Mt. Mcloughlin Loop Guide

Glide Mt McLoughlinMt. Thielson Loop Diamond Lake Silver 138 Lake 2810 18 230 46 227 Crater Mt. Scott Tiller 159 Lake er iv R n o s m a lli Wi 160 178 97 r Portals ive e R 62 179 541-865-3581 gu Butte Falls Ranger Station – Ro Prospect 62 Ranger Fort 180 Prospect Ranger Station – 541-560-3400 Klamath 181 Station 866-381-2322 161 182 183 Crystalwood Lodge – 177 176 162 163 Shady Cove 175 184 Butte Falls Chiloquin Ranger Station Crystalwood 174 Agency Lodge Lake 173 Butte Falls 164 Sprague River 234 Mt. Eagle Point McLoughlin Rocky 168 Point 172 Upper 165 171 Klamath 140 140 167 170 Lake 166 Medford 140 169 0 15 Miles Klamath Falls 0 15 KM Ashland 97 66 Midland wo hundred miles south of Oregon’s highest peak, the Cascades meet the TSiskiyou Mountains and Mt. McLoughlin rises nearly 10,000 feet to survey the Klamath Basin below. This southernmost loop of the trail may be the most Klamath Basin Birding Trail continues in Northern California ecologically diverse on the entire route. Southeast of Crater Lake, the Spring River joins the Williamson for some spectacular riparian birding. Collier State Park serves as a base for your exploration while you search for hummingbirds, 159. Huckleberry Gap 160. Mill Creek Bridge nuthatches, warblers and flycatchers. On the eastern flank of Mt. McLoughlin, Umpqua NF, Tiller RD. From junction Rogue River-Siskiyou NF, High of Hwys 230 and 62, W of Crater Lake; Cascades RD. From Prospect, a series of gushing springs lines the geological boundary between the Upper S on Hwy 230 5.8 mi to R on FR 68; 6.1 mi N on Hwy 62 to R on FR 60; Klamath Basin and the steep Cascade foothills. Odessa, Malone, Crystal, and 13.5 mi on FR 68 to junction of FR 2.3 mi E to bridge over creek, just past Mare’s Egg Springs all feature superb examples of forest and wetland species 30; L on FR 900 1 mi to dispersed junction with FR 6050. together. Enjoy nesting Red-necked Grebe, Yellow Rail and Least Bittern on a campsites and parking on L. Riparian surrounded by mixed conifer; morning canoe tour off Rocky Point, and then visit Crystalwood Lodge in the High altitude wet meadow with rock nesting MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s, and afternoon to see nesting Sandhill Crane and Pileated Woodpecker only a few outcroppings on Rogue-Umpqua Yellow Warblers, Western Tanager, Black- hundred yards apart. Around the southern end of the trail, Mountain Quail, Divide; excellent spot for nesting Lin- headed Grosbeak, and Swainson’s and Red-breasted Sapsucker and Hermit Warbler exemplify the mixed conifer coln’s Sparrow, Willow and Olive-sided Hermit Thrushes. Both FR60 and FR6050 forested communities of this region, and all three species can be found from Flycatchers, White-crowned Spar- lead to Huckleberry Campground (site Willow Prairie to the Mill Creek Bridge. The shores of Lost Creek Reservoir row, Lazuli Bunting, and Townsend’s 151) FR6050 has good owl diversity Solitaire. with Barred, Spotted, Flammulated and turn the Rogue River into a shorebird magnet each fall, while the open water Long-eared nesting; FR 60, between invites mergansers, goldeneyes, loons, grebes, and gulls. High above, on bridge and Huckleberry Campground, the Rogue-Umpqua Divide, Huckleberry Gap invites nesting Lazuli Bunting, Sponsor: American Bird Conservancy Willow Flycatcher, and Townsend’s Solitaire. 25 watch for Blue and Ruffed Grouse and roadway with parking areas and benches and Swainson’s Thrush; excellent for species include nuthatches, Brown Mountain Quail. for waterfowl viewing at close range; wintering waterfowl, including Ruddy Creeper, American Dipper, Belted King- Yellow-breasted Chat nests annually. and Ring-necked Ducks, plus migrant fisher, and various sparrows; breeding Common Loon; American White and migrant species include variety Sponsor: Leupold & Stevens, Inc. Pelican in summer; fee for recreation of warblers, woodpeckers, and wrens; Sponsor: U.S. Army Corps of on west side of lake. Late summer easy, 0.5-mi trail along North Fork Little 161. Joseph Stewart Engineers, Portland District mudflats good for migrant shorebirds Butte Creek Fish Lake Dam. and outstanding for dragonflies. State Park 163. Medco Pond Oregon State Parks. From Prospect, 8.8 mi Plum Creek Timber Co.. From Prospect, S on Hwy 62 to park entrance on R. 12 mi S on CO 992 (Butte Falls- Sponsor: National Forest Foundation Large reservoir with expansive mud- 167. Great Meadow Prospect Hwy) to shore access; park in Fremont-Winema NF, Klamath RD. From flats, depending on water level, sur- roadside turn-outs. Klamath Falls, 2.2 mi S on Hwy 97 to W rounded by pine forest; high con- 165. Willow Prairie Shallow and deep water ponds and Rogue River-Siskiyou NF, High Cascades Hwy 140 exit; 0.2 mi to R on Hwy 140; 33 centration of migrant and wintering dry meadow bordered by agricultural mi to signed trailhead parking on L. waterfowl, including Barrow’s and RD. From White City, 29.1 mi E on Hwy land and mixed conifer and ponderosa 140 to L on FR 37/CO 821; 1.6 mi N to L Wet and dry meadow habitats, sur- Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mer- pine forests; excellent transition zone rounded by subalpine and mixed ganser, scoters, and a variety of loons, on FR 3738; 1.3 mi W to L on FR 3735; for wide diversity of species; resident 0.2 mi to FR 430 at campground entrance; conifer forest; nesting species include gulls and grebes; nesting species in- waterfowl, Bald Eagle, Great Gray Owl, Rufous Hummingbird, Spotted Sand- clude Varied and Swainson’s Thrushes, park in day use area. and Steller’s and Gray Jays; nesting Wet meadow and beaver pond sur- piper, American Pipit, Hermit Thrush, Fox Sparrow, Pine Siskin, Osprey, and Williamson’s Sapsuckers, Western Common Nighthawk, Yellow-rumped occasional Red-shouldered Hawk; in rounded by mixed conifer forest; up Tanager and Sandhill Crane. to six pairs of resident Great Gray Warbler, Western Tanager, and Vaux’s late summer and fall, exposed flats Swift; resident forest birds include Owls; nesting Sandhill Crane, Western draw migrating shorebirds, as well as Golden-crowned Kinglet, Mountain Tanager, and MacGillivray’s and Hermit American Pipit and occasional Chickadee, Steller’s and Gray Jays, Red Warblers; resident Mountain Quail. longspurs; trees introduced around 164. Willow Lake Crossbill, Pileated Woodpecker, and park attract many migrant songbirds. Rogue River-Siskiyou NF, High Cascades Spotted Owl. RD; Medford Water Commission. From White City, 29.1 mi E on Hwy 140 to L on FR 37/CO 821; 10.6 mi N to FR 37 junc- 166. Fish Lake Trail Sponsor: Klamath County Tourism 162. McGregor Park tion; 0.8 mi further on CO 821 to L on FR Rogue River-Siskiyou NF, Ashland US Army Corps of Engineers. From 3050; 1.1 mi S on FR 100 to dam. From RD. From Klamath Falls, 2.2 mi S on 168. Fourmile Lake Prospect, 14.1 mi S on Hwy 62, past Butte Falls, 8.9 mi S on Butte Falls-Fish Hwy 97 to W Hwy 140 exit; 0.2 mi to Winema NF, Klamath RD. From Klamath Lost Creek Reservoir, to R on Takelma Lake Rd (CO821) to R on FR 3050. R on Hwy 140; 41.9 mi past Fish Lake Falls, 2.2 mi S on Hwy 97 to W Hwy 140 Drive; 0.3 mi to park entrance on R. Open water surrounded by mixed Dam, to L on FR 37; 0.6 mi S to day exit; 0.2 mi to R onto Hwy 140; 34.6 mi Riparian and open water wetland conifer forest; resident Bald Eagle, use parking on L. From Medford, at to R on FR 3661; 6.2 mi to campground below Lost Creek dam known locally Chestnut-backed and Mountain Hwy 62/140 junction, 28.1 miles E on at lakeshore. by fishermen as “Holy Water” because Chickadees, Blue and Ruffed Grouse, Hwy 140 to R on FR 37 (Big Elk Road); Large subalpine lake at base of Mt. of huge trout here; hosts wintering Mountain Quail, and Williamson’s and 0.6 mi S to day use parking on L. McLoughlin; diversity of habitats along waterfowl including American and Red-breasted Sapsuckers; nesting Bald Mature Douglas-fir and grand fir last 2-mi of FR 3661, from wet meadow, forest, with riparian and emergent Eurasian Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Eagle, Osprey, Western Tanager, Hermit, ponds, and marsh to dry meadow and marsh vegetation along creek; resident Bufflehead, and Redhead; paved access Townsend’s and Wilson’s Warblers, subalpine forest; lake supports con- centration of gulls and diving birds in BIRDING TIP Drink before you’re thirsty, eat before you’re hungry. You will better withstand longer days in the field or on the road if you stay fueled and hydrated. Take snacks and water along with you on a hike to keep your observation skills sharp; keep them in the car for times you are miles from town. PHOTO BY KEVIN SMITH BY PHOTO AND WILDLIFE SERVICE U.S. FISH BY PHOTO PHOTO BY KEVIN SMITH BY PHOTO White-throated Swift Yellow-headed Blackbird Great Blue Heron 26 26 migration, including loon, grebes, and 171. Odessa Creek Marsh Transition from marshland to aspen/ Spring feeding Crane Creek and diving ducks; nesting species include Red Fremont-Winema NF, Klamath RD. From willow riparian and mixed conifer for- draining into Wood River Valley, Crossbill, Gray and Steller’s Jays, chicka- Klamath Falls, 2.2 mi S on Hwy 97 to est; excellent location to view species surrounded by mixed conifer forest; dees, nuthatches, and Western Tanager; W Hwy 140 exit; 0.2 mi to R on Hwy of all three habitats, including Dusky excellent for migrating warblers, trails enter Sky Lakes Wilderness.

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