years ago, and people make such a big deal out of the "Water Falls" in MI, but many of them are so unimpressive, coming from Oregon. The few that are pretty neat have enormous parking lots, gift shops all around, etc... Go check out the many water falls along the Umpqua, out of Roseburg, and you may be the only ones there. Go now if the wild Rhododendrons are blooming. It's breath taking!

[Hawk J]

The wild Dogwood trees are in full bloom (beautiful)....................................s oon the wild Lilacs will be blooming. the fish in my basspond are making their spawning beds.


Vertigo, thar are some fantastic beautiful rafting trips that get on the Rogue outside of Merlin........................................ ..

also Jetboat trips out of Grants Pass & i think they still go out of Gold Beach................................... .........................ENjoy................ .....

[delta07]

I rafted the wild and scenic portion of the Rogue last summer, my first summer in Oregon. Wow!!!! It was so beautiful. If you get a chance, hike the wild and scenic portion. It's really amazing. If you can, spend a night at Paradise Lodge too. We didn't know about it, so we would like to plan a night there in the future because it was so beautiful there. Watch out for bears though. It was pretty thick with them along the river!

[Vertigo]

Thanks so much everyone! I've wanted to do one of the rafting trips since I've moved here. I'm not an experienced outdoors person, so I'll wait to do the bear-infested hikes until I'm with someone who is ;o)

I drove the Umpqua highway from Klamath Falls one day...gorgeous drive...I really want to go hiking up there, too. Thanks for the book selection. It's only $2.64 on Amazon, so what the hell?!

[Hawk J]

Other then wintertime, i like to take my 4x4 pickup & explore the BLM roads & lands/also hike parts of the land. Sometimes i find a new fishin' hole in river or creek/ at times a firepond stocked with fish......................

I've found a few ol' cabins remains from when the settlers came to OR.

You can find BLM maps at the forestry department office.

There are several ponds not far from Tiller you can hike to. Ask at the ranger station for directions.

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Thanks Steve...I probably should have mentioned that I'm in Medford and looking for some half day hikes around this area. But you've got me wanting to try those out now! I've been in Oregon for three years and finally found a hiking partner; we did Upper Table Rock yesterday and now I'm itching to do some more. I'm from the midwest and I hope you lifelong Oregonians know what gorgeous country you live in!

My favorite hikes near Medford were above Applegate Lake. Butte Fork Trail and Cook and Green Trail.

Both are nearly all year accessible.

Sort of along the middle fork of the Applegate River for Cook and Green, and the same route and one extra road for Butte Fork Trail in Red Buttes Wilderness.