State: Oregon
Location: Rogue River National Forest
Length, One-Way: 2.5 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 2740 feet
Maximum Elevation: 4060 feet
Best Season: Year-Round
Difficulty: Difficult
Usage: Light
Trail Information
A steep challenging climb, the Soda Springs Trail begins quite leisurely from the temporary lower trailhead on Forest Road 3730. The flood of 1997 has made it necessary to locate this trailhead temporarily. Please excuse the inconvenience until the new trailhead is constructed. Until then follow the signs and respect the privacy of Camp Latgawa as you pass by the area. A stroll along Dead Indian Creek takes you past several mineral springs and traces of an elaborate rockwork fountain built here around 1935. An interpretive sign at the site relates the history of this area. The presence of dozens of game trails’ that cross the Soda Springs Trail, indicates that this area is an important deer migration route from the high summer range of the Dead Indian Plateau to lower elevations along Little Butte Creek.
A little over 0.3 miles from the trailhead the trail forks at a junction with the path to Latgawa Church Camp.
The Soda Springs Trail climbs steeply on the right to vistas of Dead Indian Canyon and South Fork Canyon of Little Butte Creek. After climbing about 0.4 mile, the trail levels briefly through an invitingly open stand of Oregon white oak Off trail exploration here will reveal several small ponds that are rumored to be poison (arsenic). The rare plant Howells yampah is known to exist nearby.
If you have the legs for it, keep going. The trail climbs another 0.6 miles to a pocket of old growth where huge California black oaks reach up to mix with the canopies of Ponderosa Pines and Douglas fir. In the spring and early summer the birdsong is magical. The Californian black oak is distinguished from the Oregon white oak by its darker bark, larger size and toothed leaves. Its acorns were preferred over other species by the Takelma and other local Indians.
Continuing upward, the trail traverses an opening created by a timber harvest in 1990 (views of Mt. McLoughlin and Brown Mountain to the east). The trail re-enters the forest on a bench and skirts a cool spring, before climbing the last 0.3 mile to the upper trailhead on Forest Road 2500185.
While the Soda Springs Trail is best experienced in the late spring and early summer, the lower trailhead can be accessed most of the year. At peak runoff in the early spring, fording over Dead Indian Creek may be difficult at times. However, remnants of the short footbridge washed out in the 1997 flood help with footing.
Directions
Lower trailhead from Ashland:
Drive east on highway 66 to Dead Indian Memorial Highway. Turn left on to Dead Indian Memorial Highway and go 13.5 miles to Conde Creek Road (paved). Turn left on to Conde Creek Road and go 11.3 miles to the junction with South Fork Little Butte Creek Road. Turn right and go approx. 3.8 miles to a small turnout on the right just before the entrance to Camp Latgawa. There is parking for 2-3 cars.
Upper trailhead from Ashland:
Drive east on highway 66 to Dead Indian Memorial Highway. Turn left on to Dead Indian Memorial Highway and go 18 miles to Shell Peak Road (just past Lily Glen Horse Camp). Turn left on to the Shell Peak Road 2500100 and follow it 5.7 miles to Spur Road 185 and the trailhead on the left. The former rock pit site provides plenty of parking area.
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