Tallowbox Mountain 6-5-24

Photos by Barry, Eva and Nanci, Track by Barry

Ashland Hiking Home

Eight intrepid hikers came out to take the new Tallowbox Trail in the Applegate. It was a beautiful sunny day and warm, but not too hot.

The trail starts out up a very old road bed along the creek up Ladybug Gulch, where it crosses the creek three times. At about 1 mile the trail connects to a dirt road and it is all dirt/gravel road from there to the top of Tallowbox Mountain. The road is relatively steep and relentless! 

Once at the top, we were greeted by outstanding views of the Cascades, the Siskiyous and the Applegate Valley, along with a cell tower. We stopped here for a nice relaxing lunch.

After lunch we headed back down to the cars and completed the 5 hour hike. In total we did about 7.8 miles with a vertical of 2,300 feet.

Minority Report (it may represent a majority, but we didn't vote):

The views at the top of the mountain are a full 360 degrees and excellent. That rates a 5 out of 5. The trail/road on the way there don't rate ver high. The hike starts out with a mediocre single track up an old road bed. After a mile it turns into all road up to the top. It is steep and relentless. There is almost no view and except for a short section, very few wildflowers. The trail/road rate a 2 out of 5 and that may be generous. I'm glad to have done it, but I won't be rushing back any time soon!

Scott