Smith Rock juts from the Central Oregon lava plains like an orange-sailed ship in the desert. Oregon's most popular rock-climbing area, this state park challenges mountaineers with 3 miles of rhyolite cliffs and Monkey Face, a 350-foot-tall natural sculpture.
Oregon's third-tallest mountain has a path to its top. Admittedly, the trail up 10,358-foot South Sister is exceedingly steep, long and rugged, but no technical climbing skills are required and the rewards are great.
Once a sanctuary for Takelma Indians, today these cliff-edged mesas near Medford are a haven for hikers and endangered wildflowers. Views from the cliffs extend across the Rogue River to the Siskiyous and the Cascades. Visit in spring to catch the best flower displays and to avoid summer's merciless heat.
High on Crater Lake's western rim, the Watchman's lookout tower commands an eagle's-eye view across the amazingly blue lake to Wizard Island. The steep little climb up the Watchman is one of the most popular paths in the national park. It's also short enough that you might want to extend the hike by taking an adjacent 2-mile path around Hillman Peak to a viewpoint above the Devils Backbone. Pets are banned on all park trails.
This riverside loop through Willamette Mission State Park not only visits the nation's largest black cottonwood tree and the site of a historic 1834 settlement, but it also includes a free ferry ride across the Willamette River and back.
Explore docks, museums and Victorian mansions in a salty city near the fort where Lewis and Clark wintered 200 years ago.
About the Hike: From the barnacled piers of cannery docks to the painted gingerbread of Victorian mansions, this picturesque city on the Columbia River wears its history with a salty pride. A walking tour samples the old town's sights.
Difficulty: An easy, 2.6-mile loop, with 150 feet of elevation gain.
Season: Open all year.
Hwy 20 | Sisters, OR | 541.822.3799
Terrain: 5,703-foot top elevation, 1,035-foot vertical drop
Lifts: Six chairlifts: 3 quads, 1 triple, 1 double, 1 surface
Nordic: 7.5k groomed track, plus 8.3k Skyliner trail groomed weekends and holidays.
Jerry’s Rogue Jets was established in 1958. Three brothers Jerry, Alden, and Court Boice revolutionized commercial jet boating. They were the first install and use hydro-jet pumps in commercial passenger boats on the Rogue River. Jerry’s Rogue Jets became the first commercial jet boat tour company in the United States. Jerry’s set the standard for jet boat tours and continues today as a leading nature based tourist destination on the Southern Oregon Coast.
A plateau of early spring wildflowers overlooking the Columbia River.
About the Hike: This cliff-edged plateau of oak grasslands and wildflowers belongs to the Nature Conservancy, a non-profit group that quietly purchases ecologically sensitive land. The preserve has two public trails: an easy path that passes several ponds to a cliff overlooking the Columbia River, and a steep trail that climbs to a panorama atop McCall Point.
P.O. Box 220 | Ashland, OR | 541.482.2897
Terrain: Top Elevation 7,500
Lifts: Six chairlifts: 2 triples, 2 doubles, 1 surface, 1 learning
Highlights: Skiers from Ashland and Medford love Ski Ashland for its convenience and challenging terrain. Traveling skiers enjoy it because of Ashland's active theater community' which means there's plenty to do at night and wide-open lodging opportunities that were built to handle large summer crowds.
