Blue Grotto Trail

The Blue Grotto Trail is an 8 mile out and back trail along the shore of Lost Creek Lake.

Driving 

– The Blue Grotto Trail is a good 1 hour drive from Ashland. Take Interstate 5 to Medford and exit at the Crater Lake exit #33. Turn right towards the big box stores and take the new expressway away from those dumb stores and their dumb traffic. You will meet back with Crater Lake Highway (Route 62) and take that left towards Crater Lake. Cruise for 20 minutes through some mixed log-pile, farm, & weed landscape and at Shady Cove you will cross the Rogue River. About 10 minutes later you reach the dam and turn left at McGregor Park on Takelma Road. Drive past the hatchery and up to the top of the dam – but don’t stop there. Continue for about 10 more minutes on the gravel road towards the camping areas and on your right will be a turnoff down toward the lake shore. It ends at a pit toilet.

Parking

– Half-a-dozen spots in the dirt turn around at the end of the road. Much more parking 50 feet uphill right where you turned off the gravel road.

The Adventure

– Technically this is “section hiking” the Rogue River Trail which runs intermittently from the Pacific Ocean to … I’m gonna say Crater Lake? It is well maintained and although “along” Lost Creek Lake, it is pretty far up from the shoreline of Lost Creek Lake. Not too many jump-into-the-lake-to-cool-off opportunities. There are a number of great viewpoints and some shady sections and at “Bridge 26” you will turn left at the sign to The Blue Grotto. Within 100 feet, you are there. That grotto is creek fed and that seasonal creek is a fickle mistress. When the creek is dry, so is the grotto. No one likes a dry grotto. I mean, it’s okay, but if you require an Instagram photo worthy destination, come early in the spring. If you just want a view of a lake, low crowds, and a mostly level 8 mile hike? Oh man, come here every day.