Takelma Gorge – Upper Rogue River Trail

The Takelma Gorge section of the Upper Rogue River Trail is an 8 mile out-and-back starting at Woodruff Bridge and heading downstream.

Driving

– A 90 minute drive towards Crater Lake. Jump on Interstate 5 towards Medford. Jump off Interstate 5 in Medford on the Crater Lake/ Route 62 exit. Turn right and take the New Bypass around the businesses and turn left when that road dead ends into the old Route 62.
Now, stay on Route 62 through White City, Shady Cove, Trail, past Lost Creek Lake, past Prospect and into the tall pines where you will pass the brown forest service sign saying “River Bridge Campsite” and the next brown sign will point left saying “Woodruff Bridge” so turn left. It’s about 1 mile to the river and there is parking to the left just before you cross the bridge.

Parking

– Decent dirt parking area with room for 20 cars. If the camp area gate is open just before this parking spot, there is more parking in there but it’s hard to know when it’s open – Covid and all.

The Adventure

– Many people just head down to the river to fish so there is a significant trail heading that way. However, the most direct route is from the middle of the parking area, through a couple old campsites, and at the back of the camping area you’ll hit a decent trailhead sign and off you go! The first mile of the trail is uncharacteristically quiet. This section of river is smooth and the trail is further from the river than usual. It’s kinda weird but… just before the Takelma Gorge it get loud an dramatic again. And at mile 1.5 you will emerge at an overlook, with an old wooden Takelma Gorge sign and Bam! get ready for about a half mile of spectacular Rogue River Gorge-ous-ness! The trail is strewn with ankle-twisting lava rock but that’s a small price to pay for the amazing views all along this section. By the time you use up all the memory on your phone taking photos, the trail drops down a slippery dirt slope and now begins to follow the river at river level. For the next 2 1/2 miles the Upper Rogue River is it’s usual greatness but after seeing The Gorge it’s just… anticlimactic honestly. There are some great swimming areas in this stretch and you pass by a Baptist Church Camp, so you know the river access for all the baptizing is going to be top notch. The trail ends at the River Bridge campground. There’s a pit toilet and trash can that come in handy, but those are the highlights of this mediocre campground. Mostly fishing and swimming going on here without any interesting river views. Makes you miss The Gorge so let’s turn around and get one more look at it on our way back to the car.