Lithia Park

Lithia Park is the green spine of Ashland. It begins right behind the downtown plaza and stretches roughly a mile up the canyon of Ashland Creek, covering nearly a hundred acres of lawns, woodland, ponds and trails. The park was shaped in the early twentieth century with the help of the designer John McLaren, who also laid out Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and it has the unhurried, tree-lined look of a place that has been loved for a long time. Locals walk their dogs here at dawn, families feed the ducks, actors rehearse lines on benches and visitors stroll between the theaters and their hotels. The park has plenty to find. Near the entrance a pair of fountains dispense lithia mineral water, which has a strong flavor that some people enjoy and others do not, and which gave the park and the early town their name. Further in you will pass a Japanese garden, a playground, a band shell used for concerts in summer, a lower duck pond and the long, wooded stretch of trail beside the rushing creek. The farther you go, the quieter it gets, and at the top a network of paths links with the hills around the town.

Treat Lithia Park as the heart of your day rather than a single stop. A slow walk from the plaza to the upper end and back takes about an hour with pauses for photographs, but you can easily spend half a day if you bring a picnic, a book or a sketchpad. Spring brings blossom and rushing water, summer is the season of shade and concerts, autumn turns the maples and sycamores gold, and winter, while quieter, can be crisp and beautiful on a clear day.

Because the park is free and always open, it works for any time of day, including a short walk before a morning departure or after a late dinner.

It is also the quickest way to get from one part of Ashland to another on foot. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival venues sit just above the plaza, and the park path leads directly to the theaters, so many visitors use it as a pleasant approach to the evening show.

Families will like the playground, the ponds and the wide lawns, and older visitors will find that the lower sections are gentle and mostly level. The upper trails are steeper and can be slick after rain, so wear shoes with some grip if you plan to go beyond the main paved path.

A few practical points. Dogs are generally welcome on leash, but check the posted rules in the garden areas. Public restrooms are available near the main entrance and some of the activity areas. The park is lively on summer evenings when concerts and events are on, so allow extra time and expect the nearby streets to be busy.

Do not leave valuables in a parked car on the streets nearby. If you want a longer hike, follow the creek trail to its end and continue into the hills; if you want something easy, stay on the lower loop and finish with ice cream or coffee on the plaza.

Early morning is the best time for birdwatching and photography, when the light filters through the canopy and the paths are quiet, and golden hour is lovely along the upper creek.