The north entrance to Crater Lake National Park will be closed this week and possibly into next week to allow firefighters on the Middle Fork Fire to prepare control lines along North Entrance Road, according to the National Park Service.

The park remains open and is accessible from Highway 62 on the western and southern routes, but North Entrance Road will be closed from North Junction to the park boundary at Highway 138. All other park roads will remain open, except for construction closures on East Rim Drive.

The Middle Fork Fire is burning northwest of the lake but inside the park. The fire was at 4,718 acres with 0% contained as of the latest report available Monday.

Highway 230 along the northwest corner of the park will be one-lane traffic with a flagger and pilot car. The Pacific Crest Trail from the Dutton Ridge Intersection to Highway 138 and several other trails are closed, including the Lightning Springs, Bald Crater Loop, Bert Creek and Boundary Springs trails within the park.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on Monday issued an advisory that air quality in the region is expected to fluctuate and could be at unhealthy levels.

Firefighting crews are continuing road preparation, cutting down hazardous trees in preparation for potential firing operations and moving large debris from established dozer lines, creating up to a 60-foot buffer.

For park information, go to nps.gov/crla; for road information, go to tripcheck.com; and for fire information, go to “Diamond Complex Fire Information” on Facebook.

The annual Crater Lake Rim Runs event Saturday was canceled due to smoke and related concerns. Planning for the annual Ride the Rim bicycling event on Sept. 7-8 continues, and volunteers are welcome. Visit ridetherimoregon.com for more information.

Path between Grants Pass, Rogue River topic of open house

The Oregon Department of Transportation is hosting an open house 5-8 p.m. Aug. 29 at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A St., concerning a possible bicycle and walking path between Grants Pass and the city of Rogue River.

Alternatives include a path along the Rogue River Highway south of the Rogue River or Foothill Boulevard on the river’s north side. For more information, visit grantspassoregon.gov.

Learn about native plant production during farm visits

The Rogue Native Plant Partnership is offering a farm tour series for growers interested in what it takes to start native plant production from scratch, including site preparation and water infrastructure. Subjects will include the economic viability of native seed or containerized plant production as a business or for restoration projects.

Sites to visit include the J. Herbert Stone Nursery in Central Point on Aug. 21, Starlo Farms in Talent on Aug. 27 and Sampson Creek Preserve in Central Point on Aug. 28.

Tours are free. Learn more and sign up at roguenativeplants.org/events.

Take a hike with Medford parks and recreation

The city of Medford’s Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department offers hikes for people 55 and older, including a moderate 4-mile hike on the Sterling Mine Ditch Armstrong-Deming Loop on Aug. 20 and a hard hike of 7 miles on the Petard and Liz’s Loop at Jacksonville Woodlands on Aug. 27.

Meet at Rogue X, 901 Rossanley Drive, Medford, and take a van to the trail. Cost is $12 for residents and $18 for nonresidents, per hike. The outings start at 11 a.m. Space is limited.

To register or get more information, contact the department at playmedford.com, 541-774-2400 or 701 N. Columbus Ave. Space is limited.

Visit the Red Buttes Wilderness during work-party trips

The Siskiyou Mountain Club has a number of work-party outings scheduled for the Red Buttes Wilderness. Sign up early as space is limited:

• A day trip on the Boundary Trail is set for 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. Work will take place on brushy sections of trail within a couple miles of the trailhead. Signage will be improved, too.

• Spend two nights camped at Azalea Lake on Aug. 23-25 and help tackle sections of thick brush starting from the Fir Glade Trailhead.

Participants should have recent backpacking experience and be prepared for six moderate miles of hiking. No trail work experience is necessary.

To sign up, send an email to alex@siskiyoumountainclub.org. A shuttle vehicle will leave Gold Hill and can make pickups in Grants Pass, Selma, and Cave Junction upon request. For more information, contact KS Wild at 541-488-5789.

Tour Applegate organic herb farm

Oshala Farm, an organic herb farm in the Applegate Valley, is hosting a free walking tour from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Sept. 11.

Participants should wear closed-toed walking shoes and bring a reusable water bottle or tea cup if you’d like a cup of herbal tea.

Register at least 48 hours in advance. To register, call 541-846-1120 or visit oshalafarm.com. The farm is located at 14900 Highway 238.

Behave like a beaver at Vesper Meadow

Join the Vesper Meadow education program in collaboration with the Public Lands Store from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday to “behave like beavers” and help restore Latgawa Creek at the Vesper Meadow Restoration Preserve. Participants will walk in the meadow and creek while learning restoration skills.

Sign up at vespermeadow.org.

Hang out with the birds of summer

See and hear a variety of birds that spend the summer in the Rogue Valley during an easy walk led by experts from 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday and Sept. 21 through North Mountain Park, 620 N. Mountain Ave., in Ashland.

Register at buff.ly/3XoeM8j. For more information, contact Ashland Parks and Recreation at 541-488-6606.

Yurok Tribe to hold 60th salmon festival

The Yurok Tribe’s 60th annual Klamath Salmon Festival is set for Saturday at 190 Klamath Blvd. in Klamath, California. The free event features a parade, food, music, more than 100 vendors, a fun run and childrens activities, in addition to a weaving demonstration and tournaments featuring stick games, Indian cards, arm wrestling, basketball and softball.

Visit yuroktribe.org for more information.

‘Provolt After Dark’ events set for Aug. 30, Sept. 6

The Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council, in collaboration with the Provolt Volunteer Team and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, are hosting events Aug. 30 and Sept. 6 entitled “Provolt After Dark,” focusing on creatures of the night and the night sky at the BLM’s Provolt Recreation Site, 14171 Williams Highway.

BLM biologist Zia Fukuda will lead a guided walk to learn about bats and owls and get a chance to view them during the first event, set for 8:30 to 10 p.m. Aug. 30. Veteran stargazers Barbara Yates and Mark Solomon will help visitors explore the night sky during the second event, set for 9 to 11 p.m. Sept. 6. Bring a camp chair, warm layers and a red-light headlamp if you have one. Snacks and telescopes will be provided.

Attendance is limited to 50 people. Register at applegatepartnership.org (click on “News & Events”). Direct questions to charlotte@apwc.info. Contact the partnership at 541-899-9982.

Cave Junction Labor Day Festival is Aug. 31-Sept. 3

The Illinois Valley Lions 51st annual Labor Day Festival is set for Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction. The event features a parade, games, food, vendors and tuff truck competition, among other activities.

The parade sets off at 10 a.m. on Sept. 2 from the area of Evergreen Elementary School, 520 West River St., and travels through downtown.

For more information, contact Monique Allen, parade chairwoman, at 541-659-2667 or David Anderson, vendor booth contact, at 541-597-4486.

The 17th annual Tuff Truck Race is set for the same days starting at noon. Vehicles race against time over a dirt course of curves and bumps. For more information about the racing, call John at 541-659-1074 or Tom at 541-287-0757.

Japanese Garden hosts moon-gazing event

The Ashland Japanese Garden is hosting “Otsukimi — Moon Gazing Festival” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 15. The garden is in Lithia Park and off of Granite Street near Strawberry Lane. For more information, contact the city’s park’s department at 541-488-5340 or go to ashlandcommunitygarden.org.

Want to publicize your upcoming outdoors event for free? Send details to writer Shaun Hall at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com. Submissions about upcoming events are encouraged.

An error on Google Maps incorrectly showing a road closure on Oregon Highway 62 and Oregon Highway 230 has been fixed, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported Friday night.

The highways are open, according to a news release.

“As a reminder, always check your route on TripCheck.com before traveling in Oregon,” ODOT advised. 

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Previous update appears below:

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The Oregon Department of Transportation reports that an error on Google Maps has been causing some confusion for travelers this week.

“Google Maps is showing a road closure on Oregon Highway 62 and Oregon Highway 230 in the areas of Trail, Prospect, Union Creek, Diamond Lake and Crater Lake. These highways are NOT closed. The only current closure in this area is at the north entrance to Crater Lake National Park from the intersection of Oregon Highway 138. People using Google Maps to navigate through this area are being rerouted many miles out of the way. In some cases, they are being directed onto forest roads, some of which are currently experiencing wildfire activity. We have reached out to Google, but have not heard back. Travelers are advised to check TripCheck.com for current road conditions in Oregon.”

See our previous coverage below.