Hiking to the Rogue River Gorge in Southern Oregon

Want more of Oregon’s wild and scenic Rogue River?
Extend your stay by camping along the Rogue River at Farewell Bend Campground. This area is also a great home base for exploring Crater Lake National Park.

CURRENT INFO

Check out the reservations websites for Farewell Bend or Union Creek if you’re interested in camping here.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Parking is free at the Rogue River Gorge trailhead.
• A vault toilet is available at the trailhead. Use it if you have to.
• Pets on leash are allowed on the trail.
• The Rogue River Gorge Trail is flat and paved, and good for a variety of abilities.
• Those camping at Farewell Bend Campground can follow the hike we took below from the campground for a more adventurous option. If you’re not camping there, I recommend doing the short hike to see the Rogue Gorge, then stopping for ice cream at the Union Creek ice cream shop or pie from Beckie’s Pies & More.

HIGHLIGHTS

We set out on this hike with no expectations about what the path between Farewell Bend and the Rogue Gorge would have to offer, which gave the trip a real sense of adventure. Finding a maze of water-carved rocky shelves along the riverbank, we knew we wanted to take the time to explore more, and spent most of our afternoon there a few days later.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

The rocky stretch of the Rogue between the Gorge and Farewell Bend is a wonderland to explore. Burgers from Beckie’s and ice cream are also worth the trip!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There is so much more to see in this region! The trail to Natural Bridge, where the Rogue River disappears temporarily into a lava tube, is only a few miles south of Union Creek Campground. If you prefer a longer hike, you can hike from the campground to Natural Bridge, rambling further along the Rogue. The Rogue River Gorge is also only half an hour’s drive from the southern entrance to Crater Lake National Park. Either campground is a great home base for visiting the national park.

When planning ahead for our stay at Farewell Bend Campground, I was struck by the fact that it was so close to Union Creek Campground. In between these two locations was the Rogue River Gorge, accessible by a short, scenic interpretive trail. Not only that, but a place called Beckie’s Cafe, rumored to serve excellent pie, could be found at Union Creek. The proximity of all these places made me wonder, “Could we hike it?”

Now, anyone can drive to the Rogue Gorge trailhead, located just off Highway 62. But what if we could walk there? What lay along that stretch of the Rogue between our campsite and the gorge? I was determined to find out.

I didn’t want to walk along the road, but couldn’t find clear information online about any alternatives, although it was implied that there was a trail. That was all I needed to hatch a plan: on our first night at Farewell Bend, we would set off on an expedition. I would lure my family with promises of burgers and pie at Beckie’s, and we would forge our own path to get there. It sounded perfect.

And in reality… it mostly was.

We left our campsite, #24, situated on a beautiful turquoise fishing hole on the Rogue, and headed right onto the campground loop road. Walking past other campsites, my eyes were peeled for a good point to leave the road and head back to the riverbank. Soon, I spotted what appeared to be a trail in the sand between two sites. Sure enough, it led us back to the river, now winding its way through channels and tributaries carved out of volcanic rock.

The boys immediately went into explorer mode. They are not quiet explorers, but they were certainly enjoying themselves, hopping from rock to rock across the stream. At this point, the Rogue River briefly splits in two before colliding together again at the entrance to the Rogue Gorge. Here, on the campground side of the split, the calm, shallow water belies the rushing torrent to be found further downstream.

Following the river did slow our travels, as it took time to find our footing on the rocky shore. Michael also wondered aloud if I had any idea where we were going. I did, more or less. Sure, I didn’t know exactly what the path ahead would bring, but I did know that if we followed the river, we would come to the gorge, and I knew it wasn’t far off.

Before too long, we could hear the roar of churning water ahead. At this point, the waters of the Rogue join together once more, right before they plunge through a narrow stone chasm carved over centuries by the powerful river. Here we joined a paved pathway – we had made it to the Rogue Gorge interpretive trail.

The Rogue Gorge trail is a wonderful short accessible hike, a great option for someone with limited mobility. Interpretive signs gave mini lessons on the geology and biology of the area, and we learned about the fascinating “living stump” that has continued to grow thanks to its underground connection to the roots of a neighboring tree.

Since the interpretive trail is quite short, we were soon at the large parking lot at the trailhead, where you’ll find further information posted about the region. You’ll also find one of the smelliest vault toilets. Well, hopefully you won’t, but on our visit we cut through the middle of the parking lot to avoid a particularly strong stench that was coming from the direction of the toilets. Needless to say, these were facilities we did not choose to use!

As we left the parking lot, we noticed a trail heading off to the right with a sign indicating it led to Natural Bridge. Since Natural Bridge lies a few miles downriver, we didn’t have time to check it out, but this is a great option for a longer hike. Instead, we turned onto an unmarked trail a little further down the road that seemed likely to lead to Union Creek Resort.

In about ten minutes, we found ourselves at Union Creek, hungry for burgers and pie. At Beckie’s Cafe, we ordered from the take out window, then found a nearby picnic table to enjoy our dinner. Beckie’s offers homemade potato chips lightly seasoned with cinnamon if you want to try something a little different (quite tasty in our opinion). If you happen to see strawberry rhubarb pie on the menu, don’t hesitate to order a slice or two.

We also checked out the cute country store across the road, making a mental note to come back in a day or two to restock on ice and firewood. T was delighted to find ring pops in their extensive candy collection. After some negotiating, Michael and I agreed to buy one for each of the kids to further fortify them for the trek back to the campsite.

We headed back through the woods, crossing the parking lot to the Rogue Gorge trail to avoid the stinking outhouse. We then left the paved path behind and continued along a red lava rock trail bordering the highway. This roadside trail eventually connects with the southern tip of the Farewell Bend Campground loop, and is the easiest way to complete the ramble. If you prefer to skip the rockier riverside walk altogether, you can take the trail in both directions. It’s not as scenic as the riverbank route, so I recommend if you aim to explore a little more.

Soon, we were back at our campsite, ready to settle in for the night, and looking forward to more adventures on the Rogue River in the days to come.