Pilot Rock 2020

Pilot Rock Trail is 3 miles out and back, fairly well traveled and nicely maintained. In addition… there is the Lone Pilot Trail that continues past the Pilot Rock/PCT intersection.

Driving

– It’s a quick 30 minute drive from Ashland mostly along Interstate 5 but… it includes a bumpy couple miles at the end that might make your Prius uncomfortable and dirty. Don’t let that stop you! It’s worth it.

Head south on I-5 towards California and get off at the Mount Ashland exit. Go straight, towards the Mount Ashland Road turn but… continue straight underneath the freeway. At the second left turn in about a mile you will see the Cascade/Siskiyou Pilot Rock sign. This bumpy dirt road is about 2 miles with a number of private roads and PCT parking pull-offs along the way.

Parking

– is in a decent sized, well maintained dirt lot with a newer restroom facility. Room for 20 cars at least.

The Trail

– The first 1/2 mile of the trail is an easy uphill. This is a Forest Service road repurposed into a trail. Maybe by the Siskiyou Mountain Brigade or something. So… you can easily 6-foot socially distance if you are an ultra-orthidox Social Distancer.

The second 1/2 mile of the trail gets thinner and it coincides with the PCT (Say hello to Reese Witherspoon for me). And the last 1/2 mile of this out-and-back trail gets steeper and steeper until the last 300 yards. That… is hand over hand rock climbing to reach the spectacular 360 degree views from Pilot Rock. You don’t need rope or special climbing skills, but you do need to be pretty fit and very sure footed… and even then you could fall and break your neck. Like Socrates always says, “Know Thyself.” (He’s always saying that)

If you want more trail but hate people who might have the Corona virus, you can just continue on the Lone Pilot trail at the PCT intersection. Same repurposed Forest Service road scenario. Super great views, but much less maintenance. The trail does lead back to old Highway 99 (about 3 miles from parking lot to parking lot) but also branches off for some other dead-end experiences.