Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Painful withdrawal: Patients grapple with forced reductions in pain medications ... Wolf issue shows cultural divide among Oregonians ... Emergency services, Nov. 7 ... Painful withdrawal: Patients grapple with forced reductions in pain medications ... Wolf issue shows cultural divide among Oregonians ... Emergency services, Nov. 7 ... View Rogue River canyon on Umpqua Joe Trail By BILL KETTLER,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By BILL KETTLER,Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 18, 2005 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 18, 2010 at 5:42 PM By BILL KETTLER,Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 18, 2005 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 18, 2010 at 5:42 PM » Social News Hike of the Week A Josephine County trail will give you a chance to get above the fog for a few hours. Indian Mary Park is often sunny when Medford lies beneath a layer of dense gray soup. The park draws fewer visitors this time of year, and a short trail will reward you with several views of the Rogue River canyon. The Umpqua Joe trail is named for an Indian who warned white settlers that his people were planning an attack. Years later, his daughter Mary received a piece of riverfront land from the U.S. government. When Mary died, the land became a park. The flat land along the river has been converted to parkish things like campgrounds, play areas and a boat ramp, but the original landscape is mostly unchanged along a 1.6-mile trail above the river. — This route is a good choice if you're hiking with kids. The road trip is relatively short, and the trail is steep only in a few places. Perhaps most important for young hikers, there are convenient restrooms. The trail meanders upslope through stands of Douglas fir and madrone, in a generally westerly direction, following the river toward Galice. After about a quarter mile, the trail makes a steep bend back on itself and turns west climbing steadily toward the first viewpoint. To get there, take Interstate 5 north to the Merlin exit (No. 61) and turn left back under the freeway. It's about 3.5 miles to Merlin, and another seven miles to Indian Mary Park. There's parking in the park (between the road and the river) but the trail begins on the opposite (south) side of the road. After about .8 miles, look for a fork off the left. This little spur will take you to a ridge with a view down to the river and across the Rogue Canyon toward the lands of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. This little scenic loop (no more than .2 miles) is also a pleasant place in early spring, when it's covered with wildflowers. There's also plenty of poison oak, which can be a problem even in winter for people who are sensitive. Damp leafless stems can transmit the resins to clothing and skin. It's easy to avoid the stems once you learn to identify them. Pets can transfer the resins, too. If you have any reason to think you've been exposed, change clothes and bathe as soon as you get home. Back on the main trail, it's about a half mile through stands of black oaks to a second viewpoint, where the main trail ends. From there, you can scramble uphill for another .3 miles, but if you go, understand that it's for the exercise, not the view. Although the trail continues uphill, the scenery is better at the end of the maintained trail, and the poison oak thrives along this stretch. Reach reporter Bill Kettlerat 776-4492, or e-mail View Rogue River canyon on Umpqua Joe Trail"[email protected]. By BILL KETTLER,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By BILL KETTLER,Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 18, 2005 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 18, 2010 at 5:42 PM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501