April is a lovely time to visit Ashland! Right in town, I suggest spending some time in Lithia Park, which offers acres of cultivated gardens, duck ponds and wooded walking trails. For wildflowers, you’ll find them at higher elevations. The best place, in my opinion, to view alpine wild flower blooms is Mt. Ashland, in the high alpine meadows below the peak. They are accessible via the Pacific Crest Trail or the forest service road that continues past the Mt. Ashland ski area parking lot. Usually, April is a good time to visit this high elevation, but this year, we’ve had a lot of snow, so it may still be covered until May. Still, keep it on your radar.

Slightly lower down in elevation, Grizzly Peak is also a good wildflower viewing area. Located on the other side of I-5 from Mt. Ashland, the trail is a five-mile loop. If you don’t already have accommodations, I highly suggest a stay at Willow-Witt Ranch. This working organic farm is located near Grizzly Peak (outside town) and offers beautiful mountain meadows and pastures of its own. I visited in late April and lots of flowers and other plants were blooming.