Page 53 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2021

inter doesn’t necessar-
ily mean the end of being
outdoors for people living
Win and near Klamath Falls.
When the snow flies, trails in places like
Moore Park, the OC&E-Woods Line State
Park, Running Y Ranch Resort, and Spence
Mountain offer opportunities to go cross
country skiing and snowshoeing.

When I want to tweak out-of-town friends,
I grumble about the time last winter when
I drove from my house to the Link River
Trail to go cross-country skiing. “Traffic was
backed up,” I’ve explained with a pasted-on
frown, adding with a touch of indignation, “It
took me 10 minutes!”

Trails used for warmer weather pursuits
come alive when the snow flies, times when
it’s not necessary to drive to Crater Lake W ’
National Park or the Lake of the Woods area
for winter outings. Moore Park’s network of
trails connects with the Link River and the .
Wingwatchers Nature trails. Much of the parkhurstwine.com
Wingwatchers goes alongside Lake Ewauna, 806 S. Paci�ic Hwy, Suite A | Talent, OR
where bird sightings, especially of bald
eagles, are common. Even on relatively low 541/324-4851
snow years those trails, both just minutes
PARKHURST 3rd Sq SOM SUM 2020.indd 1
6/18/2020 4:55:10 PM
from downtown, and the maze of Moore Park PARKHURST 3rd Sq SOM SUM 2020.indd 1 6/18/2020 4:55:10 PM
trails generally offer several days or, in snowy
winters, weeks and months of cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing opportunities along
with sledding.

Klamath Falls Parks Manager John Bellon, a
former cross-country ski instructor, enjoys his
close-to-home skiing opportunities. “Moore
Park offers a multitude of cross-country ski
and snowshoe terrain,” he tells. Among his
recommendations for beginners and people
with limited time is the expansive lawn areas
near the park’s main entrance on Lakeshore
Drive. When there’s snow, ski tracks are
groomed daily by volunteers. Good, too,
are the park’s the upper loop roads that are
sometimes plowed on one side for walkers
and snowshoers while the other side is either
left untouched or machine groomed by a
track setter for skiers. Most park roads are
closed to motor vehicles, which Bellon says
creates a “more secluded experience” that
features views of Upper Klamath Lake from
overlooks.

For backcountry skiers, Bellon notes trails
at slightly higher elevation often retain snow
longer. He recommends the long, fairly
straight Eulalona and Blueberry trails. Both
winter 2021 | www.southernoregonmagazine.com 51