Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail - Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail
AShLAND, OREGON
Kid-Friendly | Dogs on leash welcome
Easy to Moderate | 2.2 mile loop | No bathrooms
We love when we finally get to hike a trail that has been on our list for years! The Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail is located in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and is only 2.2 miles long. It's rated as easy (though I would personally rate it as moderate). While there were some flat spots there were some pretty steep climbs that I had to take slowly, so it all depends on your level of health. The easy part is the fact that it's pretty short.
If you take the trail to the left you will immediately start a gradual climb through the forest and it will roll to flat spots at times. About a mile in, the forest broke to open trail and amazing views of the Ashland hills and Pilot Rock and Mt. Ashland in the distance. I'm so happy we hiked it in the fall because the colors were bursting around every corner.
We definitely want to hike it again in the spring when highway 66 is abloom with all of the purple and white wildflowers. If you want to add on to this hike the trail connects across the road that takes you onto the Pacific Crest Trail and on to Little Hyatt Lake.
If you want to go the directions are pretty clear to get there. We did get a little confused because there are couple of places that look like you would want to park. As you turn onto Hyatt Prairie Road you will see a parking area on the left. Do not park there but instead go up to where you will see a kiosk on your left side. You can park there and then walk about a 1/4 up the road to the trailhead on the left. You will see a sign for Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail.
Two other nearby hikes that we really enjoy are Hobart Bluff and Grizzly Peak. You can see full details of this hike in my Fall Foliage Hikes story.