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Lower Table Rock

©Terry Donnelly
 

Why You Should Visit    
Lower Table Rock and its twin, Upper Table Rock, rise dramatically 800 feet above the Rogue River Valley, flat-topped remnants of lava flows that filled the canyons of an ancient, meandering Rogue River over seven million years ago. Atop the Table Rocks is a mosaic of grassy mounds, stony flats and vernal, or seasonal, ponds.

Join us on a guided hike! A series of free, guided hikes focusing on various topics is offered in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management this spring.

Location
Southwest Oregon, north of Medford

Size
1,881 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Spring wildflowers begin to bloom in February and reach their peak during April and May. Watch out for poison oak, rattlesnakes, ticks and the hazards of steep cliffs. For more information, please see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines.

Directions
From I-5 North out of Medford:

  • Take the Central Point Exit (Exit 33) east about one mile to Table Rock Road. 
  • Turn north (left) onto Table Rock Road. 
  • Proceed 7.6 miles, passing Tou Velle State Park. 
  • Turn west (left) onto Wheeler Road and continue approximately one mile to the signed parking lot. The two-mile trail to the top of Lower Table Rock begins there.

What to See: Plants
The remarkable diversity of the preserve includes a spectacular wildflower display from March until June that includes expanses of goldfields, grass widows and brodiaea. The dwarf woolly meadowfoam grows only on the Table Rocks and nowhere else on Earth. The slopes below the rocks support Oregon white oak, madrone, ponderosa pine woodlands and Rogue Valley chaparral.

What to See: Animals
A federally listed species of fairy shrimp has been discovered inhabiting the vernal pools, and the oak woodland and chaparral at the Table Rocks provide the northernmost known nesting site of the blue-gray gnatcatcher.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Table Rocks figure in Southwest Oregon history as prominent landmarks and gathering places for Native Americans and for settlers along the Oregon-California Trail. Most of the two Table Rocks are now owned either by the Conservancy or by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which has designated its holdings as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The Table Rocks are managed cooperatively by the Conservancy, the BLM and Rogue River Ranch.

Ecologists monitor the rare plant populations and conduct prescribed burns to benefit the native grasslands and wildflowers. Volunteers help collect and plant native grasses and remove invasive non-native species.  The Table Rocks provide a popular outdoor classroom for thousands of school children who visit each year to learn about the natural and cultural history of this unique area.