Wagner Butte
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Hike Details:
Mileage: 10 miles round trip w/ 2,200 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: Medium to high on early summer weekends, low on weekdays
General location: 20 miles south of Medford - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is June for prime wildflowers and late September through November for cooler temperatures).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: Dogs, horses
Possible dangers: Rattlesnakes, fall risk at the summit
Approximate hike time: 4 hours 20 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: Medium to high on early summer weekends, low on weekdays
General location: 20 miles south of Medford - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Suggested seasons: Late spring, summer, fall
(Best time to go is June for prime wildflowers and late September through November for cooler temperatures).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: No
Trail allows: Dogs, horses
Possible dangers: Rattlesnakes, fall risk at the summit
(Wagner Butte trailhead parking)
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Description:Even though Wagner Butte is on the outskirts of Ashland, it feels like you are in a very remote area. The drive to the trailhead is steep and dusty, as you climb to almost 5,000 feet elevation to start the hike. The circular parking lot is very large with plenty of space for cars and horse trailers. To start the hike, cross the road and the trail starts off pretty steep as the trail takes you through a very dry forest. During the beginning of June you will start to see wildflowers popping up already, such as Anemone and Ball-head waterleaf, and the bird song in these Southern Oregon forests is absolutely incredible!
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(Anemone)
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(Ball-head waterleaf)
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After 0.8 miles you will come to your first meadow where you will get views of Wagner Butte. The trail skirts the outer edge of the meadow, before cornering to the right and climbing up a steep side hill. This is where in 1983 an enormous landslide happened. You will see an informational sign about it along the way. The hillside has since been covered in grasses. For the next 1.4 miles, the trail goes in and out of the forest and occasionally crosses beautiful meadows and Corral Creek and Jim Creek. After 1.4 miles the trail starts to switchback up into a more arid terrain. There are a total of 10 short switchbacks through sagebrush meadows and the views to the west become more open.
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At the 3.3 mile mark you will arrive at a saddle called Wagner Glade Gap. Follow the trail to the left to continue going up to the Wagner Butte summit. Over the next 1.7 miles you will hike through a grove of mountain mahogany trees as well as a grove of quaking aspen trees. After being surrounded by Douglas fir trees, these are both a unique sight to see. You will hike the last little stretch through another sagebrush meadow as you continue to gain elevation. Wagner Butte actually has two summits, the taller summit is actually not the viewpoint summit and you will bypass it on the way to the lower summit where a fire lookout once stood.
(Mountain Mahogany trees)
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(quaking aspen trees)
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(approach meadow to Wagner Butte viewpoint)
The final climb to the summit can be a little intimidating as you have to scramble up large granite rocks to get to the viewpoint. The climb is worth it and the view is outstanding!
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(Ashland below and Mt. McLoughlin in the distance)
You can see the Rogue Valley below as well as the town of Ashland. Mt. McLoughlin and Crater Lake's Rim to the east are very prominent, and to the south you can see Mount Ashland and Mt. Shasta beyond. A fire lookout was built here at Wagner Butte in 1923. They flattened the top so that the lookout could be built easier, but two years later, a winter storm would almost blow the lookout off the mountain so they had to repair it the following spring. The use of the fire lookout was discontinued by 1964, and in 1971 they dismantled it completely. The only remnants of it that are still there are the cement feet that the lookout stood on.
(Wagner Butte summit)
(Mount Ashland and Mount Shasta)
After enjoying the incredible views of Southern Oregon, reapply your sunscreen and go back down the way you came. Be careful coming down the granite rocks from the summit. It is oftentimes harder coming down than it is climbing up. On the way down you will get to enjoy views towards the southwest across the sagebrush meadows that you didn't get to see on the way up.
The Wagner Butte hike is a wonderful excursion for those who want to do a longer day hike. It is rated as difficult because of the mileage and elevation gain. Be prepared for heat, and it may be wise to carry a water filter with you so that you can filter some nice cold water on the way back down at either Jim Creek or Corral Creek if you run out. Especially during the months of June, July, August and September, Southern Oregon can be extremely hot and dry. Wagner Butte is an excellent viewpoint hike, but it is also a really great place to see some wildflowers and some unique trees such as the quaking aspen and mountain mahogany, which you don't get to see every day.
The Wagner Butte hike is a wonderful excursion for those who want to do a longer day hike. It is rated as difficult because of the mileage and elevation gain. Be prepared for heat, and it may be wise to carry a water filter with you so that you can filter some nice cold water on the way back down at either Jim Creek or Corral Creek if you run out. Especially during the months of June, July, August and September, Southern Oregon can be extremely hot and dry. Wagner Butte is an excellent viewpoint hike, but it is also a really great place to see some wildflowers and some unique trees such as the quaking aspen and mountain mahogany, which you don't get to see every day.
Directions:
From Medford
- Drive on I-5 S for a total of 5.5 miles, then take exit 21 towards Talent. Turn right onto W Valley View Rd. for 0.5 miles, then at the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto E Main St. for 0.5 miles. Make a left onto Wagner Creek Rd. for 0.3 miles, then turn right to stay on Wagner Creek Rd. for another 7 miles. Turn left onto Brick Pile Rd/NF-22 for 3.6 miles to the trailhead parking on your right. (Total of 20.1 miles)
- Drive US-97 S for a total of 74.5 miles, then turn right onto OR-138 W for 17.8 miles. Turn left onto OR-230 S for 23.7 miles, then Turn right onto Rogue Valley Exp. for 4.3 miles. Make a slight right onto OR-62 W for 0.8 miles, then merge onto I-5 S for 8.9 miles. Take exit 21 towards Talent and then right onto W Valley View Rd. for 0.5 miles, then at the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto E Main St. for 0.5 miles. Make a left onto Wagner Creek Rd. for 0.3 miles, then turn right to stay on Wagner Creek Rd. for another 7 miles. Turn left onto Brick Pile Rd/NF-22 for 3.6 miles to the trailhead parking on your right. (Total of 193 miles)
- Total of 187 miles via Medford.
- Total of 292 miles via Medford.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: The trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.
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