Trail Talk is a monthly column about hiking in and around the Jacksonville Woodlands in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Reading the newly-posted Chugach National Forest trail sign for Carter Lake Trail near Moose Pass, AK, I thought that a nice morning hike was in the cards. According to the posting, the trail was steep, but well-maintained, ending near Carter Lake in the high pass between Upper Trail Lake and Crescent […]
Poison oak. An interesting plant. Actually, quite pretty, as plants go. Often sprouting brilliant scarlet and purple leaflets in the Spring, it matures to a rich verdant green as Summer arrives. The blossoms are quite delicate and even fragrant, attracting a multitude of pollinators, some as delicate as the smallest midge […]
Since I was born with two perfectly functional legs, my choice has always been to use them as my first option for travel. I enjoy being upright as Nature intended, and with alliteration intended, with my head held high above the madding masses of immobile minions caught up in their frenzied […]
Once upon a time, two intrepid individuals carried a bundle of 50 ponderosa pine seedlings, along with the appropriate grubbing tools, up a steep ridge to rehabilitate a highly-eroded OHV track. Another bundle of 50 incense cedars was also packed along to fill in more shaded areas. Decades of ATV, 4-wheel […]
What a delightful spring season we’re having. The cool, damp weather has made our walk-abouts so much more pleasant, and our wildflower season has been prolonged. It’s such a pleasant surprise to enjoy the calypsos (lady-slippers) along the trail, then stroll around the corner and see a late-blooming lamb’s tongue (fawn […]
In June 2019, partners Luke Ruediger and Suzie Savoie hiked nearly 200 miles through the wildlands of the Siskiyou Crest, starting on the Pacific Crest Trail at Interstate 5 near Siskiyou Summit on the western edge of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument above Ashland, Oregon, and ending 10 […]
One would certainly hope that folks got out to enjoy our wildflower show in our local parks this spring. With our warm, dry February, hound’s tongue violets and manzanita brush were blooming early, heralding an early showing of our other wildland flowers. Shooting stars soon followed and fawn lilies were […]
With the coming of Spring, we find ourselves anxious to be out and about on our local trails. Recent outings to many nearby wild areas have found most trails in fairly good condition because of another “less than moist” Winter season. Some of the heavier windstorms have brought down limbs and […]
As our interesting winter season draws to a conclusion, it’s time to look afield to trips on our local trails. Having a record-setting dry spell coming on the heels of a heavy winter storm at the turn of the calendar, we’ve seen some phenomena not usual in our recollection. Finding fresh […]
Please join members of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association for the annual Scotch Broom pull on Friday, February 11, at 10am. We’ve been doing this for about 15 years, and it’s now become a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s easy to pull plants we find because they’re small, but on the other, […]
A recent article in the Mail Tribune highlighted the efforts of our National Park Service to preserve the natural habitat surrounding the Grove of Titans in Redwoods State and National Park. An elevated walkway is being constructed to protect the shallow root system of this community of spectacularly large and ancient […]
Trails in valley bottoms are buried in yellow maple leaves. Streams are coming to life after a long, hot summer. It’s truly a wonderful time of year to be in Forest Park. This fall, we’re sharing the park with a family of black bears, as I discovered during a close encounter with them last week […]
With the advent, or shall we say, return of Autumn rains this October, we can breathe a bit easier heading into the colder days of mid-winter. Shortly after the publication of this piece, as we celebrate the season, we’ll sense the days lengthening and a quickening as new growth arises […]
So, our Hunters’ Moon has come and gone for another year. With the skies finally rid of the pesky smoke of summer, we can breathe more easily. The crisp morning air is accompanied by the crisp crunch of autumn’s leaves, and on the crispiest of mornings, the delightful crackle of hoar-frosted […]
That’s the late summer/early fall mantra for so many of us as we venture out for time on the trails. The cool, moist air that heralds the onset of our damp, foggy winters is still but a dream—but a dream worth having. To consider that we once wished for those dark […]
Back in the mid 1990s, while out hiking the Jacksonville Woodlands with my wife, Linda, we noticed an old mining road branching off of the main Rich Trail and winding up to the top of what was to become dubbed “The Knoll” or “Panorama Point.” At an elevation of […]
Returning to the familiar footpaths of one’s local environment after forays far and wide creates a certain deja’ vu. To return to a familiar stomping ground while the temperatures persist in the triple digits, just like the day you left, yields a feeling far more poignant than any “been there, done […]
On Saturday, June 5, 2021, a newly-constructed suspension bridge below the reservoir in Forest Park was officially named the “Tony Hess Bridge,” in honor of its long-standing champion. Back in 2003, Tony Hess headed up an ad-hoc group of volunteers to work with the City Council to transform 1800 acres of city-owned land into a […]
Summer is upon us, and it’s a time to get out and explore farther afield. Trails in our local wilderness areas have opened as the snowpack has melted, and though winter storms may have created blowdown over many of the trails, intrepid hikers should still be able to get through to […]
Our Woodlands have seen an explosion of visitors since COVID. These warming days of spring and summer are indeed a popular time to be out and gathering out-of-doors and does carry less risk of exposure than indoor activities.
Research published last summer by the European Forest Institute in Bonn found that visits […]
The blooms came late this spring, a welcome respite from years past, when all of Nature’s tapestry of color seemed over-anxious to burst forth and then fade even more quickly. The cool February weather, damp, but no wetter than normal, held in check previous year’s ‘too much, too soon’ extravaganzas. What […]
“Help…I’ve fallen and broken my ankle. Can you send help?”
“Where are you?”
“Uh…”
We all know that this conversation doesn’t have to take place if you take a few precautions.
I would say the first precaution to take is simply telling someone where you’re going hiking, and approximately for how long you’ll be gone. Sticking to that game […]
Quietly, they came to feed and potentially nest and raise their young. One day, the old city reservoir in Forest Park was bone dry. The next day, after a bit of rain fell on the parched uplands, it filled, and water flowed quietly through the boulders in the old spillway beneath […]
It is hot off the press! The new and updated Jacksonville Woodlands Association’s (JWA) trail map is now available. At this time, the maps can be found at Woodlands trailheads and Jacksonville’s Visitor Center. In addition, the City of Jacksonville has uploaded the map to their Avenza Maps account so that it is georeferenced and […]
There is a time when the tumult and chaos of life in a 24/7 news cycle breaks the spirit of the bravest consumer. Overwhelmed by the cantankerous rantings of so many talking heads, the appeal of a timeout spent in the musty cold fog of our mid-winter world becomes undeniable. The […]
By the time you read this, I hope we’re seeing some moisture in our fall skies. I can’t complain about the balmy fall weather that kept my jacket, raincoat, and boots in storage. Working/walking in our forest lands has been quite pleasant. The chilly mornings have warmed rapidly with the […]
Fall finally comes to our woodland areas. Crunchy leaves give way to damp blankets of color beneath the naked stems, branches, and trunks of our deciduous brethren. Fungi again bravely venture forth, reclaiming a world denied them during the harsh summer’s drought. The forests are quieter now, beginning the long slumber […]
As we hope for the smoke to clear and the out-of-doors to become welcoming again after some fall rains, we are obligated to take stock of our climate crisis. “Mega-drought” feels overused, but how else do we account for streams that seem to never run, waterfalls that never fall, bogs where […]
“Leave only footprints; take only memories.” The hikers’ mantra played loudly in my subconscious on a recent walkabout far from our local trails. A quarter century ago, two motorcyclists ignored a wilderness boundary sign and rode onto a pumice ridge, where they turned doughnuts in the powdery soil before diving off […]
Having recently spent some time running on trails farther afield, I am happy to report that our local trails are in tip-top shape. It is disappointing to see that so much of our once robust forest trail system on BLM and Forest Service land has been neglected for so long, and […]
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 […]