Table Rocks Management Area

The 4,864-acre Table Rocks Management Area is cooperatively owned and administered by the BLM Medford District (2,105 acres) and The Nature Conservancy (2,759 acres). Memorandums of Understanding signed in 2011 and 2012 with the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians allow for coordinating resources to protect the Table Rocks for present and future generations. A cooperative management plan for the area was completed in 2013.

Environmental Education Program

The Table Rock Environmental Education program began nearly 40 years ago and marked the beginning of a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management and The Nature Conservancy. In the first few years, less than 100 individuals participated in guided hikes. Today, the BLM environmental educators host thousands of teachers, parents, and other participating groups on guided hikes to the summit.

There are two types of programs offered at Table Rocks:

Guided School Group Hikes

Table Rocks Guided Hike Programs Suspended for Spring 2025

Unfortunately, due to budget and staffing cuts, we are not able to offer any guided hikes for school groups at the Table Rocks for the Spring 2025 season. While we understand this may be disappointing, we are doing everything we can to manage the area with the resources that are available to us.

If you plan to bring your students on your own to hike Table Rocks, you must register your group in order to keep the number of visitors on the trail at a manageable number. Contact the program coordinator Molly Allen at m2allen@blm.gov, (o) 541-618-2468 or (c) 541-613-6563 for available dates.

Once your hike is scheduled, you will receive an information packet that includes helpful tips and support materials to assist you in leading your own hike.

Guided Weekend Hikes for the Public

The weekend hikes for the public are organized by both the BLM and the Nature Conservancy. A few weeks prior to the public hikes, the schedules are advertised in local newspapers and online, providing a brief description of themes including specialties such as archaeology, botany, geology, and much more! Weekend hikes occur in April, May, and June. Please see Spring Hikes Program tab below for the full schedule.

Know Before You Go

The Table Rocks offer a unique and challenging educational environment. The success of your hike is of utmost concern to us. Please read and follow these important Table Rock field trip requirements:

• Please review Table Rock material with your students before their hike. Groups prepared before their hike will learn more and be more engaged throughout the day.
• Advise and prepare group members to give hike leaders their undivided attention and respect. Remind students this is a school day and their hike is just another type of learning environment. Students are required to maintain the same level of attention and respect as is expected of them in their regular classroom.
• Discipline is not the responsibility of the BLM Hike Leader. Leaders will set specific ground rules at the beginning of the hike, but discipline is the responsibility of the teacher and chaperones.
• Groups will be limited to one classroom per BLM guide and, for safety reasons, must include at least one parent chaperone/volunteer for every 10 students along with the classroom teacher or the program lead. No substitute teachers please. If you are unable to supply the correct number of chaperones, your hike will be cancelled.
• Hikers need to be properly equipped. Please review the “What to Bring on your Table Rock Hike” sheet to ensure the safety of your group.

See you at the trailhead!

Spring Hikes Program

Weekend Hike Schedule

Please contact the BLM Medford District at 541-618-2200, M-F, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. to reserve your spot.

The Nature Conservancy and the Bureau of Land Management have protected and managed the Table Rocks for more than 40 years. Join us as we discover and renew with nature this spring at the Table Rocks.

Uncovering the Botanical Treasures of the Table Rocks
Saturday, April 19, Lower Table Rock, 10 a.m.
Join Karla Alvarado, BLM botanist, for a botanical foray at Lower Table Rock. Dive into the fascinating world of vernal pool flora, identifying plant species with remarkable adaptations that allow them to thrive in these unique seasonal wetlands. With a little luck we might encounter the Dwarf Meadowfoam (Limnanthes pumila ssp. pumila), a threatened vernal pool plant found exclusively at the Table Rocks.

Nature Rocks! Saturday, April 26, Upper Table Rock, 9 a.m.
Join Chamise Kramer, USDA marketing and publications specialist, and Molly Allen, BLM environmental education specialist, on a general information hike suitable for the whole family. The hike will cover a little bit of everything from wildflowers, ethnobotany, geology, wildlife, ecology and cultural history of the Table Rocks. Bring your curiosity.

Camp White: “The Alcatraz of Boot Camps”
Saturday May 3, Upper Table Rock, 9 a.m.
Travel back in time to the WWII era with Jennifer Sigler and Dakota Slaton, BLM archeologists. During the war, Southern Oregon was a major training center for the U.S. military. Participants will explore of the remains of the Camp White “Fortified Zone,” which includes pill boxes designed to practice infantry drills. Because there is no trail, wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Limited to 15 individuals.

Bee Dazzled by Bees
Sunday, May 18, Lower Table Rock, 10:00am
Join Amanda Huffman, BLM wildlife biologist and volunteer with the Oregon Bee Atlas, on a hike to discover what all the "buzz" is about native bees. Observe them hard at work on the flower lined path, and up close in a jar! Each participant will be taught the basics of safe catch and release, and will have their own net and jar to use so they can see and learn about these fascinating creatures up close! Limited to 15 individuals.

Whooo Comes Out at Night?
Saturday, June 14, Lower Table Rock Loop Trail, 8 p.m.
Look and listen for who comes out at night while hiking the Lower Table Rock Loop Trail (1/2-mile accessible trail) with Steve Godwin and Emma Busk, BLM wildlife biologists. They will attempt to lure pygmy, great horned, and screech owls, as well as other creatures of the night. Learn fascinating information about bats and their importance as they fly overhead. (No guarantees with wild animals!) Bring flashlights and wear good hiking shoes.

School Field Trip Group Hike Information

• Table Rocks Trail Map
• Pre-Hike Presentation for Elementary School
• What to Bring on Your Table Rock Hike
• What to Bring on Your Table Rock Hike (Spanish Version)
• To the Chaperones
• To the Chaperones (Spanish Version)
• Pre-K What To Bring
• Pre-K Chaperones Letter