Getting Oriented
To locals, southern Oregon really refers to the southwestern corner of the state, encompassing the Rogue and several other river valleys that lie between the Coast and Cascade mountain ranges, from a little north of Roseburg down to the California border. The area is due south of Eugene and the Willamette Valley, and has a lush, hilly, and fertile terrain that lends itself perfectly to agriculture and wine-making. Towns in the valleys, such as Ashland and Roseburg, have elevations ranging from about 500 to 2,000 feet, while peaks to the east, in the Cascade Range, rise as high as 9,000 feet. This area is also the gateway to Crater Lake National Park—many visitors to that park overnight in Medford or Ashland, which are about 85 miles away.
- Umpqua Valley. Known increasingly for its up-and-coming wineries, including superb Abacela, this valley is home to tiny and historic Oakland, bustling Roseburg and its family-friendly Wildlife Safari park, and the Umpqua River Scenic Byway, a particularly scenic route to the northern (summer only) entrance of Crater Lake.
- Rogue Valley. This fertile, mild-temperature region that extends from Grants Pass southeast through Medford and down to Ashland takes in the most populous communities in the area—it's also the gateway for reaching Klamath Falls, to the east, and the remote but fascinating Oregon Caves National Monument to the southwest. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and an abundance of historic buildings have turned Ashland into a hub of arts, dining, and fine bed-and-breakfasts. Grants Pass, which also has a lively downtown restaurants and boutiques district, is the launch point for some of the best white-water rafting around, while Medford and historic Jacksonville are surrounded by vineyards and farms that produce some of the state's tastiest local edibles, from pears to Pinot Gris.
