Cascade-Siskiyou NM

Located just east of Ashland Oregon the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is found where the Cascade Range, the Siskiyou Mountains, and the Klamath Mountains meet. Geology dating back 425 million years ago created the unique landscape found in this 114,000 acre monument.

Cascade-Siskiyou Scenic Byway

We planned to stay along the Cascade-Siskiyou Scenic Byway and bike the 55 mile route. But due to smoke and fires in all directions, we end up staying in nearby Ashland and driving the route instead.

After coming through old town Ashland we decide to go up the northern side of the scenic drive first.

Dead Indian Memorial Road

As we turn up Memorial Road, we come across this beautiful fellow munching prairie grass. I hop out to get a picture and he immediately comes over to greet me. Not knowing how friendly he really is; and out of respect for the owner, I keep my distance.

A little further up the road we stop to take in the view, back toward Ashland, over this beautiful prairie.

School House Meadow Overlook

Our next stop is the School House Meadow Overlook.

Buck Prairie

A little further down we stop at Buck Prairie.

Hyatt Prairie Road

Turning right on Hyatt Prairie Road, we pass Howard Prairie Lake. It looks beautiful; but we can’t get close enough to get a good picture. There’s a large resort here offering all kinds of activities, and a variety of ways to explore the area.

Hyatt Reservoir

A little further down, we encounter Hyatt Reservoir where we can drive right up to the shoreline.

Our original campsite is at the top right of the picture below. But the refurbishment project is taking longer than expected, and the facility is still closed.

East Hyatt Lake Road

Next we turn onto East Hyatt Lake Road; which dead-ends at the Info Station.

Info Station

Located in Green Springs across the street from the Inn, this little building holds a lot of information about the monument. In case you’re a collector like us, we also found the passport stamp here.

Green Springs Hwy

Turning west down Green Springs Hwy we find the Keene Creek Reservoir.

Keene Creek Reservoir

This twelve acre lake is a beautiful spot to see.

Buckhorn Springs Overlook

Next, we stop at Buckhorn Springs Overlook to get a look at Pilot Rock; which is a “volcanic plug”, and the most recognized feature in the monument. We can also see Mount Ashland from this vantage point.

Emigrant Lake

Just as we’re finishing the scenic drive, we come across Emigrant Lake County Park. So, we decide to go in and take a look around.

East side of lake

West side of lake

Wildlife

In addition to our friendly horse at the beginning of the drive, we found a Desert Spiny Lizard, a Rock Squirrel, and some Oregon Deer with a couple of fawns.

Due to smoke, and storms in the afternoon forecast, our time in the area is extremely limited. But, we’re grateful we had a clear morning to be able to accomplish the scenic byway. If you do have more time in the area… in addition to the activities available at the locations above, there are several hiking trails, a few caves, multiply campgrounds and an abundance of other activities available in the winter months after it snows.

From here, our plan was to go to Mount Shasta and then the southern part of Lassen National Park (NP). But, Lassen NP is closed due to the Park Fire. And Mount Shasta is under severe air quality warnings due to several fires in both California and Oregon.

So, we look at one of our favorite free apps “Windy” to see if we can determine where to head next. After looking at temperatures, air quality, and forecasted winds, we have a winner!

Next stop… Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Nevada.