Ashland OR Trails

The Ashland area has a plethora of great trails for hiking and running. When trail running here, stay on the trails to avoid contact with poison oak.

Lithia Park

Ashland OR trails abound. For a shorter trail run, one of the most beautiful options in town is through Lithia Park. Along Ashland Creek and through exotic trees, you can run 2 miles within the park on soft bark and dirt surfaces.

Begin your run from Ashland’s downtown plaza where N. Main Street meets Winburn Way beneath the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Bowmer Theater. At this park entrance, pass the Lower Duck Pond and run south on the paved sidewalk past the playground and onto the bark trail and continue straight ahead.

At .6 miles you’ll come to a paved lot by the Ashland Parks Office. The trail resumes ahead to the left after the buildings. After you pass a clearing with picnic tables, there’s a fork at a small bridge where you can go either way as these trails will reconnect on a bridge at the end of the main trail at the 1-mile mark.

From here, you can return on the same path to complete the 2-mile run, or continue on any of trails or the roads above the park if you’d prefer a longer run.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Directions: Lithia Park is located just south of the main plaza in town.

Talent Irrigation Ditch

If you prefer a flat run, though one longer than the 2 mile Lithia Park run offered above, then consider a jog on the Talent Irrigation Ditch, known locally as the “TID”. The trail runs alongside a small irrigation canal that was originally constructed in the early 1900’s to aid in Southern Oregon’s agriculture boom. This trail is roughly 2 miles to Park St., where you can turn back to complete the 4 mile run.

If you are feeling energetic, you can take a right on Park St. and head to the White Rabbit Trail and follow that trail to create up to an 8 mile run (see below). You could also choose to run the less challenging and shorter Oredson-Todd section of the “Siskiyou Mountain Park”. A map of the White Rabbit and Oredson-Todd trails can be found here.

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate (TID); Moderate to Challenging (TID & White Rabbit); Moderate (TID & Oredson-Todd)

Directions: From downtown, head southeast on Siskiyou Blvd and take a right on Mountain Ave. Continue a few blocks and take a left on Prospect St. and then an immediate right onto Elkader St. Pass Emma St. and if you are driving you can park near Ivy Ln. and continue the rest of the way on foot as it levels off there. Follow Pinecrest Terrace down to the left as the road turns to gravel and winds a bit until it becomes paved again. Take a right at this point (this is a second place to park if you want a slightly shorter run) and follow it as it turns to gravel again and passes through a tunnel of trees. At the end of the gravel portion of the road, you will see a set of stairs on the left that leads to the TID trail.

White Rabbit Trail

Ashland is surrounded by mountains, so most of the trail running here is of the hilly variety. The White Rabbit Trail, part of Ashland’s “Siskiyou Mountain Park”, offers an opportunity to try a classic Ashland hilly trail run. The trail heads uphill most of the roughly 2 miles to the end and, of course, downhill on the trail you had already traversed.

As you head up the White Rabbit Trail, there will be a few trail loops (Looking Glass, Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat) that can add some different scenery to your run on either your way up or down and lead you back to the White Rabbit.

Additionally, a newer trail in town (constructed in 2010), Mike Uhtoff Trail, also passes by the White Rabbit at various points, and is a hiker only trail. It’s another fun option to try.

The trail offers a challenging way to get in a run, but the views of the valley and peace along the trail will make the effort worth your while.

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Challenging

Directions: Access this trail by leaving downtown Ashland southeast on Siskiyou Blvd. Follow Siskiyou Blvd to Park St and take a right and head up the steep hill. If you drive there you will want to park on the top side street, Tamarack Rd, so your car is level. Continue up Park St, and follow the road about a 1/2 mile to the marked trailhead.

Wagner Butte

Wagner Butte is the most challenging, remote and arguably the most beautiful running trail here on Insight to Ashland. The entire run is 10.4 miles with a 2200 elevation gain, and passes through old-growth forest and meadows that provide outstanding views of the surrounding countryside.

At the top of the trail are views in all directions and a clear view to Ashland. Other highlights of Wagner Butte include views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. McLoughlin, Grizzly Peak, Mt. Ashland, Medford and the Table Rocks, and some superb views of the Siskiyou Mountains.

Difficulty Level: Challenging

Directions: From downtown Ashland, head northwest on Lithia Way. Just out of downtown, Lithia Way turns into OR-99/N Main St. Follow OR-99 for about 4.5 miles where you’ll turn left onto Rapp Rd. Rapp Rd. follow a couple of sharp curves where it then becomes Wagner Creek Rd. Travel south on Wagner Creek Rd., and veer left at a junction after milepost 7. Continue for 2 miles to a fork and stay left. Continue another 2 miles, at which point you’ll see a parking lot on the right side of the road. You’ll need to cross the road to find the trailhead.

Outdoor Recreation Safety Note: Please be sure to read our safety note on our Outdoor Recreation home page.