Leave from the Rite Aid parking lot on Ashland Street promptly at 9:00 AM unless otherwise indicated. Bring water, lunch, hat, sun-screen and rain gear. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; RT = round trip mileage; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. 100 Hikes is 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon, 3rd edition
Hike Leader: Rich Stickle: 541-326-6108
Website: https://ashlandhiking.org
March 3: Frank Hill Road/Trail
Directions: Drive through Ashland, up Highway 99 turn left onto North Main Street, Right on Fox to Ashland Mines Road. Park at or near Liz Landreth's house at 1400 Ashland Mines Road. Frank Hill Rd is at the corner of Ashland Mines Road.
Description: Hike up the road which eventually becomes a trail. Continue up past abandoned trailers to multiple overlooks of the Rogue Valley. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 20 miles.
March 10: Layton Mine Ditch Trail (Part 1 to Chinese Wall)
TH: North on I-5 to exit 55 for Grants Pass. Follow Highway 199 for 3 miles to a left on Highway 238 towards Williams. South on the Williams Highway to the town of Williams, then south on the East Fork Road to a left (east) turn onto Panther Gulch Road (Bureau of Land Management Road 39-5-2). Head east on Panther Gulch for 2.3 miles (paved, then good gravel) to a T-junction and park. Description: The upper trail heads north to the right off the road. Take the ditch trail out to the constructed Chinese retaining wall. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 100 miles.
March 17: Lost Creek Lake North Shore to the Blue Grotto
TH: Drive across the high bridge on the north side of Lost Creek Lake and make an immediate left on Lewis Road and continue for 1 mile to the TH; EDT: 60 minutes. Description: "generally level", pretty trail through the woods along the north shore of Lost Creek Lake to the spur trail to the Blue Grotto. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 110 miles
March 24: Sterling Mine Ditch / Jack-Ash Trail – Deming Gulch to Grub Gulch
TH:
N I-5
Exit 24 to R on N 99
L on Stage Rd
L on Griffin Creek Rd go 3 miles
becomes Griffin Ln go 1 mile to park near 7595 Griffin Ln
leave shuttle cars.
Continue on Griffin Ln to
L on Sterling Creek Rd to
L at sign for Deming Gulch
L up the
road to Deming Gulch TH
Description: Head north on the Sterling Mine Ditch for 3 miles to the intersection with the Grub Gulch Trail. Then up the hill for 2.5 miles with nice views down into the valley to the junction of the trail leading back down to Griffin Lane through many mining claims ending up walking through areas of hydraulic mining from the gold rush days. Distance 8 miles; elevation gain 1,000’. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 50 miles.
March 31: Toothpick Trail plus more
Directions: From Rite Aid, head up Morton Street to the top and turn left onto Ashland Loop Road. Go up one mile to a left turn into the White Rabbit parking lot.
Description: Start on the White Rabbit Trail, then right onto the Caterpillar Trail. Cross the Ashland Loop Road, then up and over the hill on the Caterpillar Trail to Lambs Saddle. Take a short walk over to view Lambs Mine, then come back and down the Tooth Pick Trail to connect with the Cat Walk Trail to the ridge. 6-7 miles with 500-700' of gain. Weather forecast.