Hike 85 - Siskiyou Peak

Distance: 5.6 miles out and back

Elevation Gain: 900 feet

Trailhead elevation: 6,600 feet

Trail high point: 7,141 feet

Season: June – October

Best: July – October

Pass: none needed

On the traditional lands of: the Shasta, Takelma, and Modoc peoples

Directions:

• From Ashland, drive south on Interstate 5 for about 8 miles to Exit 6, signed for Mount Ashland. Exit the freeway and turn right onto the Mount Ashland Road.

• Drive 0.6 mile and turn right at a sign for Mt. Ashland Ski Area.

  Drive up Mount Ashland Road for 8.8 miles to the ski area.

• Continue beyond the ski area 0.2 mile, where the road turns to gravel. Continue another 2 miles of bumpy, rocky gravel to the Grouse Gap Trailhead on the right side of the road. There is room for 2 or 3 cars. There is an absolutely fantastic view of Mount Shasta on the southern horizon at the trailhead.

• Drivetime from Ashland: 45 minutes

Hike: At the crossroads of Oregon and California, the Pacific Crest Trail passes over the alpine meadows at the crest of the Siskiyou Mountains. This beautiful and fascinating stretch of trail takes you across the slopes of Mount Ashland to the summit of Siskiyou Peak, where the view stretches from Mount McLoughlin to Mount Shasta, well into California. Along the way you’ll pass gorgeous meadow after gorgeous meadow and a number of huge Shasta red firs, more typically associated with California. While this hike might seem like a slice of northern California, it is an extraordinary Oregon hike. This is an especially great hike on hot days, as you can usually find cooler air this far up in the mountains.

At the Grouse Gap Trailhead, locate the Pacific Crest Trail just below the road. You’ll set about hiking very gradually through meadows with fantastic views southeast to Mount Shasta. The meadows along the trail here are an intriguing mix of the Cascades, the Great Basin, and the Siskiyous, with several varieties of plants found only on these slopes. Especially interesting is the proliferation of sagebrush lining the trail, which is usually found in desert environments as opposed to the slopes of a peak nearly 7,000 feet in elevation. Larkspur lines the trail in late June and into July, while chocolate lilies and several species of paintbrush grow in more open areas along the trail. Huge Shasta red fir tower over the trail in forested areas, offering shade on even the warmest days. Also be on the lookout for snow patches in the forested stretches of trail that last well into July.

The trail climbs around a rocky gap and begins to parallel FR 20, the road you drove to the trailhead. The road becomes quite rough beyond the Grouse Gap Trailhead, so you shouldn’t encounter much traffic here to interrupt your hiking splendor. Mount Shasta comes into view again and the slopes become increasingly dry as you near Siskiyou Peak. Views open north to the summit of Mount Ashland, topped by a huge radar that resembles a rising moon. At 2.5 miles from the trailhead, look for an unmarked spur trail on the left, just before the PCT begins to descend the southern slopes of Siskiyou Peak. Turn left and climb this unofficial trail 0.3 mile and 200 feet of elevation to the summit of Siskiyou Peak, at elevation 7,141 feet. The view here is exceptional, especially south into California. Look for snowy Mount Shasta on the southeast horizon, while the Marble Mountains and Trinity Alps rise to the south above the valleys containing the towns of Weed and Mount Shasta. Back in Oregon, Mount McLoughlin rises above Mount Ashland’s white dome, while aptly-named Big Red Mountain dominates the western horizon. It’s fun to wander around the slopes of Siskiyou Peak in search of new views and shady spots to sit on hot days.

Return the way you came. South of the spur to Siskiyou Peak, the Pacific Crest Trail begins its long descent into California. If you want to extend your hike, continue north on the PCT beyond the Grouse Gap Trailhead for more meadows and views. The trail continues 3.3 miles to an obscure trailhead along the Mount Ashland Road. If you continue south on the PCT beyond the junction to Siskiyou Peak, you’ll reach Siskiyou Gap in 3.8 miles and the California border in a little over 14 miles.

Before you leave the area, be sure to drive down to the Grouse Gap Shelter just below the trailhead. Here you’ll find a huge three-sided shelter with a picnic table and circular fire pit, complete with a chimney. The shelter seems to be used more in the winter than in the summer, and it’s possible that you’ll have it to yourself even in the middle of the day.