Upper and Lower Table Rock
Encyclopedia
Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock are two prominent volcanic plateau
s located just north of the Rogue River
in Jackson County
, Oregon
. Created by an andesitic
lava flow
approximately seven million years ago and shaped by erosion, they now stand about 800 feet (243.8 m) above the surrounding valley
. The Table Rocks are jointly owned; The Nature Conservancy
is responsible for 3591 acres (1,453 ha), while the Bureau of Land Management
is responsible for 1280 acres (518 ha).
The Takelma
tribe of Native Americans
inhabited the Table Rocks for at least 15,000 years prior to European American
settlement. Starting in the mid-19th century during a gold rush
, the settlers forced the Takelma away from the Table Rocks and into reservations
. The surrounding area was quickly developed. The Table Rock post office was established in 1872, an airstrip was built atop Lower Table Rock in 1948, and a very high frequency omni-directional range
(VOR) aviation tower was constructed on Upper Table Rock in the 1960s. The Table Rocks were not protected
until the 1970s.
The rocks are home to over 70 species of animals and 340 species of plants, which includes over 200 species of wildflowers. Vernal pool
s atop the plateaus fill during the rainy season in winter and spring because the andesite is impermeable. The Dwarf Woolly Meadowfoam, a species of wildflower, grows around these pools, and is endemic to the rocks. The pools are also one of only a few places where the federally threatened species
of fairy shrimp
, Branchinecta lynchi
, can be found. To protect these and other threatened species, the rocks have been listed as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern
by the Bureau of Land Management since 1984.
The Table Rocks are one of the most popular hiking locations in the Rogue Valley, with over 10,000 visitors annually. Two trails, Lower Table Rock Trail and Upper Table Rock Trail, were cut across the plateaus' slopes in the early 1980s by the Youth Conservation Corps
, Boy Scout
s, and the Oregon Department of Forestry
.
The plateaus are named Table Rocks because of their relatively flat tops. Upper and Lower refer to their location along the Rogue River, not their height. Upper Table Rock, 2091 feet (637.3 m) above sea level at its highest point, is located upstream, while Lower Table Rock is farther downstream, with an elevation of 2049 feet (624.5 m).
Starting approximately 40 million years ago in the middle Eocene
, a braided river
system called the "Ancestral Rogue River" flowed through the region where the Rogue Valley is now carved. For about 2.1 million years, the river deposited what is now known as the Payne Cliffs Formation by laying down a thin conglomerate
, followed by arkosic
sandstone
and siltstone
. Between 20 and 10 million years ago, the uplift
that created the nearby Klamath Mountains
caused an incision that formed the Rogue River valley. Vertical erosion, or downcutting
of the Rogue River continues to keep pace with the recent uplift, with about 690 feet (210.3 m) of erosion occurring in the past seven million years.
Approximately seven million years ago in the upper Miocene
, a 44 mile (71 km) long trachyandesitic
lava flow that likely came from Olson Mountain near present-day Lost Creek Lake
flowed down the Ancestral Rogue River and its tributaries and spread throughout the valley. This lava formed a hard cap over the Payne Cliffs Formation. At Lost Creek Lake, the lava attained its maximum thickness of 730 feet (222.5 m) and thinned to about 100 to 200 ft (30.5 to 61 m) to the north of Medford
.
Since the Olson eruption, the Rogue River has eroded
90 percent of the lava. Though the andesite prevented much erosion to the caps of the Table Rocks, the andesite-capped cliffs eroded from the side as the softer sedimentary units of the Payne Cliffs Formation gave way. Upper and Lower Table Rock both stand 800 feet (243.8 m) above the valley floor, and just over 2000 feet (609.6 m) above sea level
. There are approximately 300 acres (121.4 ha) of level ground on Lower Table Rock, and 500 acres (202.3 ha) on Upper Table Rock. Expansive talus
fields now surround the plateaus on all sides, creating slopes capable of supporting both plant and animal life.
The Table Rocks offer an example of inverted topography
, in which previous topographic lows are filled with a resistant rock and become new topographic highs after the erosion of the surrounding region. Each plateau is shaped roughly like a horseshoe
because the lava followed the meander
s of the Ancestral Rogue River.
Two caves and two former gold mines
are located at the base of the andesite cap on Upper Table Rock. The caves were created by natural fractures in the cap, and the gold mines were excavated by prospectors
searching for gold in the 19th century. Three are large enough to walk into, with an average width of 8 feet (2 m), while one is a small pit
, dropping 30 feet (9 m) vertically into a pond of water.
s that were discovered nearby. The region surrounding the Table Rocks was home to the Takelma people. They gathered food such as acorn
s and tarweed
seeds, and caught salmon
in the nearby Rogue River. The Takelma also used deer hides for clothing. They had several names for the rocks, including Di'tani (rock above), Titanakh (little Indian plums), and possibly Kwenphunkh. The first use of the names Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock is unknown, however the first recorded use was by mountain man
James Clyman
in 1845.
Some of the first European Americans to visit the area were fur trappers led by Peter Skene Ogden
in 1827. In 1841 the United States Exploring Expedition
passed through the Rogue Valley. Neither Ogden nor the expedition mentioned the Table Rocks. The gold rush of the early 1850s brought many emigrants to the area, and Table Rock City (later renamed Jacksonville
) was established several miles south of the rocks. The sudden increase of settlers created conflicts with the Rogue River Indians. These conflicts turned into warfare, and several treaties were signed in an attempt to end the hostilities. In June 1851, soldiers of the United States Army
led by Major Philip Kearny
attacked the Takelma near Lower Table Rock, but the Takelma were prepared. One soldier died, and three others were injured. Major Kearny returned with volunteers from Yreka
soon after, accompanied by Oregon Territory delegate
Joseph Lane
. The ensuing Battle of Table Rock lasted 10 days, and 30 Takelma were imprisoned.
In September 1853, the Native Americans signed a peace treaty with Joseph Lane, and the Treaty with the Rogue River with Joel Palmer
, which resulted in their ceding
2500 mi2 of land for $60,000. The Takelma population underwent their first forced migration
into the Table Rock Reservation
, located between Upper Table Rock and nearby Evans Creek. This Indian reservation remained open for three years, while the inhabitants were moved to other reservations. In January 1856, 400 Native Americans were moved to the Grande Ronde Reservation. Most of the rest were relocated to the Siletz Reservation
in May.
Development of the area commenced immediately and in 1872 the Table Rock Post Office was established just south of Upper Table Rock and east of Lower Table Rock. The Table Rock School District was created in 1879. In 1895 the post office's name was changed to Tablerock, and it was closed in 1906. Telephones arrived in 1908, and the Table Rock Mutual Telephone Company was established. The school district was merged with Central Point
's district in 1948.
In November 1948, John Day, a local cattle rancher and developer, built a 3/4 mi airstrip on the surface of Lower Table Rock to impress visiting celebrities from Hollywood. Day funded residential lots near the landmark with the intent of marketing the lots to the celebrities who used the grassy runway. The runway was closed in the late 1980s, but small airplanes still occasionally attempt to land on it.
The Federal Aviation Administration
has operated a 25 feet (7.6 m) tall very high frequency omni-directional range (VOR) aviation tower on Upper Table Rock since the 1960s. The tower's purpose is to broadcast precise coordinates to nearby aircraft to assist in navigation
. The facility is closed to the public due to the threat to the safety of the occupants of the aircraft. However, the structure sustained $40,000 worth of damage in 1997 when vandals unsuccessfully attempted to steal aluminum antennas from the 15 feet (4.6 m) tall fiberglass
shell on the roof of the building.
The Nature Conservancy became concerned about overdevelopment
in 1978 and launched its largest fundraising project to that date. Collecting over $500,000, they purchased 1881 acres (761.2 ha) of Lower Table Rock, creating the Lower Table Rock Preserve. Projects include prescribed burning
and invasive species
removal. In 1981, the Youth Conservation Corps cleared the Upper Table Rock Trail. A year later, the Lower Table Rock Trail was constructed; the first 400 feet (121.9 m) were built by a Central Point Boy Scout troop, while the rest was built by the Oregon Department of Forestry. In 1984, the Table Rocks were designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern by the Bureau of Land Management. In May 2009, The Nature Conservancy bought another 1710 acres (692 ha) of land on the Table Rocks for $3.9 million, ending private ownership of the rocks.
Four overlapping ecological regions have been identified on the Table Rocks, with considerable differences in the variety of wildlife found in each. From the outermost base of the rocks, three regions consisting of oak savanna
, chaparral
, and mixed woodland surround the relatively flat tops. The andesite cap is covered by the fourth region, mounded prairie
. This region formed when the caps were slowly eroded by the freezing and thawing of water that seeped into the ground (ice erosion), which created layers of mounded soil. Vernal pools fill in from October to June in the mounded prairie area due to the andesite's impermeability. The pools support species of plants and animals.
Over 340 species of plants grow on the rocks, including approximately 200 species of wildflowers. Some of the most common wildflowers are buttercups
, desert parsley
, Bicolor Lupine
, and California Goldfields
. Camas and Death Camas also grow on the rocks. Camas produces an edible bulb
, while Death Camas is poisonous and was used by the Takelma as an anesthetic
.
More than 70 species of animals are known to live on the Table Rocks. Lizards such as the Western Fence Lizard
, Southern Alligator Lizard
, and Western Skink
have been seen in all four regions of the Table Rocks. Western Rattlesnakes
and two species of garter snake
s also live in all regions. Black-tailed Deer
, Coyote
s, and Bobcat
s are some of the mammals that live on the Table Rocks. The rocks are also home to tick
s, although they are mainly found in the chaparral region. Many species of birds live on the rocks.
The Table Rocks experience a Mediterranean climate
. The average wind speed in the area is less than 6 miles per hour (10 km/h), and the annual precipitation
is approximately 18 inches (457.2 mm) due to the rain shadow
created by the Klamath Mountains
. It rarely snows in the winter.
Oak savanna is a type of grassland
with scattered oak trees, found on the lowest slopes of the Table Rocks. The Takelma tribe often set set fires in the oak savanna and chaparral regions to prevent brush overgrowth, creating foraging
areas for animals such as deer and Elk
. It also prevented large wildfire
s. White Oak and Ponderosa Pine are the most common trees found in the region. Buckbrush
, Manzanita
, Pacific Madrone, Deerbrush
, Mountain Mahogany
, and Poison-oak are also common.
Snakes such as the Ringneck Snake
, Western Yellow-bellied Racer
, Striped Whipsnake
, and Gopher Snake
live in the oak savanna region. Birds such as titmice
, flycatchers
, nuthatches
, bluebirds
, swallows
, woodpeckers
, grosbeaks
, and kestrels
have also been found in this region. The rocks are known to be the northernmost place Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
s inhabit. Gall wasp
s live in this area, often creating galls
in oak trees by injecting their larva
into their leaves and branches.
, receiving very little precipitation. Sclerophyll
ous plants such as manzanita and buckbrush grow in this area, both relying on fire to reproduce. The rare Gentner's frittilary
also grows in this region.
Black bears
have been spotted in the chaparral region, usually in the fall. The most common birds include titmice and the Acorn Woodpecker
. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, goldfinches
, and the Anna's Hummingbird
have also been seen.
. Black Oak, Douglas-fir, Pacific Madrone, Incense-cedar
, and other plants grow in the mixed woodland. Shrubs such as Oregon-grape
, honeysuckle
, elderberry, and Poison-oak also grow here. The soil in this area is mostly loam
.
Rodents such as the California Ground Squirrel
, Western Gray Squirrel
, and Dusky-footed Woodrat
live in this region. Birds such as grosbeaks, flycatchers, tanagers
, and buntings
are common in the area. Nine species of warblers
, three species of vireo
s, and two species of thrushes
can also be found. The Pileated Woodpecker
has been spotted rarely in large pine trees.
The mounded prairie region is located on top of the plateaus, characterized by many species grasses and wildflowers around the vernal pools, with mounds of soil created by erosion. The Dwarf Woolly Meadowfoam, a plant endemic to the Table Rocks, grow near these pools. They bloom for about ten days in April. When filled in the winter and early spring, the pools are also a known habitat for the vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), a threatened species.
Two types of amphibian
s are found in the mounded prairie region, typically around vernal pools. The Pacific Tree Frog
live in large numbers on the rocks, while tadpole
s of the rarer Western Toad
can be seen between March and May. Mammals such as California Vole
s, Heermann's Kangaroo Rat
s, raccoon
s, and weasels
can also be found in this region. The Western Meadowlark
and two species of sparrow
s are the most common types of birds that are seen in the area. Turkey Vulture
s, Rock Wren
, three species of hawk
s, and other birds patrol the cliffs on the sides of the plateaus.
The Table Rocks offer one of the most popular hiking locations in the Rogue Valley, with over 10,000 visitors annually. Over 4,600 people per year participate in guided hikes through the Table Rock Environmental Education Program, hosted by the Bureau of Land Management and The Nature Conservancy. Lower Table Rock features a walking trail, which climbs approximately 780 feet (237.7 m) to the top of the plateau over 1.75 miles (2.82 km). It has eight interpretive panels along its length, explaining the history, flora, and fauna of the region. Upper Table Rock also has a walking trail, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) long, ascending approximately 720 feet (219.5 m). The trails are the most popular with hikers between March and May, when the wildflowers are in bloom. Another peak occurs in September through October. Landmarks such as Mount McLoughlin
, Mount Ashland
, Roxy Ann Peak
, and Pilot Rock
are visible on clear days from the edge of the rocks.
The Youth Conservation Corps, Boy Scouts, and the Oregon Department of Forestry built the trails leading to the tops of the Table Rocks in the early 1980s, around the same time the plateaus were being nominated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. In June 1999, only two small trees were cut when Shady Cove
contractor Randy Hodges rerouted a 3/4 mi section of the Lower Table Rock trail to accommodate the growing number of visitors. The project involved decommissioning the old section and expanding the parking lot, and 2200 feet (670.6 m) of new trail was installed. Measures to protect the trail were implemented, such as installing rock waterbar
s and a layer of shale gravel over the clay.
In 2005, a program to build an interpretive trail began on Lower Table Rock near the trailhead
. Prior to construction, some persons with disabilities
, children, or the elderly may have been prevented from using either of the Table Rocks due to the steep terrain and narrow paths. The finished project involved making a 500 feet (152.4 m) section of trail accessible
and adding a 1/2 mi long section of new trail for general public use.
Both trails lead to spectacular views of the surrounding areas, but have inherent dangers as well. The thick andesite caps have heavily eroded, leaving tall crumbling columns near the edges. In April 2007 a 22-year-old Medford
man fell to his death while climbing. Another man fell 100 feet (30.5 m) in 2007, but survived. In 2008, a man from Central Point
tumbled through a rock shaft to his death and was not found for over six months.
Volcanic plateau
A volcanic plateau is a plateau produced by volcanic activity. There are two main types: lava plateaus and pyroclastic plateaus.-Lava plateau:...
s located just north of the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
in Jackson County
Jackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Created by an andesitic
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
lava flow
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
approximately seven million years ago and shaped by erosion, they now stand about 800 feet (243.8 m) above the surrounding valley
Rogue Valley
The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber-producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon near the California border. The...
. The Table Rocks are jointly owned; The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
is responsible for 3591 acres (1,453 ha), while the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
is responsible for 1280 acres (518 ha).
The Takelma
Takelma
The Takelma were a Native American people that lived in the Rogue Valley of interior southwest Oregon, with most of their villages sited along the Rogue River. The name Takelma means Along the River.-History:...
tribe of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
inhabited the Table Rocks for at least 15,000 years prior to European American
European American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
settlement. Starting in the mid-19th century during a gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, the settlers forced the Takelma away from the Table Rocks and into reservations
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
. The surrounding area was quickly developed. The Table Rock post office was established in 1872, an airstrip was built atop Lower Table Rock in 1948, and a very high frequency omni-directional range
VHF omnidirectional range
VOR, short for VHF omnidirectional radio range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. A VOR ground station broadcasts a VHF radio composite signal including the station's identifier, voice , and navigation signal. The identifier is typically a two- or three-letter string in Morse code...
(VOR) aviation tower was constructed on Upper Table Rock in the 1960s. The Table Rocks were not protected
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
until the 1970s.
The rocks are home to over 70 species of animals and 340 species of plants, which includes over 200 species of wildflowers. Vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s atop the plateaus fill during the rainy season in winter and spring because the andesite is impermeable. The Dwarf Woolly Meadowfoam, a species of wildflower, grows around these pools, and is endemic to the rocks. The pools are also one of only a few places where the federally threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
of fairy shrimp
Fairy shrimp
Anostraca is one of the four orders of crustaceans in the class Branchiopoda; its members are also known as fairy shrimp. They are usually long . Most species have 20 body segments, bearing 11 pairs of leaf-like phyllopodia , and the body lacks a carapace...
, Branchinecta lynchi
Branchinecta lynchi
The vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi, is a species of freshwater crustacean in the family Branchinectidae. It is endemic to the U.S. states of Oregon and California, living in vernal pools. They range in size from long...
, can be found. To protect these and other threatened species, the rocks have been listed as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern is a conservation ecology program in the western United States, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The ACEC program was conceived in the 1976 Federal Lands Policy and Management Act , which established the first conservation ecology mandate for the BLM...
by the Bureau of Land Management since 1984.
The Table Rocks are one of the most popular hiking locations in the Rogue Valley, with over 10,000 visitors annually. Two trails, Lower Table Rock Trail and Upper Table Rock Trail, were cut across the plateaus' slopes in the early 1980s by the Youth Conservation Corps
Youth Conservation Corps
The Youth Conservation Corps ' is a summer work youth program in federally managed lands. The National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management employ teens each summer to participate in the YCC experience...
, Boy Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
s, and the Oregon Department of Forestry
Oregon Department of Forestry
The Oregon Department of Forestry is the agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon which performs a wide variety of functions relating to the management, regulation and protection of both public and private forest lands in the state...
.
The plateaus are named Table Rocks because of their relatively flat tops. Upper and Lower refer to their location along the Rogue River, not their height. Upper Table Rock, 2091 feet (637.3 m) above sea level at its highest point, is located upstream, while Lower Table Rock is farther downstream, with an elevation of 2049 feet (624.5 m).
Geology and climate
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
, a braided river
Braided river
A braided river is one of a number of channel types and has a channel that consists of a network of small channels separated by small and often temporary islands called braid bars or, in British usage, aits or eyots. Braided streams occur in rivers with high slope and/or large sediment load...
system called the "Ancestral Rogue River" flowed through the region where the Rogue Valley is now carved. For about 2.1 million years, the river deposited what is now known as the Payne Cliffs Formation by laying down a thin conglomerate
Conglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
, followed by arkosic
Arkose
Arkose is a detrital sedimentary rock, specifically a type of sandstone containing at least 25% feldspar. Arkosic sand is sand that is similarly rich in feldspar, and thus the potential precursor of arkose....
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and siltstone
Siltstone
Siltstone is a sedimentary rock which has a grain size in the silt range, finer than sandstone and coarser than claystones.- Description :As its name implies, it is primarily composed of silt sized particles, defined as grains 1/16 - 1/256 mm or 4 to 8 on the Krumbein phi scale...
. Between 20 and 10 million years ago, the uplift
Tectonic uplift
Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by plate tectonics which increases elevation. The opposite of uplift is subsidence, which results in a decrease in elevation. Uplift may be orogenic or isostatic.-Orogenic uplift:...
that created the nearby Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
caused an incision that formed the Rogue River valley. Vertical erosion, or downcutting
Downcutting
Downcutting, also called erosional downcutting or downward erosion or vertical erosion is a geological process that deepens the channel of a stream or valley by removing material from the stream's bed or the valley's floor. How fast downcutting occurs depends on the stream's base level, which is...
of the Rogue River continues to keep pace with the recent uplift, with about 690 feet (210.3 m) of erosion occurring in the past seven million years.
Approximately seven million years ago in the upper Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
, a 44 mile (71 km) long trachyandesitic
Trachyandesite
Trachyandesite is an extrusive igneous rock. It has little or no free quartz, but is dominated by alkali feldspar and sodic plagioclase along with one or more of the following mafic minerals: amphibole, biotite or pyroxene...
lava flow that likely came from Olson Mountain near present-day Lost Creek Lake
Lost Creek Lake
Lost Creek Lake is a reservoir located on the Rogue River in Jackson County, Oregon, USA. The lake is impounded by William L. Jess Dam which was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1977 for flood control. The lake and dam were the first completed elements of the multi-purpose Rogue...
flowed down the Ancestral Rogue River and its tributaries and spread throughout the valley. This lava formed a hard cap over the Payne Cliffs Formation. At Lost Creek Lake, the lava attained its maximum thickness of 730 feet (222.5 m) and thinned to about 100 to 200 ft (30.5 to 61 m) to the north of Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
Since the Olson eruption, the Rogue River has eroded
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
90 percent of the lava. Though the andesite prevented much erosion to the caps of the Table Rocks, the andesite-capped cliffs eroded from the side as the softer sedimentary units of the Payne Cliffs Formation gave way. Upper and Lower Table Rock both stand 800 feet (243.8 m) above the valley floor, and just over 2000 feet (609.6 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. There are approximately 300 acres (121.4 ha) of level ground on Lower Table Rock, and 500 acres (202.3 ha) on Upper Table Rock. Expansive talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
fields now surround the plateaus on all sides, creating slopes capable of supporting both plant and animal life.
The Table Rocks offer an example of inverted topography
Inverted topography
Inverted topography or topographic inversion refers to landscape features that have reversed their elevation relative to other features. It most often occurs when low areas of a landscape become filled with lava or sediment that hardens into material that is more resistant to erosion than the...
, in which previous topographic lows are filled with a resistant rock and become new topographic highs after the erosion of the surrounding region. Each plateau is shaped roughly like a horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
because the lava followed the meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
s of the Ancestral Rogue River.
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
are located at the base of the andesite cap on Upper Table Rock. The caves were created by natural fractures in the cap, and the gold mines were excavated by prospectors
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
searching for gold in the 19th century. Three are large enough to walk into, with an average width of 8 feet (2 m), while one is a small pit
Pit Cave
A pit cave, or vertical cave — or often simply called a pit or pot — is a type of natural cave which contains one or more significant vertical shafts rather than being predominantly a conventional horizontal cave passage. Pit caves typically form in limestone as a result of long-term erosion by...
, dropping 30 feet (9 m) vertically into a pond of water.
Human history
Humans have lived in the Table Rock area for at least 15,000 years, based on the age of Clovis pointClovis point
Clovis points are the characteristically-fluted projectile points associated with the North American Clovis culture. They date to the Paleoindian period around 13,500 years ago. Clovis fluted points are named after the city of Clovis, New Mexico, where examples were first found in 1929.At the right...
s that were discovered nearby. The region surrounding the Table Rocks was home to the Takelma people. They gathered food such as acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s and tarweed
Hemizonia
Hemizonia is a genus of plants in the daisy family . They are known generally as tarweeds, although some tarweeds belong to other genera, such as Madia and Deinandra...
seeds, and caught salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
in the nearby Rogue River. The Takelma also used deer hides for clothing. They had several names for the rocks, including Di'tani (rock above), Titanakh (little Indian plums), and possibly Kwenphunkh. The first use of the names Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock is unknown, however the first recorded use was by mountain man
Mountain man
Mountain men were trappers and explorers who roamed the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 through the 1880s where they were instrumental in opening up the various Emigrant Trails allowing Americans in the east to settle the new territories of the far west by organized wagon trains...
James Clyman
James Clyman
James or Jim Clyman was a mountain man and an explorer and guide in the American Far West.-Early life:James Clyman was born on a farm that belonged to George Washington in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1792...
in 1845.
Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden , was a fur trader and a Canadian explorer of what is now British Columbia and the American West...
in 1827. In 1841 the United States Exploring Expedition
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
passed through the Rogue Valley. Neither Ogden nor the expedition mentioned the Table Rocks. The gold rush of the early 1850s brought many emigrants to the area, and Table Rock City (later renamed Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
) was established several miles south of the rocks. The sudden increase of settlers created conflicts with the Rogue River Indians. These conflicts turned into warfare, and several treaties were signed in an attempt to end the hostilities. In June 1851, soldiers of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
led by Major Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny, Jr., was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly.-Early life and career:...
attacked the Takelma near Lower Table Rock, but the Takelma were prepared. One soldier died, and three others were injured. Major Kearny returned with volunteers from Yreka
Yreka, California
Yreka is the county seat of Siskiyou County, California, United States. The population was 7,765 at the 2010 census, up from 7,290 at the 2000 census.- History:...
soon after, accompanied by Oregon Territory delegate
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
. The ensuing Battle of Table Rock lasted 10 days, and 30 Takelma were imprisoned.
In September 1853, the Native Americans signed a peace treaty with Joseph Lane, and the Treaty with the Rogue River with Joel Palmer
Joel Palmer
General Joel Palmer was an American pioneer of the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He was born in Canada, and spent his early years in New York and Pennsylvania before serving as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.Palmer traveled to the Oregon...
, which resulted in their ceding
Cession
The act of Cession, or to cede, is the assignment of property to another entity. In international law it commonly refers to land transferred by treaty...
2500 mi2 of land for $60,000. The Takelma population underwent their first forced migration
Forced migration
Forced migration refers to the coerced movement of a person or persons away from their home or home region...
into the Table Rock Reservation
Table Rock Indian Reservation
Table Rock Reservation was a short-lived Indian reservation located north of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was established by treaty with the Rogue River Indians in 1853. Following the conclusion of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, the Native American inhabitants were moved to other...
, located between Upper Table Rock and nearby Evans Creek. This Indian reservation remained open for three years, while the inhabitants were moved to other reservations. In January 1856, 400 Native Americans were moved to the Grande Ronde Reservation. Most of the rest were relocated to the Siletz Reservation
Siletz Reservation
The Siletz Reservation is a 5.852 sq mi Indian reservation in Oregon, United States, owned by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz...
in May.
Development of the area commenced immediately and in 1872 the Table Rock Post Office was established just south of Upper Table Rock and east of Lower Table Rock. The Table Rock School District was created in 1879. In 1895 the post office's name was changed to Tablerock, and it was closed in 1906. Telephones arrived in 1908, and the Table Rock Mutual Telephone Company was established. The school district was merged with Central Point
Central Point, Oregon
Central Point is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,165 as of July 1, 2009 The city shares its southern border with Medford and is a part of the Medford metropolitan area...
's district in 1948.
In November 1948, John Day, a local cattle rancher and developer, built a 3/4 mi airstrip on the surface of Lower Table Rock to impress visiting celebrities from Hollywood. Day funded residential lots near the landmark with the intent of marketing the lots to the celebrities who used the grassy runway. The runway was closed in the late 1980s, but small airplanes still occasionally attempt to land on it.
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
has operated a 25 feet (7.6 m) tall very high frequency omni-directional range (VOR) aviation tower on Upper Table Rock since the 1960s. The tower's purpose is to broadcast precise coordinates to nearby aircraft to assist in navigation
Air navigation
The basic principles of air navigation are identical to general navigation, which includes the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another....
. The facility is closed to the public due to the threat to the safety of the occupants of the aircraft. However, the structure sustained $40,000 worth of damage in 1997 when vandals unsuccessfully attempted to steal aluminum antennas from the 15 feet (4.6 m) tall fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
shell on the roof of the building.
The Nature Conservancy became concerned about overdevelopment
Overdevelopment
Overdevelopment refers to a way of seeing global inequality that focuses on the negative consequences of excessive consumption. It exists as the mutually constitutive counterpart to the more commonly known concept of 'underdevelopment'....
in 1978 and launched its largest fundraising project to that date. Collecting over $500,000, they purchased 1881 acres (761.2 ha) of Lower Table Rock, creating the Lower Table Rock Preserve. Projects include prescribed burning
Controlled burn
Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or Swailing is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for...
and invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
removal. In 1981, the Youth Conservation Corps cleared the Upper Table Rock Trail. A year later, the Lower Table Rock Trail was constructed; the first 400 feet (121.9 m) were built by a Central Point Boy Scout troop, while the rest was built by the Oregon Department of Forestry. In 1984, the Table Rocks were designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern by the Bureau of Land Management. In May 2009, The Nature Conservancy bought another 1710 acres (692 ha) of land on the Table Rocks for $3.9 million, ending private ownership of the rocks.
Ecological habitats
Oak savanna
An oak savanna is a type of savanna, or lightly forested grassland, where oaks are the dominant tree species. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, grazing, low precipitation, poor soil, and/or fires set by Native Americans...
, chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, and mixed woodland surround the relatively flat tops. The andesite cap is covered by the fourth region, mounded prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
. This region formed when the caps were slowly eroded by the freezing and thawing of water that seeped into the ground (ice erosion), which created layers of mounded soil. Vernal pools fill in from October to June in the mounded prairie area due to the andesite's impermeability. The pools support species of plants and animals.
Over 340 species of plants grow on the rocks, including approximately 200 species of wildflowers. Some of the most common wildflowers are buttercups
Ranunculus occidentalis
Ranunculus occidentalis is a species of buttercup found in the western United States and Canada. Its distribution extends from Alaska through British Columbia and Alberta to central California...
, desert parsley
Lomatium
Lomatium is a genus of 70 to 80 perennial herbs native to western North America.Several species, including L. cous, L. geyeri, and L. macrocarpum, are sometimes known as biscuit roots for their starchy edible roots. These are or have been traditional Native American foods, eaten cooked or dried...
, Bicolor Lupine
Lupinus bicolor
Lupinus bicolor is a species of lupine known as the miniature lupine, Lindley's annual lupine, or bicolor lupine. It is a showy flowering plant native to western North America from California to British Columbia. It is an annual lupine which often shares a habitat with the California poppy. It has...
, and California Goldfields
Lasthenia californica
Lasthenia californica is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name California goldfields. It is native to California and Oregon and surrounding areas, where it is a very common member of the flora in a number of habitat types. This is an annual herb approaching a...
. Camas and Death Camas also grow on the rocks. Camas produces an edible bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
, while Death Camas is poisonous and was used by the Takelma as an anesthetic
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
.
More than 70 species of animals are known to live on the Table Rocks. Lizards such as the Western Fence Lizard
Western fence lizard
The western fence lizard is a common lizard of California and the surrounding area. Because the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly...
, Southern Alligator Lizard
Southern Alligator Lizard
The Southern alligator lizard is a lizard native to the Pacific coast of North America. It is common throughout Southern California and can be found in grasslands, chaparral, and forests as well as urban areas. In dry climates, it is likely to be found in moist areas or near streams. Three...
, and Western Skink
Western Skink
The Western Skink is a small, smooth-scaled lizard with relatively small limbs, measuring about 100 to 200 mm long. It is one of five species of lizards in Canada. Western skinks are very adaptable. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders...
have been seen in all four regions of the Table Rocks. Western Rattlesnakes
Crotalus viridis
Crotalus viridis is a venomous pitviper species native to the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Currently, nine subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:...
and two species of garter snake
Garter snake
The Garter snake is a Colubrid snake genus common across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada to Central America. It is the single most widely distributed genus of reptile in North America. The garter snake is also the Massachusettsstate reptile.There is no real consensus on the...
s also live in all regions. Black-tailed Deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
, Coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, and Bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s are some of the mammals that live on the Table Rocks. The rocks are also home to tick
Tick
Ticks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians...
s, although they are mainly found in the chaparral region. Many species of birds live on the rocks.
The Table Rocks experience a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
. The average wind speed in the area is less than 6 miles per hour (10 km/h), and the annual precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is approximately 18 inches (457.2 mm) due to the rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
created by the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
. It rarely snows in the winter.
Oak savanna
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
with scattered oak trees, found on the lowest slopes of the Table Rocks. The Takelma tribe often set set fires in the oak savanna and chaparral regions to prevent brush overgrowth, creating foraging
Foraging
- Definitions and significance of foraging behavior :Foraging is the act of searching for and exploiting food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce...
areas for animals such as deer and Elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
. It also prevented large wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s. White Oak and Ponderosa Pine are the most common trees found in the region. Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus
Ceanothus cuneatus is a species of flowering shrub known by the common names Buckbrush and wedgeleaf ceanothus.-Distribution:...
, Manzanita
Arctostaphylos viscida
Arctostaphylos viscida, with the common names Whiteleaf manzanita and Sticky manzanita, is a species of manzanita.-Distribution:...
, Pacific Madrone, Deerbrush
Ceanothus integerrimus
Ceanothus integerrimus is a woody shrub in the family Rhamnaceae, native to the western United States, in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington...
, Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus betuloides
Cercocarpus betuloides, California Mountain Mahogany, is a species in the family Rosaceae. It typically grows in dry areas in the foothills and mountains of California, often in chaparral communities, and in other parts of the Southwestern United States and Baja California.-Description:This shrub...
, and Poison-oak are also common.
Snakes such as the Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
The ringneck snake or ring-necked snake is a colubrid snake species. It is found throughout much of the United States, central Mexico, and south eastern Canada. Ring-necked snakes are secretive, nocturnal snakes that are rarely seen during the day time...
, Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Coluber constrictor
Coluber constrictor is a species of nonvenomous, colubrid snakes commonly referred to as the eastern racers. They are primarily found throughout the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, but they range north into Canada, and south into Mexico, Guatemala and Belize...
, Striped Whipsnake
Striped Whipsnake
The Striped Whipsnake is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake that is closely related to the California Whipsnake . It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico....
, and Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Pituophis catenifer is a harmless colubrid species found in North America. Six subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. The specific name catenifer is Latin for 'chain bearing', referring to the dorsal color pattern.-Description:Adults specimens are...
live in the oak savanna region. Birds such as titmice
Oak Titmouse
The Oak Titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The American Ornithologists' Union split the Plain Titmouse into the Oak Titmouse and the Juniper Titmouse in 1996, due to distinct differences in song, preferred habitat, and genetic makeup.The Oak Titmouse is a...
, flycatchers
Ash-throated Flycatcher
The Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in desert scrub, riparian forest, brushy pastures and open woodland from the western United States to central Mexico. It is a short-distance migrant, retreating from most of the U.S....
, nuthatches
White-breasted Nuthatch
The White-breasted Nuthatch is a small songbird of the nuthatch family which breeds in old-growth woodland across much of temperate North America. It is a stocky bird, with a large head, short tail, powerful bill and strong feet. The upperparts are pale blue-gray, and the face and underparts are...
, bluebirds
Western Bluebird
The Western Bluebird is a small thrush, approximately to in length.Adult males are bright blue on top and on the throat with an orange breast and sides, a brownish patch on back, and a gray belly and undertail coverts. Adult females have a duller blue body, wings, and tail than the male, a gray...
, swallows
Violet-green Swallow
The Violet-green Swallow, Tachycineta thalassina, is a small North American swallow.Their breeding habitat is semi-open areas in western North America from Alaska to Mexico...
, woodpeckers
Acorn Woodpecker
The Acorn woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker, 21 cm long with an average weight of 85 g.-Description:...
, grosbeaks
Black-headed Grosbeak
The Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus, is a medium-size seed-eating bird in the same family as the Northern Cardinal, the Cardinalidae. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, P...
, and kestrels
American Kestrel
The American Kestrel , sometimes colloquially known as the Sparrow Hawk, is a small falcon, and the only kestrel found in the Americas. It is the most common falcon in North America, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. At long, it is also the smallest falcon in North America...
have also been found in this region. The rocks are known to be the northernmost place Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, is a very small songbird.Adult males are blue-grey on the upperparts with white underparts and have a long slender bill, long black tail and an angry black unibrow. Females are less blue without the unibrow...
s inhabit. Gall wasp
Gall wasp
Gall wasps , also called Gallflies, are a family of the order Hymenoptera and are classified with the Apocrita suborder of wasps in the superfamily Cynipoidea...
s live in this area, often creating galls
Oak apple
Oak apple is the common name for a large, round, vaguely apple-like gall commonly found on many species of oak. Oak apples range in size from 2-5cm. Oak apples are caused by chemicals injected by the larva of certain kinds of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. The adult female wasp lays single...
in oak trees by injecting their larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
into their leaves and branches.
Chaparral
Chaparral is a type of shrublandShrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, receiving very little precipitation. Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
ous plants such as manzanita and buckbrush grow in this area, both relying on fire to reproduce. The rare Gentner's frittilary
Fritillaria gentneri
Fritillaria gentneri, or Gentner's fritillary, is a rare member of Lily family , that is endemic to southwest Oregon and adjacent Siskiyou County, California. Its habitat is dry, open woodlands and chaparral from 1000-5000 feet, where it blooms from March through July. However, most populations...
also grows in this region.
Black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
have been spotted in the chaparral region, usually in the fall. The most common birds include titmice and the Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
The Acorn woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker, 21 cm long with an average weight of 85 g.-Description:...
. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, goldfinches
Lesser Goldfinch
The Lesser Goldfinch or Dark-backed Goldfinch is a very small songbird of the Americas. Together with its relatives the American Goldfinch and Lawrence's Goldfinch, it forms the American goldfinches clade in the genus Carduelis sensu stricto.The American goldfinches can be distinguished by the...
, and the Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird native to the west coast of North America. This bird was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli.-Description:...
have also been seen.
Mixed woodland
The mixed woodland region is a dense forest with many species of trees, located near the tops of the plateaus. The forest canopy shades the ground, resulting in a cooler temperature. The canopy also reduces the amount of water evaporationEvaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
. Black Oak, Douglas-fir, Pacific Madrone, Incense-cedar
Calocedrus decurrens
Calocedrus decurrens is a species of conifer native to western North America, with the bulk of the range in the United States, from central western Oregon through most of California and the extreme west of Nevada, and also a short distance into northwest Mexico in northern Baja California...
, and other plants grow in the mixed woodland. Shrubs such as Oregon-grape
Oregon-grape
Oregon-grape is an evergreen shrub related to the barberry. Some authors place Mahonia in the barberry genus, Berberis...
, honeysuckle
Lonicera interrupta
Lonicera interrupta is a species of honeysuckle known by the common name chaparral honeysuckle. It is a hardy shrub with a woody trunk which sends up spike inflorescences of yellow honeysuckle flowers. Each flower is about a centimeter long, with prominent stamens extending from the rolled-back...
, elderberry, and Poison-oak also grow here. The soil in this area is mostly loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
.
Rodents such as the California Ground Squirrel
California Ground Squirrel
The California ground squirrel , is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western United States and the Baja California peninsula; it is common in Oregon and California and its range has relatively recently extended into Washington and northwestern Nevada...
, Western Gray Squirrel
Western Gray Squirrel
The Western Gray Squirrel is an arboreal rodent found along the western coast of the United States and Canada.In some places, this species has also been known as the Silver-gray Squirrel, the California Gray Squirrel, the Oregon Gray Squirrel, the Columbian Gray Squirrel and the Banner-tail...
, and Dusky-footed Woodrat
Dusky-Footed Woodrat
The Dusky-footed Woodrat is a species of nocturnal rodent in the family Cricetidae. They are commonly called "packrats" or "trade rats" and build large, domed dens that can reach several feet in height. Coyotes and other predators will attempt to prey on these rodents by laying waste to the dens,...
live in this region. Birds such as grosbeaks, flycatchers, tanagers
Western Tanager
The Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana, is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family...
, and buntings
Lazuli Bunting
The Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena, is a North American songbird named for the gemstone lapis lazuli.The male is easily recognized by its bright blue head and back , its conspicuous white wingbars, and its light rusty breast and white belly...
are common in the area. Nine species of warblers
New World warbler
The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers or the Australian warblers....
, three species of vireo
Vireo
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically dull-plumaged and greenish in color, the smaller species resembling wood warblers apart from their heavier bills...
s, and two species of thrushes
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
can also be found. The Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
has been spotted rarely in large pine trees.
Mounded prairie and vernal pools
Two types of amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s are found in the mounded prairie region, typically around vernal pools. The Pacific Tree Frog
Pacific Tree Frog
The Pacific Tree Frog has a range from the West Coast of the United States to British Columbia, in Canada. They live from sea level to more than 10,000 feet in many types of habitats, reproducing in aquatic settings. They are the only frogs that go "ribbit"...
live in large numbers on the rocks, while tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s of the rarer Western Toad
Western toad
The Western toad more commonly known as is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm long, of western North America. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches...
can be seen between March and May. Mammals such as California Vole
California Vole
The California vole is a type of vole which lives throughout much of California and part of southwestern Oregon. It is also known as the California meadow mouse. It averages in length although this length varies greatly between subspecies.-Description:The California vole is a medium sized vole,...
s, Heermann's Kangaroo Rat
Heermann's Kangaroo Rat
Heermann's Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys heermanni, is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae.Dipodomys heermanni is endemic to California in the United States.-References:...
s, raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s, and weasels
Long-tailed Weasel
The long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of...
can also be found in this region. The Western Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Not to be confused with Eastern MeadowlarkThe Western Meadowlark is a medium-sized icterid bird, about 8.5 in long. It nests on the ground in open country in western and central North America. It feeds mostly on insects, but also seeds and berries...
and two species of sparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s are the most common types of birds that are seen in the area. Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
s, Rock Wren
Rock Wren
The Rock Wren is a small songbird of the wren family. It is the only species in the genus Salpinctes.The 12 cm long adults have grey-brown upperparts with small black and white spots and pale grey underparts with a light brown rump...
, three species of hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, and other birds patrol the cliffs on the sides of the plateaus.
Trails
Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin is a steep-sided lava cone built on top of a shield volcano in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon and within the Sky Lakes Wilderness area. It is one of the volcanic peaks in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain is north of Mount Shasta, south of Crater Lake, and west of Upper...
, Mount Ashland
Mount Ashland
Mount Ashland ski area is located on Mount Ashland and features 23 trails on served by four lifts, in addition to chute skiing in a glacial cirque called The Bowl. The mountain receives over of snow annually with a season from early December until mid-April...
, Roxy Ann Peak
Roxy Ann Peak
Roxy Ann Peak is a tall mountain in the western Cascade Range located at the eastern edge of Medford, Oregon. The peak is approximately 30 million years old and is of volcanic origin. Despite its relatively small topographic prominence of , it rises above Medford and is visible from most of the...
, and Pilot Rock
Pilot Rock (Jackson County, Oregon)
Pilot Rock is a volcanic plug in the eastern Siskiyou Mountains and western Cascade Range, near the Siskiyou Summit in Ashland, Oregon. It is located within the Soda Mountain Wilderness and the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument...
are visible on clear days from the edge of the rocks.
Shady Cove, Oregon
Shady Cove is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,865 as of July 1, 2009.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles , all of it land....
contractor Randy Hodges rerouted a 3/4 mi section of the Lower Table Rock trail to accommodate the growing number of visitors. The project involved decommissioning the old section and expanding the parking lot, and 2200 feet (670.6 m) of new trail was installed. Measures to protect the trail were implemented, such as installing rock waterbar
Waterbar
A water bar or interceptor dyke is a road construction feature that is used to prevent erosion on sloping roads, cleared paths through woodland , or other accessways by reducing flow length...
s and a layer of shale gravel over the clay.
In 2005, a program to build an interpretive trail began on Lower Table Rock near the trailhead
Trailhead
A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles...
. Prior to construction, some persons with disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, children, or the elderly may have been prevented from using either of the Table Rocks due to the steep terrain and narrow paths. The finished project involved making a 500 feet (152.4 m) section of trail accessible
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
and adding a 1/2 mi long section of new trail for general public use.
Both trails lead to spectacular views of the surrounding areas, but have inherent dangers as well. The thick andesite caps have heavily eroded, leaving tall crumbling columns near the edges. In April 2007 a 22-year-old Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
man fell to his death while climbing. Another man fell 100 feet (30.5 m) in 2007, but survived. In 2008, a man from Central Point
Central Point, Oregon
Central Point is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,165 as of July 1, 2009 The city shares its southern border with Medford and is a part of the Medford metropolitan area...
tumbled through a rock shaft to his death and was not found for over six months.