Runners take to the trail on Mount Ashland, where the Mt. Ashland Ski Area will host two group runs this weekend. (Mt. Ashland Ski Area photo)

The Mt. Ashland Ski Area is hosting two group runs this weekend.

Join the ski area’s endurance team every Saturday through August for group runs, with this Saturday’s run starting at 9 a.m. from in front of the lodge and traveling to Grouse Gap and back, nearly 6 miles over sometimes-steep terrain. Cost is free. No registration is needed.

Join the Mt. Ashland Association and Southern Oregon Pride in the ski area parking lot on Sunday for a group run/ride followed by music, non-alcoholic drinks and giveaways, in celebration of Pride Month. The free event, dubbed Summer Pride Ride, runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event follows Saturday’s annual Medford Pride celebration, which is set for noon to 6 p.m. at Rogue X, 901 Rossanley Drive in Medford. That event will have 115 vendors and food trucks with more than 20 performers.

For more information on the ski area’s events, visit https://bit.ly/4nglojc or call 541-482-2897.

Collect seeds to restore meadows, aid butterflies 

Join Pollinator Project Rogue Valley and Vesper Meadow Program Director Jeanine Moy from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday to collect seeds that will be used to restore degraded meadow habitat at nearby meadows. 

The seeds to be collected will be from species that are host grasses and nectar flower plants for the imperiled Mardon Skipper butterfly, which depends on healthy native meadow habitats and only fly as adult butterflies during late May and early June. 

No experience is necessary. The event is free. Expect to hike up to about 3 miles on uneven terrain with up to 700 feet in elevation gain. Vesper Meadow Restoration Preserve is at 16534 Dead Indian Memorial Road, east of Ashland. 

Bring plenty of water, sturdy close-toed shoes, long pants, sun protection and a sack lunch. Organizers will provide snacks, seed collection bags and plant and seed identification information. Register at http://bit.ly/3HRS3vz. 

Learn water safety skills at Rogue X event 

Join Medford Parks and Recreation for Water Safety Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday at Rogue X, 764 Rossanley Drive in Medford. The free event will feature interactive demonstrations, workshops and activities to teach water safety skills. 

Partners include Medford police and fire and several agencies and organizations. For more information, call 541-774-2492. 

Astronomer to talk about the cosmos

Explore the cosmos with astronomer Joe Stodola during a class from 7:30-11 p.m. Friday at the Siskiyou Field Institute near Selma, with an option to camp out under the stars. 

Learn about moons, planets, asteroids and suns. Delve into the Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud, supernovas, stars, nuclear fusion and the expansion of the universe. 

Observe space through a telescope and receive expert guidance on telescope use. Bring your own telescope if you’d like. 

Free tent camping is included with registration. Ages 12 and older are welcome. Cost is $45. Register at https://bit.ly/4l457fV. 

Enjoy a picnic and story at Herb Pharm 

Enjoy a visit to the garden and take a storybook walk 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Herb Pharm, 110 Bonlinda Lane in Williams. 

The farm has partnered with the Josephine Community Library District to provide a free event that includes a farm tour, vendors, snacks, story time and storybook walk. Visitors may bring their own picnic lunch. Blankets and chairs are encouraged. 

A storybook walk involves pages of a children’s book or poem that are posted along a walking path. Families can enjoy a stroll while reading the story at their own pace. This event is part of the district’s summer reading program. 

Learn more at https://bit.ly/44iu4gt. 

Slide into summer with Rotary at Bear Creek Park

The Rotary Club of Medford will host the annual family-friendly “Slide into Summer” event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Bear Creek Park, 1520 Siskiyou Blvd., Medford. Look for slip-n-slides, bounce houses, food, raffles and more.

Admission is $5 for slip-n-slide; $10 for access to slip-n-slides and bounce houses. Proceeds support local scholarships and community projects. For more information, visit rotarymedford.org.

Hike the monument with Wilderness Council 

Join the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council for a free guided hike on Sunday to upper Emigrant Creek in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. 

The outing, led by Southern Oregon University biologist Michael Parker, covers about 4 miles of forest, meadows and creeks, from Green Mountain to upper Emigrant Creek. Sign up at parker@sou.edu or call 541-482-8660. 

It’s Rooster Crow weekend in Rogue River

The 72nd Rogue River Rooster Crow is set for Saturday in downtown Rogue River, with highlights including a parade at 10 a.m., a human crow at 1:30 p.m. and the National Rooster Crowing Contest at 2:30 p.m. 

There will be music and vendors and other events throughout the weekend. More information is available at RRkiwanis.org. 

Visit preserve near Selma to look for dragonflies 

Join the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday for a visit to Cobra Lily Springs preserve at Eight Dollar Mountain near Selma. 

Naturalists Norm Barrett and Gary Schaffer will lead an outing that will document dragonflies, damselfies and other flying creatures that inhabit the preserve’s wetlands, meadows and woodlands. Expect to hike up to 1.5 miles on uneven terrain and wet ground, with an elevation gain up to about 200 feet. 

Meet at Ray’s Food Place, 110 Deer Creek Road, Selma, and carpool. The event is free. Space is limited. Register at http://bit.ly/43XaU0P. 

Artists-in-residence to discuss their work 

Two events are set for Sunday for artists-in-residence.

ScienceWorks and the Siskiyou Crest Coalition are hosting an artist talk from 3-4 p.m. Sunday in the theater at Scienceworks with Sara F. Burns, who will give a 45-minute slide show presentation about her time as an artist-in-residence at the remote Acorn Woman Lookout. Her paintings will be on display. 

There will be a question-and-answer session afterward. The event is free. No registration is required, but seating is limited and arriving early is recommended. 

ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum is at 1500 East Main St. in Ashland. Reach the museum at 541-482-6767.

Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is co-hosting a reception on Sunday for Paul Atkinson, a photographer who is serving as an artist-in-residence this year with the Bureau of Land Management at Hyatt Lake, where he will photograph the night sky for two weeks. 

Atkinson will discuss his work at the reception, which is set for 2-3:30 p.m. at 300 N. Pioneer St. in Ashland. 

The event is free. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. Register at https://bit.ly/3TCCmuE. View Atkinson’s website at www.patkinsonphoto.com. 

Central Point class focuses on Greenway 

Central Point Parks and Recreation and the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy have scheduled an all-ages nature walk and nature journaling class for Saturday along the Bear Creek Greenway. 

The class is the latest in a series of classes focusing on the Greenway, Bring a notebook, pen, water and portable chair. 

The event is set for 10-11:30 a.m. Cost is $5. Register at bit.ly/43C9VSk. Contact the department at 541-488-5340. 

Join a conversation with the BLM 

Learn about issues and projects proposed by the Bureau of Land Management at a public meeting hosted by several conservation-minded organizations on Monday. 

The meeting, which is not an official BLM event, is set for 5-7 p.m. at 1095 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville. Public comments and questions are welcome. Registration is not required. 

Hosts include the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council, A Greater Applegate and others. 

Take a guided walk through Lithia Park 

Naturalists lead free, 90-minute walks through Lithia Park at 10 a.m. every Saturday through Sept. 27. Learn about the plants, trees, animals, water, geology and history of the park. Meet at the park entrance on Winburn Way across from the downtown Ashland Plaza. No registration required. Call 541-488-5340. 

Hunter safety field day set for Grants Pass 

Learn about hunter safety during a state-approved course set for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 19-20 at Sportsman Park, 7407 Highland Ave., Grants Pass. Learn about firearm safety, ethics and responsibility during classroom and field day sessions. 

Cost is $10. Space is limited. Register by July 16 at https://bit.ly/43YSAV7. 

Cities publish summer activity guides 

The cities of Medford, Ashland and Central Point have published summer 2025 activities guides that include events, classes, outings and other activities. 

View Medford’s guide at playmedford.com, Ashland’s guide at bit.ly/3Yjyhyi and Central Point’s guide at bit.ly/4dCBoIf.

Send us news about your upcoming event

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. 

Shaun Hall is a freelance writer living in Grants Pass. Reach him at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com.