Lower Wonder Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers

This is a multi-use trail, with mountain bikes limited to an uphill direction. Because this is one of the few uphill singletrack trails available for mountain bikes, expect to encounter bikers, particularly on weekends.

This recently completed (April 2020) portion of the Ashland Trails Project connects the Fairy Ponds Trailhead with the Wonder Trail near Forest Road 2060. The Lower Wonder goes briefly north along Ashland Creek, then climbs through a series of gentle switchbacks for about 0.9 miles to about 2,700 feet where it levels off some and begins contouring south above Ashland Creek. There are brief views of Grizzly Peak, the City of Ashland, and Mt Ashland from the trail. You can also see the tip of Mount McLoughlin if you look closely. After mostly level travel, with a few short switchbacks, the trail arrives at a junction with the Wonder Trail.

There are several loop options from this point. One that seems popular is to hike up the Lower Wonder from the Fairy Pond Trailhead and return to the trailhead via Forest Road 2060, for a moderate 5.3 mile loop.

Various kinds of wildflowers line the trail, as does a lot of poison oak. Ticks are likely to be present in late spring and early summer.