Leave from the Safeway parking lot in Ashland at 9:00 AM unless otherwise indicated. Bring water, lunch, hat, sunscreen and rain gear as appropriate. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. 100 Hikes = 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon, Second Edition
April 1: Applegate Lake Payette Trail (p. 147 in 100 Hikes)
TH: Take Highway 238 from Jacksonville area to Ruch (8 miles); take Upper Applegate Road 15 miles to Applegate Dam; drive left across dam to French Gulch TH (1.2 miles) and leave shuttle car. Return to Upper Applegate Road and continue south to T. Left on Elliot Creek Road for 0.9 miles. Just past the bridge make a left at the Seattle Bar day use area and follow the road around until it ends at the Manzanita Trailhead; EDT: 70 minutes Description: Take the Payette Trail northward as it follows the Applegate Lake shore back to the French Gulch TH. Enjoy the views from Hank's Point and Hal's Point. Distance: 8.5 miles; elevation gain: about 500 feet. Weather Forecast. RT mileage: 100 miles
April 8: Lower Rogue River Trail: Grave Creek to Alder Creek (p. 189 in 101 Hikes) Hike Leader: Hank Morgan
TH: Take I-5 north to Merlin (Exit 60); drive thru Merlin and follow Galice Road 19 miles to the far side of the Grave Creek bridge; turn left downhill to boat ramp and TH; EDT: 90 minutes. Description: Follow north rim of Rogue River canyon past Rainie Falls to Alder Creek and back; spectacular scenery, but trail is a little rough in places. You may find poles useful on this hike for both the occasional side stream crossings as well as the rocky up and down trail. Distance: 10 miles; About 2,500' of up on this one; lots of little ups and downs that add up to a good workout. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 150 miles.
April 15: Briggs Creek (p. 184 in 100 Hikes) Meet at 8:00 AM Hike Leader: Lynn Clegg
TH: I-5 to the Merlin exit and then 8.5 miles towards Galice. Left on Briggs Valley Road 25 for 13.4 miles. After Big Pine Campground turn right on Road 2512 for 0.3 mile then left into the Sam Brown Campground and park near the two picnic shelters. EDT 90 minutes. Description: Starting at an old mining ghost town follow the trail along the mountain stream past active mining claims and old hydraulic mines and a flume ditch through old-growth forest to a burned out miner's cabin. The trail passes through a section of the 2010 Oak Flat fire area. There are 3 creek crossings on fallen tree trunks. Distance 9 miles. 1,700' elevation gain. Weather forecast. RT mileage 150 miles
April 22: Kelsey Creek to Maple Falls (p. 45 in Best Hikes of the Marble and Russian Wilderness Areas) Meet at 8:30 AM. Hike Leader: Margita LaGrotta
TH: Take I-5 to Yreka and follow Highway 3 to Fort Jones. Right on the Scott River Road for 17 miles. Past the Kelsey Guard Station and just before Bridge Flat the road crosses the Scott River. Immediately past the bridge go left on Kelsey Creek Road for 1/2 mile. Do not cross the second bridge but continue straight past the house to the roomy trailhead. EDT 90 minutes. Description: The Kelsey Trail was built by the army in the middle 1800s as a supply line from Crescent City to Ft. Jones. Follow Kelsey Creek to Maple Falls. Distance 9 miles; climbing 2,200'. Weather forecast. RT mileage 150 miles.
April 29: Horse Camp Trail to Echo Lake 1/2 New Hike - Meet at 8:00 AM Hike Leader: Hank Morgan - Ashland Wrangler: Bob Horton
TH: Past Applegate Lake to T and left on Elliot Creek Road for 1.5 miles to the junction of FS 1040 and FS 1050. Hard right on FS 1040 then 3.9 miles to TH on left. EDT: 1:35. Description: When we tried this hike in May 2011 we only made it to a bit above Horse Camp because of late season snow. This time we are hoping to make it up to Echo Lake which we have seen from above on the PCT. It is a steady climb through a shaded deciduous and mixed conifer forest past the Butte Fork landslide, Horse Camp and on up to Echo Lake. Distance: 9 miles; elevation gain 3,000 feet. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 100 miles.