Right next door to the popular Diamond Lake area, but overlooked by tourists, the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness is a hidden haven of subalpine wildflower meadows, viewpoints, and quiet trails. One of the best hikes starts from a gravel road that sneaks into the heart of the wilderness. For an easy loop, hike to Windy Gap and the flowers along Fish Creek. For a longer trip, climb to the views atop Rattlesnake Mountain—a snakeless summit with a meadow.

From Medford, take Crater Lake Highway 62 east . . .

The trail sets off downhill through a meadow with a rainbow of summer wildflowers. Look for goldenrod, red paintbrush, white yarrow, purple aster, blue lupine, black coneflower, and sweet-smelling mint. From late August to early October you may also find cows grazing here. The path follows Fish Creek, a splashing mountain brook, 0.7 mile to a junction. Turn left and climb 1 mile to Windy Gap, a wooded saddle where four trails meet.

For the easy loop, . . .

Other Hiking Options

The Rogue-Umpqua Divide Trail extends . . . 

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Southern Oregon