Historic Jacksonville and the Applegate Valley

Historic Jacksonville and the Applegate Valley

The picturesque Applegate Valley offers a number of activities to visitors due to the beautiful river, lake and “wine trail” within the valley. And by combining your visit to the valley with a visit to the historic town of Jacksonville, you’ll be delighted just like a fine wine and food pairing.

After spending the morning in Ashland, pack up some food and beverages and make the 1 hour drive to Applegate Lake for a picnic lunch, a walk, a swim and/or rent a kayak for a ride on the lake. The lake, surrounded by forests, the Siskiyou Mountains and located in the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest, is a perfect place to spend some time soaking in a beautiful day.

To get there from central Ashland, head northwest on Lithia Way, which will merge with N. Main St./OR-99 just North of the center of town. Follow OR-99 about 9.2 miles, then turn left onto S Stage Rd. Continue 3.4 miles and turn right to stay on S Stage Rd. After .3 miles you’ll turn left to stay on S Stage Rd. into the town of Jacksonville. Continue through town and follow signs to OR-238/Medford-Provolt Highway. Continue for about 7.8 miles and take a left onto Upper Applegate Rd. Follow this road 15.6 miles to the road entrance to Applegate Lake Hart-Tish Park.

After enjoying some lake time, it’s time to visit some of the region’s vineyards and taste some of Southern Oregon’s finest wines. The Applegate Valley is well-known for the following varietals:  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. To find the winery of your choice, visit the wine trail map here.

Your next step is to head back east on OR-238 to Jacksonville for dinner, and if you are lucky, a show at the Britt Festivals. Jacksonville is a small town – that grew in the 1850’s due to a gold rush and still has that old west feel – but offers dinner options from sushi, to Mexican, to German, to good ol’ fashioned American fare.

The Britt Festival is a fantastic outdoor music venue that offers scenery, performing arts, and a fun and relaxing place to spend time with friends and family. If you are in town during a show that interests you, we highly recommend you make it part of your trip, as it’s a perfect way to end a perfect day in the Applegate!

Historic Jacksonville

Downtown Jacksonville

Applegate Lake

Applegate Lake from Stein Butte Hiking Trail

Historic Jacksonville OR

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