There are over ten kiosks along this trail, and we’ve highlighted a few below. However, some are best experienced in person, as they describe features you’ll see along the way. We encourage you to stop and explore each one. Additionally, we’ve included several other noteworthy points of interest below that are not covered by kiosks.

Many centuries ago this area would have been underwater year-round – a part of Lake of the Woods. And, as recently as the 1920s (before drainage ditches were dug), the lake overflowed during wet years and covered the meadow to a shallow depth.

Throughout the late 1800s, Great Meadow provided welcome feed for the livestock of travelers on the original Ashland-to-Klamath-Basin wagon road (now known as Dead Indian Memorial Road), located just east of here.

Unlike many lakes fed by large rivers, Lake of the Woods primarily receives water from underground springs and seasonal snowmelt from the Cascade Mountains. Three small tributary creeks also contribute to surface inflow. However, with no major river feeding it, the lake relies heavily on precipitation and snowpack, making it particularly vulnerable to drought. Water leaves mainly through subterranean seepage and several small creeks that drain into Great Meadow, which connects to Seldom Creek and eventually Upper Klamath Lake.

The riparian zone around Lake of the Woods is a vibrant transition between land and water, teeming with towering pines, leafy willows, and wetlands buzzing with life. These areas act as nature’s filters, trapping pollutants to keep the water clean. The deep-rooted trees and shrubs stabilize streambanks, preventing erosion and flooding. Plus, they provide cool shade, keeping the water just right for fish and other aquatic creatures. Trees like Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, big-leaf maple, alders, and Oregon white ash and shrubs like red osier dogwood, western birch, hawthorn, alder, and chokecherry all perform an invaluable job supporting both wildlife and the lake’s health.

Andesite lava, thicker than basalt, oozes rather than flows. As it erupts, its high viscosity causes it to pile up, forming steep-sided ridges and dome-like features. As the cooling outer layer solidifies, the still-molten interior can exert pressure, leading to cracks and fissures on the surface. These cracks, often perpendicular to the flow direction, can create dramatic patterns on the solidified lava ridges, revealing the immense forces at play during the eruption. This process gives andesite flows their characteristic rugged and fractured appearance. A fissure over 200 feet long is present at approximately mile 5.5 of this ride.

Though John McLoughlin never set foot on the peak that bears his name, his influence looms as large as the mountain itself.

One of the most powerful and polarizing people in Oregon history, John McLoughlin championed the Hudson’s Bay Company’s (HBC) business interests in the Pacific Northwest. He was a striking figure, with steel blue-grey eyes, a ruddy complexion, a tall, muscular frame, and shoulder-length white hair. George Simpson, the HBC’s Northern District governor, described him as “a man of strict honour and integrity but a great stickler for rights and privileges,” and one who possessed an “ungovernable Violent temper and turbulent disposition” that frequently led to conflict. Read the entire compelling story here.

The Douglas pine squirrel, or chickaree, is a territorial tree squirrel known for its sharp, rapid calls. “Chickaree” is an onomatopoeic term reflecting how a word imitates a natural sound. It is thought that early settlers or the Indigenous people heard its shrill “chick-a-ree” calls and named it accordingly. The pine squirrel has reddish-brown fur, a pale underbelly, and a bushy tail with a black-tipped edge. These squirrels play a key role in forest regeneration by burying conifer seeds, unknowingly planting future trees.

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) was first envisioned in 1932 by Clinton C. Clarke as a continuous route from the Canadian to the Mexican border, connecting existing trails in Washington and California with Oregon’s Skyline Trail. The trail section at this mile marker was once part of that original vision. Today, the PCT spans 2,650 miles. Each year, 800 to 1,000 people complete the journey, representing about 15% to 35% of those who attempt the thru-hike.

Fish Lake, the region’s largest and deepest lake, is fed by underground volcanic springs. Originally a small natural lake, it was expanded in the early 1900s to support agriculture in the Rogue Valley. Between 1902 and 1908, workers using horses and wagons built dams and canals to increase its size. In 1915, the Cascade Canal was completed, diverting water from Fourmile Lake across the Cascade Divide to further boost the lake’s inflow. This ambitious project turned Fish Lake into a vital irrigation reservoir while maintaining its natural beauty. (Read more about the Cascade Canal’s bold construction.)