Trail Talk is a monthly column about hiking in and around the Jacksonville Woodlands in Jacksonville, Oregon.
On June 13, members of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association gathered at the Beekman Arboretum to thank recently-retired members of its Board of Directors. Pictured here are Mark Burkhalter who served for 20 years, Skip Stokes who served for 15 years, and Charley Wilson who served for 12 years. In remarks by Executive Director Larry Smith, […]
Summer is upon us. We can only hope for occasional rain to dampen our extreme fire season and keep the smoke from our skies. Dry, dusty conditions under a blazing sun do little to entice our walkabout mojo into action. But to be out and about during a rare summer shower, […]
This question comes up from time to time and the correct answer is…. not yet! The City of Jacksonville, the Forest Park Volunteers and some volunteers from local equestrian groups have been working for about a year to be able to permit horse riding within Forest Park. Currently, horses are NOT allowed in the Forest […]
Living in a dynamic world, we’ve often been surprised by just how quickly our comfortable metaphoric rugs can be swept from underfoot. We are creatures of habit, and when our circumstances are changed, it’s a frustrating chore to adjust normal practices. Our current status with COVID-19 is in daily flux, and […]
The current state of global affairs has left me pondering opposing forces. Here we spend our days in our bubbles, isolating our physical selves for the sake of everyone’s well-being, while yearning for normal intercourse with others. The human need to be social is counteracted by a need for ‘alone time’, […]
Aah, springtime in Southern Oregon with cabin fever driving us into the great outdoors! Henry Gibson told us, “Spring is sprung, The grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.” Well, look no further because we are surrounded with bird song of every variety. Just head out the door on […]
A recent conversation in Forest Park with a couple of mountain bike riders from the Seattle area gave good notice of the value of Jacksonville’s wooded trail system. Here, on a winter’s day, they found ample opportunity to enjoy their time off from a hectic work schedule. Though staying at a […]
After a dry fall, we are finally enjoying some winter weather. A noticeable scent fills our wet woodlands, and any walkabout permeates our clothing with an aromatic (some would say pungent) reminder that we’ve been out and about. For many, our New Year’s Resolution will see us hiking more often. Many […]
On Saturday, February 1, 2020, don your long johns and come help us maintain the stunning East Applegate Ridge Trail. Work at your own pace, meet new friends, develop camaraderie, get some exercise, help your community and discover what many say is the most beautiful trail in the Applegate. We meet at 9:00am and quit […]
As I write this month’s Trail Talk, the dry fall continues. Trails around Jacksonville (and farther afield) are in excellent shape. Our trail volunteers have identified a few places that need some gentle correction or repairs, and additional benches are on the way for more meditative places to enjoy the […]
Trail Talk – October 2019
To live in a town with such a storied past should have one always looking and asking, “I wonder what that old wall is from?” or “Where did that old path lead?” or “Where did this old water ditch come from?” We find ourselves in Jacksonville’s extensive public woodlands asking those […]
Ah…September. Summer begins to loosen its grip on our surrounding hills and we anticipate cooler nights, crisper mornings, and the trails stretching out before us. Fall will soon be here with its colorful palette. We yearn for the return of the gurgle of water […]
Summer’s heat makes afternoon hiking a challenge: our senses blasted by bright, hot, parching air. Sweat dries too quickly on our brow, and thirst seems to be our constant companion. The flowers are fading toward autumn, madrone trees have shed their outer bark in sheets of dark crimson […]
Trail Talk this month is an examination of restful mindfulness. We’ve hiked, biked, and run the trails in Jacksonville’s expansive park system. We’ve stopped to smell the roses, the soapbrush, the madrone, the lilies, and the mock orange. We’ve dodged the daredevil butterflies and ducked the loopy acrobatics […]
Our Trail Talk in recent issues has focused on appropriate use of trails in our local forests. Jacksonville is not alone in dealing with folks damaging public property through thoughtless or illegal actions. Postings on Facebook and an article in the Mail Tribune have pointed out the […]
Spring projects in Forest Park are moving ahead nicely. By now, patrons have enjoyed the new Wildlife Viewing Shelter at the historic Jacksonville Reservoir, the new vault toilets at parking area P1A (dam quarry), a new, improved Mountain Biking Information Kiosk, and the Rattlesnake Gulch Tr that takes […]
Spring is fully upon us and the wildflowers sing out to their admirers. After a long, cool winter, where the warm days seemed hesitant to ever re-appear, we are now in full stride toward a beautiful spring. The trails beckon.
Ample moisture this past winter should produce an abundance of plant growth […]
With spring wild flowers, views of Mt. McLoughlin across the valley, changing Madrone Trees and more, the experience of hiking in Southern Oregon is full of rewards. But how do you ease the inevitable sore muscles and fatigued body that follow?
Consider supplementing your hikes with a short yoga practice. I know that some might find […]
“Take care of the resource and the resource will take care of you.” This mantra that connects us to our environment resonates loudly as we look forward to a springtime of blooms and budding life. Winter’s icy grip will soon be a distant memory and our legs will take us out […]
February marks the end days of those dark dreary dawns of winter. It’s a time of shortening shadows and greening hillsides. Warmth begins to reclaim its hold on our forested areas and brave blossoms begin peeking through the forest litter of last fall’s leaf drop. If we’ve been blessed with a […]
What is a forest park? Jacksonville boasts both a Woodlands and a Forest Park. Portland has a Forest Park also. Ashland’s forest park is along Ashland Creek and is named Lithia Park. Another park there is Oredsen-Todd Woods. Medford maintains Prescott Park on RoxyAnn Peak. Surprisingly, this type of park […]
You are invited to a free special event featuring Saving Wellington, a recently released short documentary movie complimented with a presentation by our local historian/archaeologist, Jeff LaLande.
The gathering will be a double header. First, there will be a showing of the new and locally produced documentary entitled Saving Wellington, a movie created by Applegate Valley […]
It’s that wonderful Fall time of year when the temperatures remind us to layer our clothing as we head out the door on another adventure in the wilds of Southern Oregon. We look for the promised rains to ease last summer’s relentless drought, and we are quite happy to breathe the […]
Southern Oregon has become a destination for many mountain biking adventures. At least five areas within 25 miles of Jacksonville have trails dedicated to mountain biking while most hiking trails in the region are also open to two-wheel recreation. Jacksonville is no slouch in this regard with over 40 miles of […]
With a rebuilt bridge in the Beekman Arboretum, visitors to Jacksonville’s trails system are having more first-hand encounters with these utilitarian, but elegant structures. And soon, the wobbly Rails to Trails bridge near Pheasant Meadows will be replaced.
With that in mind, let’s take a tour of these engineering delights. The basic […]
Jacksonville’s Dr. Doug Naversen is pleased to announce that the 17th-Annual Britt Woods Firehouse Run will be held on Saturday, July 14. This year, the exhibition 1.9 and 4.3 mile runs start at 7:00am followed by the 100-yard Fun Run for kids at 7:30am. Runners will assemble in the parking area located just above the […]
Summer is too soon upon us with blistering afternoons and parched hillsides. June is the month to truly enjoy the last of the spring blossoms, searching creekside trails for bold Washington lilies and scampering up open hillsides for patches of brilliant yellow arnica, tarweed, and balsamroot. The creek canyons boast radiant white showers of ocean […]
Seven years ago, with a vision of establishing a non-motorized trail from Grants Pass to Jacksonville, David Calahan started the Applegate Trails Association. Working with a board of dedicated volunteers, ATA has already accomplished much.
Most notably, of course, we have successfully built and opened the East ART, the first part of the proposed Applegate Ridge […]
Frequent visitors to Jacksonville’s Forest Park have been excited by two recent trail improvements: Rail Trail’s rehabilitation and a new Rattlesnake Gulch Trail. Spring is a great time to explore these parts of the park with their endemic wildflowers waxing and waning through their respective seasons. Hot days will soon be […]
Finding Spring on our woodland trails starts simply with a step onto the path that leads away from all things urbane. Here, in our little village nestled in a corner of the valley, we find these paths with little trouble and at every opportunity. So, what’s new on the trails?
Folks have […]
Lace up your boots and grab your hat!— it’s time to explore our public lands in Southern Oregon. Whether you are interested in learning about plants and animals, geology or cultural history, we’ve got a hike for you. “Explore More!” at the Table Rocks and discover something new.
Every weekend this spring, The Nature Conservancy and […]
So, the rains came. And the creeks rose. Water flowed into the old reservoir and mallards returned, quacking with delight at the prospects of dining in the newly opened establishment. After so many arid days under sweltering skies, here was blessed respite. Now the turtles came forth from their […]
The rains return to wash the smoky air. A sweet fragrance rises from the heavy layer of summer’s discarded madrone leaves and bark. Dogwoods become crimson, big-leafed maples brilliant yellow. Fall’s mushrooms push upward through the brightly carpeted forest floor and bloom in their unique ways. The seasons cycle through another […]
Over the past 25-years, the Jacksonville Woodlands Association (JWA) has enjoyed strong community identity in its role to advocate and support the Jacksonville Woodlands. At present, the JWA is focused on development and maintenance of Woodlands trails, Beekman Arboretum, vegetative management activities, and informational maps, brochures, trail signs and kiosk. These efforts are in partnership […]
Our friends, the trails. We can see them romantically—fantastically leading us away on adventures. Or consider them purely utilitarian—a way to get from point A to point B. Sometimes, we find them a challenge to be conquered. And yet there they are: paths leading away, to be followed if we are […]
As the heat of another record-hot summer begins to abate in this season of the equinox, our feet yearn to revisit our trails within this forested landscape we call home. From early September until winter’s harsh grip sends us scampering to the coffee shops for warmer libations, the outdoors beckons our […]
Another 100 degree day in the Bear Creek Valley, another early morning trail run kept short by daunting afternoon temperatures, and my mind’s fantasy went to snowy trails in August. Who could blame me?
Oregon, unlike our neighbor to the south, does not have a lot of trails that boast elevations in […]
Are you thinking of taking a trip up to Crater Lake National Park this summer? Are you wanting to escape the heat of the Rogue Valley to bask in some cool mountain air? As you probably already know, Crater Lake National Park is an 80-mile drive from Jacksonville—about an hour-and-a-half to two-hour drive, depending on […]
In a recent article, the Mail Tribune referred to the Pacific Crest Trail as a “well-kept secret.” A surprising phrase, because for 40 years Oregon’s official highway map has delineated this popular trail with a dotted red line stretching from Donomore Meadows near Dutchman Peak, across the Siskiyou Crest and up […]
It’s time to reflect on our local trails as we head into our summer months. As residents of the Rogue Valley, we can pretty much head any direction, and in less time than it takes to shop for groceries, we find our feet pointed ahead on a path meandering over hill […]
As our hit-and-miss spring heads into an uncertain summer, more folks find themselves on our forest trails. An unusually-wet winter gives way to drier days when intrepid hikers take to the woods to enjoy a walk amidst the carpets of flowers, cascading streams, and trees alive with birdsong. Cool crisp mornings […]
Water? Check. Hiking Shoes? Check. Diapers? Check. Baby? Hmm…
This is just the beginning of the checklist that runs through my mind every time I leave the house for a hike with my 12-month-old son, Miles. We are lucky to live in a wonderful place with hiking trails outside our door and even luckier to have […]
Every weekend this spring, The Nature Conservancy and Medford District Bureau of Land Management are offering free, guided educational hikes at the Table Rocks. Hikes are led by specialists from around the region who will share their knowledge about the unique natural and cultural environments that make the Table Rocks such an integral part of […]
It’s hiking season! Maybe the snow hasn’t quite melted in the higher altitudes, but it has turned mushy, and I’m about to retire my skis and pull out my hiking boots. The Jacksonville Woodlands are sprouting wildflowers, and I’m ready to walk the hills, chasing the snowmelt onto the high-altitude trails, following the wildflowers higher […]
The Siskiyou Upland Trails Association is excited to begin construction of the long-awaited Jack-Ash Trail. Last November, construction started for the first phase of the Jack-Ash Trail, thanks to help from the Medford BLM, local volunteers, and a Northwest Youth Corp Crew. Significant progress was made for several weeks, and then winter came along with […]
Spring is finally upon us, yet those friendly white flakes of so many recent winter days flutter past my window as I write this. We’ll venture bravely forth to see what wonders a long, wet, cold season has bestowed upon our forested hills. Perhaps the blooms […]
With spring all around, come join us for the 24th Annual Jacksonville Woodlands Association Hike-a-Thon and annual meeting on Saturday, April 15, 2017. This year we will be highlighting the C.C. Beekman Arboretum. The C.C. Beekman Native Plant Arboretum occupies a 3-acre, bowl-like site in the heart of Historic […]
Registration: Spring is here and so too are outstanding opportunities to join SOLC for our Spring Hike series! Hikes are free but fill up quickly so reserve your spot early! To read more about each hike and to register, please go to landconserve.org. Even if a hike is full, join the […]
Could there be any more exciting news to the Applegate Trails Association than the recent go-ahead from the BLM to start construction of the East ART? We are stoked!
The East ART is the first leg of the Applegate Ridge Trail that we hope to construct from Jacksonville to Grants Pass. Jumping through BLM hoops, laying […]
Oh, but if we could hear what the stones have to tell us. So often we walk along the trails admiring the flora and fauna, ignoring the living rock beneath our feet. Sub-consciously we might appreciate the rock cycle and the millennia needed to morph sandstone […]