Living in Southern Oregon comes with perks including an expansive outdoor playground with beautiful views. Most hikes with gorgeous views come with elevation gain. Always check local weather and snow conditions in the area before setting off.

Upper and Lower Table Rocks: Spring offers the best time to view the hundreds of rare bird and plant species along the hike. Located just outside of Medford, the tops of each table rock show views expanding across the Rogue River to the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges. Upper table rock is about a 1.25-mile-long hike, considered easy/moderate and recommended for first-time hikers. Allow roughly three hours round trip. Lower table rock is about 1. 75 miles long so, allow approximately four hours round trip. Dogs and horses are not allowed.

Grizzly Peak: Located 12 miles East of Ashland, the trail starts at 5,200 ft and gains about 750 ft to the top resulting in beautiful panoramic views of Ashland 3,000 ft above the valley. The 4.8-mile trail is considered moderate, and although the summit itself doesn’t have much of a view, continue a little further along the loop trail, and the eastern side of the cliff opens up to beautiful views of Ashland, Emigrant Lake, Pilot Rock, and Mt. Shasta on a clear day. Dogs and horses are allowed.

Pilot Rock: Also, just outside of Ashland, the 1.25-mile trail climbs 1,000 ft and is considered moderate. A section of the PCT crosses over the trail, and the end results in a bit of a scramble that is quite a fun challenge, but not for the faint of heart. Loose rocks are abundant here and the climb is considered a 3-4 level rock climb. The summit offers a 360-degree view of Southern Oregon and Northern California, including Mt. Shasta, Mt. Ashland and Mt. McLoughlin. Dogs are allowed, but might not make it up the scramble, which is well worth the view. Once at the summit, the name “pilot” speaks for itself.