Upper and Lower Table
Upper Table Rock is a volcanically formed plateau in southern Oregon. This rock structure and a similar one, Lower Table Rock, were formed along the banks of a river. Upper Table Rock is the the plateau up river and Lower Table Rock is the the plateau down river, the upper and lower refer just to their location along the river and not to their height. This was initially confusing for me since at a distance Lower Table Rock looks like a much taller formation. Both of these plateaus offer a wonderful view of the Stratovolcano, Mount McLoughlin, due east. My partner and I had a fantastic time hiking Upper Table Rock and took some pictures of the experience. The hike was just about 2 hours long and we went late in the day as the position of the sun will show.
For a taste of the hike to come, here is a picture of Mount McLaughlin taken on the trail:
The Hike
We arrived around 2pm and began the 1.25 mile hike. The trail is well maintained and not at all difficult, which makes this a lovely hike for families and people without a lot of free time looking for spectacular views.
One of the firs things I noticed on the hike was the striking texture and color of the trees. I live in Eugene, Oregon, so I'm used to the large pine trees of the pacific northwest so these really juxtaposed the nature I am used to.
The trail winds up the side of the plateau, taking you in and out of wooded areas and past large boulders.
Along the way, there are some pleasant places to sit:
As you approach the summit, you must walk past these three little trees:
Walking past these trees, your view is now unobstructed. I didn't know what to expect when I reached the top but it certainly wasn't this. The plateau is so large and beautiful; you can walk for a quarter mile in almost any direction. This is the scenery you are greeted by as you emerge off the path
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The sweeping landscape is truly breathtaking. The tall grass sways and gusts of wind moves over the plateau and recently flooded walking paths reflect the setting sun as you walk around. If you look closely, you can see little tadpoles swimming around in the water covering the walking paths.
If you turn around, you can see Mount McLaughlin towering majestically in the background.
When atop Upper Table Rock, it is difficult not to feel like you are surrounded on all sides by incredibly picturesque nature.
If you walk to the east edge of the plateau you can see Lower Table Rock clearly in the distance off to the right:
We came across this photogenic little rock formation sitting in the middle of a puddle, which nicely mimicked the contours of the mountains in the background:
My partner and I spent a few hours exploring the top of the plateau and then cheerfully began out dissent. We had no idea what was in store for us at the top when we googled "hikes near us" while in Medford, Oregon. I thoroughly recommend this hike for anyone in the area, especially late in the day as the setting sun looks amazing and the hike is short enough to avoid hiking in the dark if you leave before the sun has gone down completely.
Thanks for reading!
Please let me know if you have any questions about the hike!