We’ve got another set of trails we’re encouraging you to visit this month. If you hike one and send us a trip report about it by June 30, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a pretty sweet prize: a backpack, a one-person tent, and a water filter–a $400 value!
Here’s a little more about the trails:
-
Hanging Rock in the Wild Rogue Wilderness–This is a local gem. It’s a bit of a drive for many of us to get to the trailhead, but the payoff is pretty impressive. The trail ends at a natural overhang looking across the whole of the Wild Rogue Wilderness, with the Rogue River below you. The trail itself is less than a mile each way, but you can add segments of the Panther Ridge Trail if you want a longer excursion.
-
Johnson Butte in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness–You can expect the starkly breath-taking views that the Kalmiopsis is famous for. People often combine this 6-mile hike with a stop at Vulcan Lake, or as part of the 50-mile Leach Memorial Loop. An intrepid group of volunteers cleared the trail over Memorial Day, so it should be in great shape. The road to the trailhead is a little rough, and you may want to park about a mile shy of the trailhead itself.
-
Upper Rogue River National Recreational Trail–This 42-mile trail has scenery for days. It follows the Rogue River from near the boundary with Crater Lake National Park in the north to near Prospect in the south, passing through the Rogue River Gorge. Our staff member Vince ran the length of it one Saturday in May and counted dozens of trees down across it, but said that most of them are in the northern section, where it passes through a burned area. If you’re willing to step over or around a few logs from time to time, the sights of the rushing Rogue will make it worth it.
-
Sweaty Gap in the Red Buttes Wilderness–We’ve heard that this one has become a bit tricky since the 2017 Knox Fire. We had a small crew clear some trees closer to the trailhead, but we’d like to get eyes on the trail closer to the junction with Butte Fork Trail as well as some photos so we can plan future work. If you’re up for a challenge, and the possible reward of Azalea Lake at the end, this one’s for you.
-
Pacific Crest Trail from Summit Trailhead to Mt. McLoughlin Trail–We are so lucky to have this legendary trail essentially running through our backyards. This particular section, going from the trailhead on Hwy 140 to the junction with the Mt. McLoughlin Trail, benefited from the attention of numerous volunteers at the end of April. They cleared logs and brush so that all you have to do is enjoy the setting. They also cleared the short spur trail to Freye Lake, if you’d like to see a water feature.
Are you tempted yet? Check some, or all, of them out and then tell us about your adventure. Send us a trip report online, and we’d love to see your pictures too. And if you do it by June 30, you could win!
