I have a few specific questions before moving to Grants Pass (Medford: 2014, apartment)

[IliveforNATUREandforrest]

I'm planning on moving out of Denver in September of 2014. I've lived in Denver for a few months and to be honest, I AM MISERABLE.

I am a nature oriented person. Trees, rivers, forest, gardening, farms, to sum it up, I live for the stuff. And Denver just so happens to be the WORST place if you are looking for anything green that wont leave a thousand painful splinters. Deserts really are not my cup of tea, but hey I'm adventurous and I wanted to explore the country, and I did.

I lived in Vermont for a year, WHICH WAS HEAVEN, as well as Ithaca, NY which was a step below heaven. I need to be IN or within walking distance of forest, tons of trees, and lots of green. Plants EVERYWHERE.

I'm looking at Grants Pass, Oregon. My question is to people who have lived there and preferably people who have lived in Grants Pass AND somewhere else, so that I can have an accurate perception of what the lifestyle is like.
I can't stand when people say "well Denver is a clean city" no no no. I want to hear about the landscape, how spread out are the houses?
How hard would it be for me to go for a nature walk, say, before/after work?
What is the water quality like? Where does the water come from?
What grows there, agriculturally, for example VT is crazy about Maple, and Florida is crazy about Oranges.
How "clean" is the forest area that is around? Broken glass? over-used pathway? practically untouched?
Can I find a house/cabin/apartment that is located in a forest type area?
I absolutely HATE houses that are pretty much on top of each other for miles. I dont want a neighborhood that has a concrete to foliage ratio of 99/1.

how hard would it be to find a job? Does it snow? How much?
Also, just tell me about what its like to live there. What is every day life? is it scenic? are there tons of places to shop like Ithaca or none like VT?

I want to know as much as I can before making a decision, because i cannot visit the place.

[IliveforNATUREandforrest]

how do i get people to answer me

[JackieLovesSun]

sorry, don't know how to get people to post. I don't know about GP myself but I like Medford, just moved here.

I think you would find the Rogue Valley "clean" in general. I have been out hiking a bit and it's fine, like anywhere else.

you should take a trip out here - spend a vacation, maybe.

or? just move. if you don't like it, you can move back.

good luck!!

[Sherwoody]

I can answer a few of these. Hope it helps...

"How hard would it be for me to go for a nature walk, say, before/after work?" There are lots of nature trails within minutes of downtown GP.

"What is the water quality like? Where does the water come from?" They get their water from the Rogue River which runs right through town. I'm not an expert but I never heard of problems with their water.

"What grows there, agriculturally" I don't think there is a big crop they grow and export besides the many great wines. Some of the best wines in Oregon are from this area.

"How "clean" is the forest area that is around? Broken glass? over-used pathway? practically untouched?" Overall pretty clean but there are always idiots, like anywhere else, that abuse some of the nature parks and such.

"Can I find a house/cabin/apartment that is located in a forest type area?" Probably. Check Craigslist and the local paper.

"how hard would it be to find a job?" This should have been your first question. Without knowing what it is you do, we can't advise you.

"Does it snow? How much? " Not enough to worry about much. Lots of weather data available online.

[WolfBoy914]

You might want to check out Ashland. You can hike directly from town up into the mountains.

[ConeyIsBabe]

I live 8 miles from Grants Pass, out in the country in the small city of Rogue River, but I drive into Grants Pass about 5 times a week to experience "the city" and sidewalks. Although GP has a population of about 35k, it's still a lot more than Rogue River about 2k.

I can only answer your questions from my point of view and my personal experience and I'm 75 years old I've had enough of country life and hope to move back to Florida when I sell my country home and 4 acres ~ only because I've lived in a large city all of my life (except for the last 9 years in Grants Pass & Rogue River).

My best advice is for you to visit Grants Pass and expect to stay at least a week, preferably more, to evaluate the landscape, the people, the options for employment, social activities, shopping, etc. etc. etc. If someone either has a job or retirement income, Grants Pass, Medford, Rogue River, and surrounding towns are splendid communities to live, raise a family or just enjoy life. Grants Pass has enough shopping to satisfy the average person and Medford (30 miles away) has a Mall and much more shopping and restaurants. Ashland (40 miles south) has more culture and upscale stores, restaurants, educational options. I suspect you would like living in the valley.

It's worth a visit

[JackieLovesSun]

Originally Posted by IliveforNATUREandforrest

how do i get people to answer me

there you go!

[IliveforNATUREandforrest]

hahah WOW thankyou guys! I really appreciate the input! Right now I work for a nonprofit environmental group. My two main concerns i guess are how much nature, and employment. again thankyou so much!

[ConeyIsBabe]

Originally Posted by IliveforNATUREandforrest

hahah WOW thankyou guys! I really appreciate the input! Right now I work for a nonprofit environmental group. My two main concerns i guess are how much nature, and employment. again thankyou so much!

Nature is very abundant ..... jobs depend on your skill and their demand

[Chuck White]

Grants Pass has some nice parks , the park along the river would be good for walking.
The surrounding areas are covered in trees. Half the county is BLM land. Not much in the way of entertainment, few head liners at the fairground.