Attention, powder hounds and frosty weather lovers: Southern Oregon is the perfect winter-recreation destination. From Nordic skiing to ice fishing, this region has it all, thanks to the snow-catching Cascades studded with mountain lakes. Here’s how to start planning your adventure.
Find Your Powder at These Ski Areas
If you like downhill skiing or snowboarding, Southern Oregon’s friendly, laid-back and affordable ski areas are key attractions.
Just a half-hour south of Ashland, Mt. Ashland Ski Area is perched on the Siskiyou Crest. With a cozy lodge and lessons, Mt. A — as the locals call it — features six lifts and 45 runs. Guests will notice some improvements in 2025, including the brand-new triple-seat Lithia Chairlift. This new lift is especially good news for newbies, as it serves beginner and intermediate trails in the ski area’s upper reaches. For the latest conditions, follow the ski area’s social media channels.
Willamette Pass Ski Resort, located on Highway 58 north of Klamath Falls, has also seen recent improvements, including upgrades to the parking lot, lodge and lifts. Five chairlifts serve the mountain’s 29 trails, and there’s a restaurant and rental shop on-site. The resort is also within minutes of Odell Lake.
Warner Canyon Ski Area, 20 minutes east of Lakeview in the Oregon Outback, is a local’s secret. You’ll rarely encounter long lines at this laid-back resort, and the rustic lodge and ample beginner and intermediate runs make it perfect for families. You can access a network of backcountry Nordic trails from the ski area, too.
Play in the Snow at These Sno-Parks
Southern Oregon has a wealth of sno-parks for anyone who loves to play in winter weather. These maintained parking areas are the gateways to winter fun — think sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and otherwise frolicking in the snow. In Southern Oregon, many are located adjacent to major roads in the Cascade Mountains.
You can access miles of Nordic trails, including some that are groomed, from many sno-parks. Buck Prairie, located at mile 13 on Dead Indian Memorial Road, is a prime example; there you can explore the forests and meadows of Howard Prairie thanks to a 32-mile network of trails ranging in length and difficulty. The Southern Oregon Nordic Club is your go-to resource for trail information.
Nothing brings out your giggly inner child like flying down a snowy hill on a sled or an inflated inner tube. Several of Southern Oregon’s sno-parks and designated winter and snow-play areas offer excellent hills for sledding and snow tubing — for example, Farewell Bend Snow Play Area in the High Cascades and Annie Creek Sno-Park in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near Fort Klamath. Many of these sno-parks also provide rustic log warming shelters with wood stoves, so be sure to bring a thermos of hot chocolate to enjoy after you recreate.
Visit These Spectacular Winter Lakes
There’s something magical about how snow and ice can transform a mountain lake, and Southern Oregon has several of these gems, starting with the crown jewel, Crater Lake.
Poised on a jagged crest of the Cascades, Crater Lake National Park is well covered in snow every winter. Choose from a plethora of snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails, or simply enjoy the lake in its snowy setting and marvel at the walls of snow that build up along the roads and around the park’s historic buildings. Rangers provide free guided snowshoeing treks in winter.
Note that the North Entrance Road and Rim Drive are closed for the 2025 season; winter weather can temporarily shut down other routes, too. Check weather and road conditions before you go.
Cozy resorts at Odell Lake, Diamond Lake, Fish Lake, Lake of the Woods and Hyatt Lake make excellent jumping-off points for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. There you’ll find lodging and restaurants after your day on the trails, as well as special events and great local tips about where to go.
For instance, you can take a guided snowmobile tour to Crater Lake from Odell Lake, or make the lodge or a cozy cabin headquarters for a ski adventure at nearby Willamette Pass. Try your hand at ice fishing for trout at Diamond Lake and Lake of the Woods (Diamond Lake Resort rents gear). At Hyatt Lake — just a few miles off Highway 66, 45 minutes east of Ashland — hole up in a rustic cabin or make tracks on the groomed Nordic trails nearby.
If You Go:
- Wherever you go for winter play this season, be sure to check road conditions. Oregon’s Department of Transportation hosts web cameras on many major roads and highways at TripCheck. There’s an especially handy map of sno-parks organized by region.
- Four-wheel- or all-wheel-drive vehicles are advised on most roads. Always carry chains, water and a shovel. Take paper maps with you and use caution when relying on GPS, which doesn’t account for snow cover on roads.
- For sno-park fun, you’ll need to purchase a seasonal permit or day pass online at the Oregon DMV website or from a local vendor. Be aware that only a few sno-parks allow dogs; pups must be leashed.
Wherever you go, be prepared for the conditions with your winter Ten Essentials.
