Upper Rogue River Trail: Takelma Gorge to Knob Falls 10-3-22

Photos by Patricia, Kate and Rich - Knob Falls Video by Kate

 

Ashland Hiking Home

The Fall change of colors was just beginning when we arrived at Woodruff Bridge, so we made a quick change of plans. Instead of spending the day hiking up river we decided to first hike down from Woodruff 2 miles to view Takelma Gorge. This change was welcomed since some in our group of 9 had not since the Gorge.
This trail becomes immediately shady with canopies of overhanging branches and tall trees. We felt we were in a fantasy forest like the Hobbits in the Shire, with all the giant trees both standing and fallen along the trail.

As the Rogue meandered the trail mimicked snaking through the forest.

Laure, our hiking friend from Prospect, brought a basket and bags to aid in collecting edible mushrooms. Our mushroom hunters found plenty of big orange Lobster mushrooms and tasty Chanterelles.  She spread them out on the hood of her SUV post hike and divided them among the group.

We continued for about an hour down river and eventually felt the sun as the beginning of the Gorge came into view. The quiet calm of the river changed to roaring white water as it entered the narrow gorge.

I pointed out the cross on cliff above the river, placed in memory young Brayden Biggs a 5 year old boy who was bounced from his families raft when they went down the rapids and the river took a sharp turn to the right.

We arrived at the Takelma Gorge viewpoint for lunch with logs to rest on as we admired the wonders of the Rogue. On the approach to the viewpoint, we had to negotiate black rocks on the trail left from ancient lava flows that helped to from the river.

When we got back to Woodruff Bridge we left wraps and packs at the cars and took the short hike 1.5 miles to Knob Falls snapping pictures of Fall colors along the way.

On the day, we hiked 7.2 miles up and down the Upper Rogue.

We stopped at Phil's Frosty in Shady Cove for ice cream after the hike.

Happy Trails!
Rich