Outdoors
a year-round paradise
Select from the categories below.
Discover a year-round outdoor paradise.
Whether you love to hike, run, bike, birdwatch, zipline, ski, snowboard or are an equestrian, the four seasons of the Ashland Watershed and surrounding outdoors offers something for everyone. Ashland’s outdoors provide Natural Beauty to enjoy, Cycling adventures for the family or adventure cyclist, miles of amazing trails for Hiking & Trail Running, Water Adventures such as rafting, jetboating, kayaking and swimming in the rivers and many lakes within a short drive of Ashland including the Rogue River and Crater Lake National Park, Camping and Fishing, ZipLining, Golfing, fun Winter Recreation, and beyond Ashland, the Mountain Lakes region.
Said to be the hub for endurance events, such as the Spring Thaw, Pine to Palm 100 mile race, Mt. Ashland Hillclimb Run and Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Bike Race, Siskiyou Challenge and many more, Ashland offers 4600’ vertical with over 50 miles of trails along with world-class terrain. To learn more check out the Ashland Map Guide. The Top Trail Running town in the country, Ashland is home to many accomplished athletes such as Ultra runner, Hal Koerner owner of Rogue Valley Runners.
Learn more with our partners who are stewards of Ashland’s trail system, Ashland Woodlands Trails Association and Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association.
Shuttling mountain bikers who love the thrill of downhill to the top of Mt. Ashland, Ashland Mountain Adventures hosts the Ashland Mountain Challenge , and are also stewards of the trails.
Summertime, take a day hike on the Pacific Crest Trail that passes within 100 yards of Mt. Ashland summit that can be accessed from Mt. Ashland parking lot. Grouse Gap Shelter is 1.5 miles from the back-parking lot – a shelter on the PCT. See Ashland Map Guide for more information. From Mt. Ashland to the North, you can see amazing views of the Rogue Valley and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. To the South soak in the views of Mt. Shasta, sitting at 14,180’ elevation in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in California.
The PCT leads north to the nearby Cascade Siskiyou National Monument – trails, vistas, unmatched biodiversity at the convergence of the Cascade and Siskiyou mountain ranges. It is the Top 5 most biodiverse temperate forest in the world and home to 3500 species and 125 of the 160 butterfly species in Oregon.
Discover the outdoors with these fun itinerary ideas…
- Cool off white water rafting or kayaking on the Rogue or Upper Klamath rivers
- Cycle along the hills of Ashland, Bear Creek Greenway or for adventure riders, the Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway, a 55-mile loop climbing 5000’
- Visit the Mountain Lakes to go fishing, paddling or swimming
- Enjoy the trail systems of the Ashland Watershed, Lithia Park and Oredson-Todd Woods while trail running, hiking, birding or mountain biking
- Witness the seasonal wildflowers on Grizzly Peak and Mt. Ashland
- Hike and picnic at Grouse Gap Shelter along the Pacific Crest Trail
- Take a leap and discover a zipline adventure