State: Oregon
Location: Rogue River National Forest
Length, One-Way: 2.5 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 4560 feet
Maximum Elevation: 4950 feet
Best Season: May to October
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Moderate
Eagles dot the tops of the trees
Trail Information
The Fish Lake Trail offers many opportunities from a short stroll along the shore of Fish Lake or the North Fork of Little Butte Creek, to a daylong excursion from the trailhead to the Brown Mountain Lava flows along the connecting Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCNST). Bicycles are allowed on the Fish Lake Trail but prohibited on the PCNST.
Beginning at the parking area across Forest Road 37 from the North Fork campground, the trail runs along the North Fork of Little Butte Creek, passing through a corridor of old growth forest opening into small riparian meadows dotted with wildflowers. Brook trout feeding on insects dimple the water in the morning and evening hours. At 0.5 miles a side trail to the right takes you to the base of Fish Lake Dam. The main trail turns left, leaving the creek and winding north through the woods before following the north shore of Fish Lake (look for Bald Eagles and Osprey).
The picnic areas at Doe Point and Fish Lake campgrounds (parking, toilets and water) are good midpoints to begin a hike in either direction of the trail. Continuing through the campgrounds, the trail takes you past the Fish Lake resort, (cafe, store, pay phone), a good place to pause for refreshment.
Leaving the resort, the trail skirts the end of the lake then heads east through a forest edged with large blocky basalt lava. At mile point 4.0 the trail ends at the High Lakes Trail. If you continue east on the High Lakes Trail at 0.6 miles, an interesting geological phenomena can be viewed. In the early 1900’s , the eleven mile Cascade Canal was built to carry water from Four Mile Lake to Fish Lake and subsequently to Medford. At this point near the trail, the water from the canal disappears in to a lava tube and enters Fish Lake one mile away. Appearing as a small pond when the canal is flowing, the deposit of sediment has created a meadow at the edge of the lava when the canal is dry. Continue east another 0.4 miles to the junction with the PCNST (bicycles prohibited). If time permits, consider walking south (turn right) on the PCNST for another 1 or 2 miles. This is a very unique section of trail which contours the lower slope of Brown Mountain through massive gray lava flows. Fine views of rugged Brown Mountain and Mount McLoughlin are offered (carry water). To return to Fish Lake or the trailhead at Forest Road 37 you must backtrack the way you came.
Directions
From the Ashland Ranger Station:
Take Highway 66 east 1/2 mile to Dead Indian Memorial Highway. Turn left on this road and follow for 22 miles to the junction with Forest Road 37 (Big Elk Road). Turn left on to Forest Road 37 and proceed 7 miles to the North Fork campground. Trailhead parking is on the right, opposite the campground.
