Hobart's Bluff

Hobart's Bluff is one of the Rogue Valley's most popular hikes. It can be a short one, taking about 45 minutes each way with minimal breaks. The hike is easy and will only burn your thighs right before you reach the main viewpoint, the rocky bluff. The basaltic cliffs are a great environment for a photos: with a little shift in the photographer's perspective, subjects look as if they are at the top of a massive drop off. The hike itself offers great views of all the nearby mountains including Mount Ashland, Mount Shasta, Mount McLaughlin, and of course, Pilot Rock. The lack of snow in Southern Oregon in recent years has made this hike occasionally possible even in mid-spring. Access can still be tricky, however, and the road leading to Hobart's Bluff gets little sunlight. As snow on the bluff may appear non-existent, be advised that you may find the 3.5-mile road to the trailhead inaccessible. From trailhead, follow the Pacific Crest Trail for about a mile. There is a marked left where you will turn toward the bluff. In the spring, the trail is bordered with a plethora of colorful wildflowers that attract a variety of insects. The mardon skipper, a rare species of butterfly, calls the area home. The species is only found in three other locations: the South Puget Sound lowlands of Washington; the southern Washington Cascades; and the coastal hills of northwest California. Recent declines in population have led officials to list the species as federally endangered. For this reason, it is highly advised to remain on the trail, and camping in the meadows is frowned upon.