Description
– Distance: ~ 1.5 miles
– Min/max elev.: 2488’/3390′
– Elev. gain/loss: 975’/-75′
Click here for routes and maps with Mike Uhtoff trail.
The Mike Uhtoff trail is a pedestrian-only trail that connects from Oredson-Todd Woods at the bottom to Siskiyou Mountain Park and part of White Rabbit trail near the top. The trail is braided in places and has many un-named connectors to the partially parallel White Rabbit trail. It is one of the steeper Ashland trails and has many switchbacks.
Starting in Oredson-Todd Woods, follow any trail south and eventually you will see signs to the Uhtoff trail. Proceeding west, the trail begins almost immediately climbing before eventually reaching the top of the White Rabbit Trail, where a bench offers a little respite. Several offshoots of the Uthoff Trail connect to the White Rabbit Trail affording many different-length loop opportunities with that trail. The trail features views of Grizzly Peak, Emigrant Lake, and the Rogue Valley. Wildflowers tend to be at their best in May. Beware of poison oak on the edges of the trail, particularly on this switchback section.
History
Developers Vincent Oredson and John D. Todd, donated 10 acres of land adjacent to one of their new subdivisions to the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC). A few years later, SOLC donated the Oredon-Todd Woods to the City of Ashland, where it was joined with Siskiyou Mountain Park to comprise a 300-acre double park.
The trail was named after local businessman, naturalist and teacher who died in 2009. Mike Uhtoff led a fundraising drive in the 1990s to preserve the land that became Siskiyou Mountain Park.
Jeff McFarland, from Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission directed the building of the trail with several Oregon Youth Conservation Corps groups. AWTA contributed in a minor way to the construction of this trail as well.
Written by Torsten Heycke 05/12/2020