Five miles of new trails have been built in the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail system south of Jacksonville, offering views of the Siskiyou Crest range of mountains. A grand opening celebration is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Wolf Gap trailhead.

Join the Siskiyou Upland Trails Association at the Wolf Gap trailhead south of Jacksonville at 9 a.m. Saturday for a grand opening celebration of 5 miles of new trails in the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail system.

There will be information on natural history, wildflowers and wildlife. Dogs are welcome on-leash. The trailhead is on Deming-Armstrong Road about 3 miles off Sterling Creek Road. The trails, which are for foot traffic only, are called the Upper Bear Gulch and West Bear Gulch.

The trails were completed in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, REl and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. They provide scenic loop options of 5 and 10 miles between the Wolf Gap Ttrailhead and the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail, as well as an easy, scenic 2-mile roundtrip hike with a view of the Siskiyou Crest. They connect the Wolf Gap trailhead with the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail at Tunnel Ridge and also at the Wolf Gulch bypass trail.

Visit sutaoregon.org for directions to the trailhead, maps and other information.

Searching for beavers

The Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is looking for volunteers to help on Saturday with what the organization is calling a beaver scavenger hunt — looking for signs of beavers and documenting the discoveries in an effort to increase beaver populations in the monument.

Volunteers will work in small groups to bushwhack through vegetation and uneven terrain. The day starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., with lunch and snacks provided. To sign up, go to https://bit.ly/4bVY6sv. Reach the Friends group at 541-378-3039.

Open Lands Day at preserve

The Southern Oregon Land Conservancy is hosting an Open Lands Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at its Rogue River Preserve, 646 Rogue River Drive, Eagle Point.

The preserve includes 2 miles of riverfront, a large floodplain forest and oak woodlands with meadows. It is open to the public only during special events, work parties and youth education programs. Participants may explore the trails at their own pace, attend a guided hike or take a self-guided tour. Registration is required.

Guided activities include plein air sketching and painting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and “Herpetology Hike and Finding Scaly Friends,” from 1:15-3 p.m.

For more information, contact Paige Gerhard at 541-482-3069, ext. 107 or visit landconserve.org.

Fish for free this weekend

Fish for free this Saturday and Sunday in Oregon during the state’s traditional Free Fishing Weekend. There’s no need for a license to fish, crab or clam.

Organized events include the following:

• The Hyatt Lake Resort is hosting a free fishing derby for children 15 and under at the lake starting at 7 a.m. Saturday. Free poles and tackle will be provided, and booths will be set up to teach youngsters how to tie knots, bait hooks, prepare a tackle box and gut and cook fish. The event is free. For more information, contact the resort at 541-482-3331.

• The Diamond Lake Resort is hosting its 24th annual children’s free fishing derby 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Check in at the boat house. For more information, call the resort at 541-793-333, ext. 1, or visit diamondlake.net.

Hike the Siskiyou Crest

The Applegate Siskiyou Alliance is hosting several guided hikes over the next few months to visit conifer species growing in the Siskiyou Crest region. The cost is $45 per hike.

Hikes include Anderson Butte on Saturday; Whiskey Peak on July 5; Big Red Mountain, Dutchman Peak and Tamarack Meadows on July 7; Miller Lake on July 27 and Mount Ashland on Aug. 3.

To sign up, contact Luke Ruediger at 541-980-8974 or siskiyoucrest@gmail.com.

Beginner-friendly paddle at Emigrant Lake

Join Rogue Riverkeeper for a beginner-friendly paddle on Saturday on Emigrant Lake. Participants will get safe-boating tips, paddle together for about two hours and learn about water quality and natural history of the lake.

Cost is $20 for an adult and $10 for a child. Registration is required and space is limited. Children 6 and older are welcome, but younger children should be in a boat with an adult. Register at rogueriverkeeper.org.

Participants must provide their own craft. Canoe, kayak or stand-up paddle boards are fine. Everyone must wear a personal flotation device while on the water.

Free rentals are available at the Medford Public Lands store, which is providing free boat, paddle and personal flotation devices to participants. To reserve a boat and gear, they must sign up at the store, 293 Rossanley Drive.

For more information, contact frances@rogueriverkeeper.org.

Author to discuss forest management

Author Seth Zukerman will discuss forest management and ecological forestry at 7 p.m. Monday at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. in Ashland. He will discuss sustainable management, wildfire risk reduction, climate change adaptation, ways to enhance wildlife habitat and watershed protection.

Zukeman is the executive director of the Northwest Natural Resources Group and author of several books, including “Saving Our Ancient Forests” and “Salmon Nation.” He is coauthor of “A Forest of Your Own: The Pacific Northwest Handbook of Ecological Forestry.”

Seating is limited. The event is free.

Looking for mushrooms

Local mushroom expert Mike Potts is leading outings on Saturday and Sunday in search of wild fungi. Participants who join him can expect to encounter edible and poisonous varieties and learn identifying features to confidently harvest their own wild edible mushrooms.

Meet at 10 a.m. at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. in Ashland, and travel to the foraging location, about 45 minutes away. Return to Ashland by 3 p.m.

Cost is $55 per participant. Children accompanied by adults are free.

Be prepared for adverse weather and wear appropriate hiking shoes. Bring a water bottle, lunch, pocketknife, non-plastic collecting bag or basket, a mushroom identification book if you have one and a whistle.

Space is limited. Call 541-482-3241 to sign up or stop by the shop during business hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Or send an email to northwestnatureshop@gmail.com. Payment must be received at time of registration.

Meet author of hiking books

Author and hiking guru William L. Sullivan will host a slide show at 7 p.m. June 5 at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. in Ashland, about changed trails he encountered while updating his trail guidebooks for Oregon.

The show includes a new Painted Hills preserve in Central Oregon, a boardwalk through the Redwood’s Grove of Titans and a railroad trail in Scappoose. Sullivan will also talk about what’s changed because of recent wildfires, tell how to get permits for trails with limited access and describe overlooked trails close to home that weren’t affected by fires or permits. His talks touch on history, wildflowers and geology.

There is no charge. Seating is limited. Arrive early to secure a seat.

Hike Green Springs Mountain Loop

The Siskiyou Chapter Native Plant Society of Oregon is hosting a 2.9-mile hike Tuesday along the Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The outing is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The trail passes through mature conifer forests and open oak habitats. It offers views of the Bear Creek Valley and Pilot Rock.

Meet at the intersection of Green Springs Highway and Old Hyatt Prairie Road at 8:45 a.m. Bring snacks, water and lunch.

Register at bit.ly/4cf7g3N.

Tell us about your upcoming outdoors-related events by sending us brief details, contact information and other important info so that we can tell others about your events in our weekly column, Outdoor Adventures.

Send to reporter Shaun Hall at shall@rv-times.com or 2 E. Main St., Ste. 200, Medford, Oregon, 97501. Reach Hall at 458-225-7179.