Medford Parks and Recreation offers several hiking opportunities for adults 55 years and older, including Upper Table Rock on April 18, Natural Bridge on May 9, a dog-friendly hike on the Jacksonville Railway Trail on April 14 and East Applegate Ridge on May 20. Other hikes have waitlists.

Cost is $18 for residents and $24 for non-residents. Participants meet at Rogue X, 901 Rossanley Drive, and take a van to the trailhead. For more information, visit bit.ly/3WJoNeZ or call 541-774-2400. 

Community celebration at Cantrall Buckley 

The Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council is presenting its third annual Community Celebration of Thanks from 1-5 p.m. Saturday at Cantrall Buckley County Park, 154 Cantrall Road, outside Jacksonville.

The event features live music, children’s activities, crafts and light refreshments. Partners include A Greater Applegate and the Applegate Fire District. Bring a chair or a blanket for comfortable seating.

The council also is inviting the public to join the Provolt Volunteer Team for a work party, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 26 at the Provolt Recreation Site, 14171 Williams Highway.

The work might include cutting blackberry or other noxious weeds, building or maintaining trails, weeding around facilities or installing tables and benches. There will be different opportunities for diverse skills and abilities.

Bring water, lunch, work gloves, and sturdy shoes. A camp chair is recommended.

More information is available at applegatepartnership.org or call 541-899-9982. 

Railroad Park opens Sunday 

Railroad Park opens Sunday at 799 Berrydale Ave. in Medford, featuring train rides, train cars, model trains and railroad history. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more at bit.ly/44czuer. 

Ride ‘em, cowboy at the Rough Stock Rodeo

The 12th Annual Rogue Valley Rough Stock Rodeo is set for Friday and Saturday at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, 1451 Fairgrounds Road in Grants Pass.

Activities include bronc riding, barrel racing, bull riding and more. There will be food and family-friendly entertainment.

The rodeo is under cover in the main arena. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the rodeo at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets are $25. For more information, visit JosephineCountyFairgrounds.com or contact McCaslin Rodeos at 541-944-7408. 

Mountain club activities include hikes, film screening 

Siskiyou Mountain Club activities in April include a film screening, hike and work parties. Watch a free screening of three documentary films about local public lands during events in Cave Junction, Medford and Grants Pass. 

• Screenings are 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Taylor’s Sausage, 202 S. Redwood Highway, in Cave Junction; May 8 at the Medford Library, 202 S. Central Ave. in Medford; and the Wild River Pub, 533 N.E. F St. in Grants Pass. 
• Take a guided hike on the Illinois River National Recreation Trail on Saturday, leaving Medford by carpool at 7 a.m. and returning by dark. Hikes are 8-11 miles round trip. 
• Join a work party along the Illinois River National Recreation Trail April 18-20 near Agness. Recent backpacking experience is required. 
• Join a work party to help maintain the trail to Babyfoot Lake in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness west of Selma, from 7 a.m. April 26 to 6 p.m. April 27. No experience is necessary. 

For more information, visit siskiyoumountainclub.org or call 458-254-0657. 

Land Conservancy hosts spring outings 

Visit natural areas this spring with the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, which has set a series of educational hikes, including those to Pompadour Bluff near Ashland, the Rogue River Preserve near Eagle Point and the Rough and Ready Creek Preserve near Cave Junction. 

Learn about butterflies, wildflowers and more from expert outdoor educators. Registration opens online one month in advance of each hike. The hikes include the following: 

• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 19, visit the Rogue River Preserve near Eagle Point during Open Lands Day. 
• 3-5 p.m. April 30, explore Pompadour Bluff with Mergenthaler. 
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 3, visit Rough and Ready Creek Preserve near Cave Junction with hydrology experts Gordon Lyford and Randy Frick. 
• 9 a.m. to noon May 4, explore the natural history of the Jacksonville Woodlands with Myco Schroeder, education and engagement specialist.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 7, sketch and paint with Sarah F. Burns at Pompadour Bluff. Before painting, artists may tour the bluff with Mergenthaler. 

Other outings to those locations and others are set for May and June, including May 24 to Bear Gulch in the Colestin Valley; May 25 to Sharon Fen Preserve; June 18 to Cobra Lily Springs, a new preserve on Eight Dollar Mountain near Selma; and June 28, to a property newly associated with Vesper Meadow’s Education Program. 

To register, visit landconserve.org or call 541-482-3069. 

Mushrooms, medicinal plants and more 

The Siskiyou Field Institute is offering several field courses this spring and early summer, including mushroom harvesting near Ashland on May 4, $80; foraging for medicinal plants on May 10 near Jacksonville, $80; coastal ecology at the mouth of the Coquille River on May 12, 17 and 18, $135; mushroom harvesting on June 8; serpentine botany on June 15 near Cave Junction, $75; butterflies and moths at SFI, $195; and astronomy with tent camping on June 27 at SFI, $45.

Register at thesfi.org. Contact the organization at 541-597-8530. SFI is located at 1241 Illinois River Road in Selma. 

Wild and Scenic Film Festival coming up 

The 2025 Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center is set for April 19 at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center. An April 12 showing in Ashland is sold out.

Film topics include water, climate, salmon and wildlife. Doors open at 5 p.m. for drinks, food and raffle and films start at 6 p.m. Regular admission is $20. There’s an online streaming option.

Parking is available off of Northeast Olive Street, with other parking on the north and east sides of Grants Pass High School.

Tickets are available at www.siskiyoufilmfest.org. For more information, contact Allee Gustafson at 541.488.5789, extension 1014. 

View online recreational guides 

Central Point, Ashland and Medford have published winter-spring recreational activity guides that include classes, events and outings. Check out the Central Point guide at bit.ly/42giLWN, Ashland’s guide at bit.ly/WinterSpringGuide2025 and Medford’s guide at playmedford.com. 

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.