OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Boat tours, nature art, archery event and more 

Published 1:06 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Jet boat tours continue on the Rogue River from TouVelle State Recreation Area downstream past Lower Table Rock. 

Rogue Jet Boat Adventures, which has operated for more than a decade, offers sightseeing tours and stops at its Discovery Park, which includes a lake offering floating platforms, rental watercraft, lawn games, food, drink, music and camping. Jetboat tours upstream of TouVelle were limited this year by the Oregon State Marine Board following concerns raised about jet boat impacts, but tours continue downstream from the state park. 

A 2.5-hour tour that includes a 75-minute stopover at the company’s Discovery Park is $65 for adults and $45 for children 11 years old and younger. A Friday “Happier Hour” 2-hour tour/stopover with live music is $25 per person and $20 for children 11 and younger. 

Parking at the state park, where the boats launch and return, is $10. The state park is at 8601 Table Rock Road, and the launch site is near the boat launch area on the river’s north side. 

For more information, visit roguejetboatadventures.com or call 541-414-4182. 

Take a boat ride on Crater Lake, but hurry 

Boat tours are back at Crater Lake National Park, but tickets sales have been strong and availability currently is limited to late August and early September. 

Cruise the lake for $48. Children 3-12 years of age are $33. Tours last two hours. 

The hike down to the dock takes 30-45 minutes and is a little more than a mile long, with an elevation drop of about 700 feet. Tours depart from Cleetwood Cove Boat Dock on the lake’s north side. Follow the Cleetwood Cove Trail to the dock. 

For more information, visit explorecraterlake.com or call 866-292-6720. 

View the art, meet the artists of Pompadour Bluff 

Stop by Mountain Provisions outdoor store in Ashland after 5 p.m. on Friday to view artwork depicting Pompadour Bluff, during a First Friday Art Walk event by the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy. 

More than 10 artists visited the protected bluff near Ashland last spring at the invitation of the Conservancy. With brushes, easels and sketch pads in hand, they captured their vision of what they saw. They and their artwork of the bluff will be on hand during Friday’s event at Mountain Provisions, 35 N. Main St. in Ashland. 

ODFW hosts archery event 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a three-dimensional archery event at Denman Wildlife Area near White City on Friday and Saturday. 

The event features 40 3D animal targets on a 2-mile course along trails and gravel roads. Participants shoot up to two shots per target. Distances vary from 10 to 60 yards. 

Staggered start times begin at 8 a.m. and the last archer is out at 1 p.m. Cost is $10, cash only. The registration booth is behind the green gate at the end of TouVelle Road. 

For more information and to pre-register, visit http://bit.ly/4l1m4a2. Or contact Tawny Slaven, 541-857-2398 before Saturday. 

Create a landscape friendly to nature 

Kristina Lefever of the Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is scheduled to make hour-long presentations at four Jackson County Library branches in August about creating a landscape welcoming to native bees, butterflies, birds, beetles and more. 

The first presentations is set for 2 p.m., Sunday at the Applegate Library. Register at, https://jcls.libcal.com/event/14420045. 

Other presentations are Aug. 9 at the Butte Falls Library, https://jcls.libcal.com/event/14420046; Aug. 16 at the Eagle Point Library, https://jcls.libcal.com/event/14420055 and Aug. 23 at the Prospect Library, link pending. 

For more information, call 458-214-0508. 

Take a hike with Medford Parks & Rec 

Medford Parks and Recreation has hikes planned for people 55 years and older on the Ol’ Miners Trail near Jacksonville on Aug. 5, a dog-friendly hike on the Ol’ Miners trail on Aug. 7 and Lower Table Rock on Aug. 12. 

Other hikes include Golden and Pottsville on Aug. 15, Provolt Recreation Area on Aug. 19 and Petard and Liz’s Loop on Aug. 26. 

Spots are limited. Cost is $18 for residents and $24 for non-residents. Travel in a department van to the hiking location. Register at playmedford.com. 

Get wise about Southern Oregon wildlife 

Learn about wildlife every Saturday through Aug. 16 in the campground amphitheater at Joseph Stewart State Recreation Area at Lost Creek Lake. 

The presentation this Saturday is about tracking. Future talks include bats on Aug. 2, tracking on Aug. 9; and fish on Aug. 16. 

The presentations take place 10-11:30 a.m. except for the Aug. 2 presentation about bats, which takes place 7-8:30 p.m. 

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/408Af5E. 

Bike, walking plan delayed 

The Rogue-Umpqua Bicycle and Pedestrian Corridor Plan has been put on hold until after Oct. 1 due to staffing and workload changes in the wake of Deferred Resignation Program departures, according to Nicholas Grisham, a transportation planner with the Federal Highway Administration. 

Grisham, in a July 22 emailed update, wrote that he is leaving his position with the agency and turning the project over to Seth English-Young, planning team lead. Work left to be done 

includes draft and final reports. Work done so far over the last two years includes community engagement, current conditions survey, analysis and a needs assessment. 

The plan covers facilities along highways 234, 62, 230 and 138, a designated federal scenic byway. 

Josephine County Fair runs through Sunday 

The Josephine County Fair runs July 30-Aug. 3 at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, 1451 Fairgrounds Road in Grants Pass. Highlights include 4-H and Future Farmers of America activities, exhibits, carnival rides, music, food and entertainment. 

Admission is free, with some acts extra. Gates are open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. 

Entertainment includes bull riding at 7 p.m. July 30, Rodney Atkins and Ned LeDoux concert at 7 p.m. July 31 and SuperMoto motorcycle racing in the arena at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 3. 

Tickets for bull riding are $21 for ages 11 and older and free otherwise. LeDoux-Atkins concert tickets start at $32. Motorcycle racing is $11 for ages 11 a.m. older and free otherwise. 

Carnival wristbands for unlimited rides are $30 through July 29 and $40 thereafter. The carnival runs 2-11 p.m. July 30-31, noon-11 p.m. Aug. 1-2 and noon-7 p.m. Aug. 3. Floral exhibits and livestock barns are closed Sunday. 

Onsite parking is $10. Parking at Rogue Community College’s Redwood Campus is free, with a bus shuttle running noon-11 p.m. daily except Aug. 3 to the fairgrounds from the bus stop at RCC. 

Learn more at http://bit.ly/4nZcPKb. Contact the fairgrounds office at 541-476-3215. 

Help Ashland develop parks plan 

Ashland Parks & Recreation is seeking public input to help develop a 10-year strategic plan for park, recreation, open spaces and senior services. Take a related survey through Aug. 11 at http://bit.ly/4lNRYIf. 

Pacifica hosts horse camp in Williams 

Pacifica is hosting a horse camp for children 7-10 years old from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 4-7 and for children 11-14 years old on Aug. 18-21. Learn about horse health, safety, handling, maintenance, grooming, riding and more. Cost is $275-$300, with scholarships available. The camp is held at Pacifica, 14615 Watergap Road, Williams. 

To register, visit http://bit.ly/46EpSdZ. Contact Pacifica at 541-846-1100. 

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 http://bit.ly/4m7OgZL 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. 

Shaun Hall is a freelance writer living in Grants Pass. Reach him at 541-761-6726.