Here at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, there’s not only the chance for primitive, tent and RV camping but also plenty of scenic and historical places to visit and sights to see. This Bureau of Land Management property, located 17 miles southeast of Ashland in Oregon, is uniquely placed at the intersection of the Cascade, Klamath, and Siskiyou mountain ranges, thus displaying a fantastic blend of ecological zones.
If you’re looking to engage in recreational activities on this BLM land, you can take your pick of what interests you, be it hiking to historically significant and breathtaking sites with extraordinary nature views, hunting, fishing, or rock climbing. The flora and faunal diversity in the park is worth having your cameras for. Snowmobiling and sledding are also popular ways to stay active in winter.
This 175 square mile national monument, which attracts visitors year-round, offers amazing exploration opportunities. If you fancy additional recreation, Klamath National Forest is a nearby location with beautiful campgrounds, excellent facilities, and plenty of memorable sites.
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is located 17 miles southeast of Ashland, Oregon, off Interstate 5. This BLM property straddles both Oregon and California and can be accessed via a network of highways such as Old 99 Highway, Green Springs Highway 66, and a host of local paved and unpaved roads. Driving within the park is made possible by the various unpaved roads that connect the different park areas. The use of motorized and mechanized vehicles on the open roads within the Monument is allowed. Vehicles in this category include Off-Highway Vehicles, All-Terrain Vehicles, bicycles, snowmobiles, tractors. Motorcycles are also included. Signs clearly mark roads where such vehicles are prohibited. RV rentals are available at Ashland and Klamath.
Parking spaces are available for RVs and trailers at the campground in the park.
Primitive and modern camping opportunities are available for guests at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, and Hyatt Lake Campground is the place to enjoy tent, group, and RV camping. Sited at the northern end of the monument, this BLM campground offers the chance for campers to hike, fish, and boat. The campground is open between May and September (peak season) and available by reservation.
There are 70 campsites within the campground, 2 of which are equipped with electric hookups. The campsites can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 50 feet long. The maximum stay within the campground is 14 consecutive days in 90 days.
Amenities within the campground include flush toilets, playground, boat ramp, dump station, and fish cleaning stations. Horseshoe pits, picnic tables, fire pits, and parking spaces are also available.
One of the most popular things that campers and guests at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument do is stroll to Pilot Rock, a landmark feature on the BLM land that greets the five million annual drivers along Interstate 5.
This rock, which is a remnant of an ancient volcano, can also be seen from many areas in the surrounding region, including Shasta Valley, Northern California, and Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon. At the park, the close-up view of the rock that you’ll get when you hike to its location is nothing short of remarkable.
While at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, if you’d like to get a 360-degree view of Rogue Valley, your stop should be Hobart Bluff. This site, which is popular among sightseers at the park, offers the chance to see Mount Shasta, located a staggering 75 miles away from the park.
What’s more, the plant diversity within the park is on full display as you hike to the bluff. So, for guests who come along with their binoculars and camera(s), there’s a lot to do at this amazing location.
Backcountry exploration is the most popular activity with the Soda Mountain Wilderness at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, owing to the 38 square miles of land area that the wilderness has for exploration.
What’s particularly attractive about this wilderness is that it is bounded to the west by the Pilot Rock, so vacationers that want to enjoy full adventure move on to the wilderness after sightseeing at the rock. The wilderness is kept wild by the prohibition of mechanized activities within its areas.
There are no direct public transportation services to Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
As the only national monument that’s been set aside specifically for its flora biodiversity, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a rare ecological masterpiece. This BLM land is home to resplendent plants and vegetative species that blow guests and campers away.
The rich mosaic of woodlands, forest, wet meadows, grasslands, and interior desert within the park is such a beauty to behold. Some parts of the park are even set aside for the protection of endangered and rare plant species, such as mariposa lily.
Wildlife abounds at this BLM land, thanks to the unique situation of the park at the convergence point between the Siskiyou and Klamath Mountains and the Cascade Mountains. Even more fascinating is the fact that most of the fauna in the park are rare or endemic. Your exploration of the park will allow you to see the over 300 species of birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians that reside in different habitats in the park. Butterfly species, freshwater snails, spotted owls, black-tailed deer, and peregrine falcons are some of those you’ll easily find.
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument hosts an annual Hike and Learn event every summer for visitors, campers and locals, one geared towards educating participants about science and art within the park.
Features of the program include talk shows and experiential hikes, which take visitors and guests to the Soda Mountain, Hobart Bluff, and Pilot Rock. The talks prepare the program participants for the hike to these scenic points in the park, although it is not a prerequisite for the walk.
