Greetings from Southern Oregon,

Our outdoors writers always tout that the Pacific Crest Trail runs through our region, through the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Soda Mountain Wilderness and Sky Lakes Wilderness. Of course, those areas are most popular for longer, overnight treks.

If you want a relatively easy day hike, consider locals’ favorite, the Table Rocks. While the trail to the top of these mesas cuts through the region’s typical, oak-savannah flora, the view from the top of these distinctive geographic and geologic  features is unsurpassed: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111023/READERSCHOICE/110230356.

There also are popular trail systems through the Jacksonville Woodlands and Ashland’s Lithia Park. For more on the region’s hiking trails, check out the landing page on the Mail Tribune newspaper’s Oregon Outdoors site: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=OREGONOUTDOORS01&keyword=Hiking

Enjoy your trip.