There truly is nothing better than the great outdoors. After all, it has plenty of wellness benefits, such as promoting physical and mental wellness and health in the community. Enjoying quality time outdoors keeps us active and healthy while lowering the risk of depression and faster psychological stress recovery, thanks to the endorphins it releases. Plus, being outdoors is just always more fun than being cooped up inside. Ultimately, it all boils down to that Mother Nature is a mood lifter and, indeed, the best medicine for the soul. The beautiful outdoors in the Rogue Valley area is no exception to the rule. And there are plenty of awesome places in Rogue Valley to take your daily dose of outdoor fun!
Rogue Valley ZipLine Adventure
9450 Old Stage Rd., Central Point
541.821.9476
Members and visitors to the Rogue Valley community can gear up for a morning of thrills at Rogue Valley ZipLine Adventure. Here, you can soar between the trees and experience the beautiful views of Crater Lake Rim, Mount McLoughlin, and Table Rock. Besides the ZipLine Tour, they also offer a Zip, Dip, & Sip Tour that includes lunch, rafting, and a wine tasting. And it’s all enjoyed in the great outdoors!
Oregon Vortex House of Mystery
4303 Sardine Creek L Fork Rd., Gold Hill
541.855.1543
Just 15 minutes away from Rogue Valley ZipLine Adventure is one of our state’s more bizarre attractions, the Oregon Vortex House of Mystery. This famous circular area with its unique phenomena has been open to the public since 1930. Here, residents get a glimpse of a strange world where the improbable is the commonplace and everyday physical facts are seemingly reversed. This vortex is an area of naturally occurring visual and perceptual phenomena, and you can catch it all on film, so don’t forget the camera! No matter your education or profession, you won’t leave this Oregon vortex without scratching your head and questioning your accepted theories on the way out.
Rogue Rafting Company
404 2nd Ave., Gold Hill
541.855.7080
Oregon’s premier whitewater rafting company offering professionally guided whitewater rafting and fishing trips on Oregon’s Rogue River is Rogue Rafting Company. This outdoor adventure will take you down one of the most renowned rivers in the West, which flows 155 miles from the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. It’s an exhilarating trip that can either be full or half-day guided trips that run through class IV rapids that is mild enough for novices but still pretty thrilling for experienced river rats.
Medford Railroad Park
799 Berrydale Ave., Medford
541.613.1638
Seven acres of property await those looking to explore lots of miniature trains, engines, and carriages at the Medford Railway Park. This family-friendly park is a place of enormous fun, especially for the kiddos, taking you back in time to the era of traditional train engines and giving you a feel of how railways looked and worked back then. You can even take a train ride during your visit! Remember that they are only open on the second and fourth Sunday of the month until October from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fishing The Rogue
754 Glass Ln., White City
541.326.9486
You can enjoy the best of Southern Oregon’s great outdoors at Fishing The Rogue, where you can experience fishing for salmon and steelhead fish on the wild Rogue or mighty Umpqua Rivers. Their guided fishing trips are great for all ages and skill levels and run in drift boats built for two. Fishing trips with these guys include a fishing guide that is licensed, insured, experienced, and local, ensuring you get the most out of your fishing trip. They take care of the fishing gear and safety equipment, so all you have to do is dress appropriately and bait the hook, then sit back, relax, and enjoy some quality time peacefully fishing outdoors along the Rogue Valley River.
Tour Natural Bridge Loop
An exciting hiking trail awaits those who take a tour of Natural Bridge Loop that makes its way through three natural bridges in the Rogue Valley. This two-mile trail begins at the Natural Bridge Viewpoint parking lot and travels upriver on the east side of the Rogue River. The first bridge you come across on this hike is the Sipapu Bridge, which just so happens to be ranked as the second biggest natural bridge globally. From there, the trail carries you onward, passing beaver ponds, birds, and numerous tree and plant species local to the area.
Visit a Waterfall
Breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls with an air of mystery and elegance weave in-between, around, and alongside our Rogue Valley’s mountains, forests, and trails. Places like Toketee Falls, Rogue River Gorge, and National Creek Falls are typically just a short drive and hike away. No matter which one you choose to visit on your outdoor adventure, you’re bound to have a blast enjoying the cool water, scenic views, and glimpses of local wildlife while exploring any of our local waterfalls.
Hike the Table Rocks
Table Rocks are one of the most popular hiking locations in the Rogue Valley, with over 45,000 visitors annually. In the early 1980s, the Youth Conversation Corps, Boy Scouts, and the Oregon Department of Forestry cut across the plateaus’ slopes to create these two trails, known as Lower Table Rock Trail and Upper Table Rock Trail. Even before the trail was put in place, these two prominent volcanic plateaus are a sanctuary for Takelma Indians. They had been created by lava flow from approximately seven million years ago and shaped by erosion. Today, they stand about 2000 feet above sea level and about 800 feet above the beautiful surrounding Rogue Valley. It’s a popular local hike that gives locals a great view of local landmarks such as Mount McLoughlin, Mount Ashland, Roxy Ann Peak, and Pilot Rock on clear days from the edge of the rocks.
Besides all these fun outdoor activities in our Rogue Valley area, locals can also enjoy lazy days on the many local lakes and rivers or challenge themselves on any of our local hiking and biking trails that are great for exploring. But no matter which adventure you choose to take on, our Rogue Valley area has plenty to choose from for your daily dose of outdoor fun!
