Crater Lake National Park, Garfield Peak Trail

If you wish to avoid the crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures, October is a great time to visit Crater Lake National Park, Oregon's only national park (founded in 1902). Depending on when you visit, you may encounter wildfire smoke. We were fortunate that the fire season was slow this year and enjoyed stunning views of the pristine water. The water is so clear because it is fed by snow and rainfall rather than rivers and streams. It is truly spectacular and should definitely not be missed when touring southern Oregon. There are so many beautiful photographs and informative sites online that I will just summarize some of the other resources, interesting facts, and share some of our own images we captured from Garfield Peak trail. 

The lake was formed by the collapse of Mount Mazama in a series of eruptions that occurred around 7,700 years ago. Ash from the eruption extends into Canada to the north, Nevada to the south, and Idaho/Montana to the east.

At a depth of 1,949 feet, it is the 2nd deepest lake in North America and deepest lake in the United States. No streams flow into or out of the lake. The lake is roughly 4.97 miles wide and 6.02 miles long with a volume of 5 trillion gallons.

Fish are not native to the lake. Six species were originally placed in the lake between 1888 and 1941, only two of which have survived: Rainbow trout and Kokanee Salmon.

Wizard Island is the top of a cone that formed from subsequent volcanism which occurred in the years following the initial eruption.

It is one of the clearest lakes in the world. The level of dissolved organic matter is so low that ultraviolet light penetrates to a depth of 320 feet. The average Secchi disk depth is 102 feet according to the National Park Service.

The Phantom Ship can best be seen from the Phantom Ship Overlook. The small island, comprised of 400,000 year old andesite lava, is the oldest rock above the surface of the caldera and was formed from lava expelled from a vent on the south wall of the caldera.

For additional information on the park and its history, check out the following websites:

1.  National Park Service - This is the official website for the Park and includes a description and map of the hiking trails, hours of operation, Q&A for backcountry permits, lodging and camping options, and other basic information.

2.  Crater Lake Institute - A very comprehensive, free guide and library about Crater Lake. The Crater Lake Institute is an independent, non-profit organization not affiliated with the National Park Service or Crater Lake National Park.

3. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries - Provides a geologic guide and recreation map.

4. U.S. Geological Survey - Discusses the geology of Mount Mazama, its final eruption and formation of the lake.

5. Lonely Planet - Provides a summary of features, highlights and activities.  

6.  Crater Lake Digital Research Collection - A research collection of park-related scientific and historical/cultural materials.

Applegate Quadrangle Hikes

Enchanted Forest Trail 

This easy out-and-back trail seems to serve the surrounding community and is not off the beaten path. It is a convenient hike for visitors of the Applegate wineries; however, expect to see other hikers. There are no views to mention and the trail ends at private property. We visited on a warm day in February. Other users have posted photos of the wildflowers of the area that can be seen in April and June. Here are the statistics for our out-and-back on the Enchanted Forest trail. A lovely presentation of the trail is posted by Raven & Chickadee. It appears from the map that there was a bit further to go, but we completed almost all of it.

Distance: 3.66 miles

Duration: 1 hours, 21 minutes

Minimum Elevation: 1781 feet

Maximum Elevation: 2837 feet

Approx. Elevation Gain: 942 feet

Other trail users seen: 4

Carberry Creek Quadrangle Hikes

 Collings Mountain Trail 

From Watkins Campground, this trail leads toward the Collings Mountain summit then skirts around, heading back down towards the highway and the curiosity known as the "bigfoot trap." There is a modest view of Applegate Lake, but there are no spectacular viewpoints to mention. On an unseasonably warm day in January, we hiked an out-and-back from Watkins Campground to the summit. Here are the statistics for the ascent only:

Distance: 2.86 miles

Duration: 45 minutes

Minimum Elevation: 2129 feet

Maximum Elevation: 3458 feet

Approx. Elevation Gain: 1376 feet

Other trail users seen: 0

Sterling Creek Quadrangle Hikes

Jack Ash Trail

This is a large trail system known as the Jacksonville to Ashland Trail, or "Jack-Ash Trail." Since 2009, the trail has been a project of the Siskiyou Upland Trails Association and is partially completed. We divided our exploration of the trail into three sections, Lower, Middle and Upper Jack Ash Trail, shown in the map below:

Jack Ash Trail, Lower Segment

We had fun snowshoeing on the Lower segment over the holidays. This section is a moderate climb with decent views through the trees. We didn't encounter any other hikers. The trail is accessed from Griffin Lane, named for pioneer Captain B. B. Griffin who settled in the Rogue River Valley in 1852.

Jack Ash Trail, Upper Segment 

This Upper segment was part of Phase I of the Jack Ash trail and opened in 2017. Phase 2 will connect to the Jacksonville, Ashland, and Applegate Ridge Trail systems. Here are our statistics for this hike which can also be accessed by Anderson Butte Road:

Distance: 3.4 miles

Duration: 1 hours, 22 minutes

Minimum Elevation: 4269 feet

Maximum Elevation: 5019 feet

Other trail users seen: 0

Squaw Lakes Quadrangle Hikes

Little Grayback Trail # 921 

This trailhead is about a 40 minute drive from Jacksonville and is accessed by Forest Service Road 490. There is a short drive from the Forest Service Road to the trailhead. More details on the 5.4-mile hike (10.8 total miles) are available from the U.S. Forest Service and other websites below. It's an out-and-back hike with an elevation gain of 1,800 feet. 

The trail is lightly used, although it appears to be open to OHVs. It winds through a wide range of land forms, including closed forest and glades. It's a nice late season hike due to the sun exposure. We noticed some buggy conditions in the lower part of the trail and several late season butterflies including fritillaries, satyrs, skippers in the open areas. There is no water on the trail. Additional links to this hike:

• U.S. Forest Service
• AllTrails
• Hiking Project
• Oregon Hikers
• Outdoor Project

Da-Ku-Be-Te-De Trail # 940 

We only hiked a small part of this trail in early October. The full trail is 4.8 miles and ends at Watkins Campground. The area looks as though it would be crowded during peak months and higher water. The Applegate Lake was only 19% full, which made for very steep slopes along the trail's edge. There are beautiful views of the lake, but the hike is flat and it probably gets heavy use in the peak months.  Additional links to this hike:

• U.S. Forest Service
• Hiking Project
• Oregon Hikers

Charlie Buck/Baldy Peak Trail #918

This trail is a steep one, so be prepared and take plenty of water. It would be quite hot in the summer as there are a lot of exposed areas, but it was perfect in mid November. The views are amazing and the steep climb keeps the traffic down. According to the McKee Bridge Historical Society, Charlie Buck was one of seven children of William and Matilda Buck, who came to the Little Applegate from California in 1874. The Charlie Buck Trail is located on Baldy Peak where the family grazed cattle. Additional links to this hike:

U.S. Forest Service

AllTrails

Hiking Project

Here are the statistics for our hike, which I measured only on the descent:

Distance: 1.6 miles

Duration: 35 minutes

Minimum Elevation: 3088 feet

Maximum Elevation: 4339 feet

Other trail users seen: 0

Lower Table Rock - A Southern Oregon Hiking Treasure

Upper and Lower Table Rock are very special natural resources in Southern Oregon. It is possible to hike up both for spectacular views of Sams Valley and Mount McLoughlin. They are also sensitive habitat due to the presence of vernal pools, which are seasonal wetlands that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals found nowhere else. These species have adapted to the unusual "flood and drought" habitat conditions of vernal pools. Most of the historical vernal pool habitat has been destroyed. According to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife only 23 percent of Oregon's original vernal pool habitat in the Agate Desert remains intact. Being a designated area of critical environmental concern, it's important to remember to stay on the trails when visiting.

The hike to the summit of Lower Table Rock winds through mixed oak woodland and Oregon white oak savanna and chaparral ecosystems. Heavily grazed for an extended period, efforts are underway to restore these areas to the characteristic open habitat of the fire-adapted ecosystem. The trail begins off Wheeler Road. From Central Point, head east on East Pine Street about one mile and turn north (left) on Table Rock Road. Drive eight miles to Wheeler Road and turn west (left). The trailhead is about 0.5 miles on the left. There is no parking fee.  

The hike is 3.5 miles round trip gaining about 780 feet in elevation. The difficulty class is Class 1, Easy. Most of Lower Table Rock was dedicated as a nature preserve in 1979 by The Nature Conservancy.  Both the Upper and Lower Table Rock buttes are horseshoe shaped. According to the Bureau of Land Management,

About 7.5 million years ago, a shield volcano erupted near Lost Creek Lake and spread lava over the entire valley. This mass of lava caused the valley floor to rise in elevation to the height of the Table Rocks. Over millions of years, the ancient Rogue River meandered through the valley, eroding and carving away approximately 90 percent of the lava rock. What remains are a few solitary large rock masses, or monoliths, and two horseshoe-shaped mesas known as the Table Rocks.

Shield volcanoes are a type of volcano usually composed almost entirely of fluid lava flows. The lava has low viscosity which means it flows easily and forms low angle slopes.

An old airstrip is visible on the summit, which was closed in 1980. John Day, a local rancher, built the airstrip in 1948 to impress visiting celebrities from Hollywood. He intended to sell residential lots to celebrities who would use the runway.

Airstrip

This area of Southern Oregon is the traditional homelands of the Takelma tribe. The land between Upper Table Rock and Evans Creek was a temporary Indian Reservation between 1853 and 1856. The Table Rock Reservation was created by treaty in 1853 when Rogue River tribes ceded millions of acres of land to the United States in exchange for peace, safety, and a permanent reservation. Before a permanent reservation could be established, the Native Americans remained at Table Rock. However, they became a target of continued acts of genocide by settlers in the region. Because of this, they fought a series of battles and were forced onto the Grande Ronde in the western Willamette Valley. The peaceful tribes who remained on the Table Rock Reservation were marched over 300 miles to the new reservation between February and March 1856.

This is one of the most popular hikes in the Medford area with an estimated 50,000 visitors per year. Guided hikes are available through the BLM's Table Rock Environmental Education Program which posts a schedule. Hikes are on weekends in April and May and are free to the public with reservations required. Schedules are posted in March.

View of Upper Table Rock and Mount McLoughlin

Kenneth Denman Wildlife Area: A Southern Oregon birding gem

This 1,858-acre wildlife area is located about five miles north of Medford in Jackson County, southern Oregon. The area is bordered by the Rogue River and offers an impressive variety of habitats for birds including oak woodlands, grasslands, ceanothus shrublands, riparian habitat, and intact vernal pools, which are all considered to be at-risk habitat. The area is located within the  former Camp White U.S. Army Cantonment, which was deactivated in 1946 after the end of World War II. In 1954, the area was conveyed to the Oregon Game Commission and the wildlife area was established. Several ammunition bunkers are still in place.

While the major function of the wildlife area’s management is to provide waterfowl, upland bird
and deer hunting opportunities, it is also a very accessible area to consider if you are looking to do some bird watching in southern Oregon not far off the beaten path. Be aware that a $10 parking permit is required. There is an 0.7-mile interpretive trail in the southwestern region of the Little Butte Creek Unit of the wildlife area with many opportunities for bird watching. The interpretive trail is on the south side of Touvelle Road. Another trail on the north side of the road will lead you to the former Camp White ammunition bunkers.

Map showing approximate bunker locations. Original USFWS map can be found here

We visited the area in late February, which is a bit early for migrating birds. Based on our anecdotal observations, the Acorn woodpeckers and common merganser ducks were most abundant during our visit. I was able to find a bird species list for nearby Agate Lake, which is another popular birding spot 11 miles east of the Denman Wildlife Area.

Checklist of Birds found at Agate Lake (Adapted by Otis D. Swisher from Janes et al., 1996) 

(R) Year long resident; (S) Summer visitor; (W) Winter; (P) Passing through on migration; co =  Most likely seen on coast; la = Most likely seen in lake basins of Klamath and Lake Counties; mo = Most likely seen in mountains

Panoramic view of Table Rock and wetlands

There was plenty of evidence in dead snags that the acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) use the area heavily.

This wildlife management area contains the largest known area of vernal pool areas in the Rogue Valley (ODFW Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp Survey 1999). I really wish that the interpretive trail and vernal pools were better marked with more detailed information on their importance and the conservation status of associated species. According to EPA, the unique environment of vernal pools provides habitat for numerous rare plants and animals that need them to survive. Many plants and animals spend the dry season as seeds, eggs, or cysts, and then grow and reproduce when the ponds are again filled with water. In addition, birds such as egrets, ducks, and hawks use vernal pools as a seasonal source of food and water. A 2007 paper from the Agate Desert Technical Advisory Committee describes the importance. The vernal pool ecosystem is valued for its role in supporting biological diversity of unique plant and animal assemblages, including federally listed species.

The Hall Tract is another part of the wildlife area to the south of Antelope Road. Most of the irrigated farm land found on the wildlife area is located on this tract. The land is flood irrigated through a system of reservoirs and ditches. Public areas consists mainly of a large fishing pond. To my knowledge, there are no access trails for bird watching.

We will definitely return to this site during the peak migration and update this post on the outcome.