Approximately 48 to 35 million years ago, the Payne Cliffs Formation was being deposited by rivers in the area of the Table Rocks. The Payne Cliffs Formation is made up of river deposited sandstone and conglomerates. From 20 to 10 million years ago the uplift of the nearby Klamath Mountains and the formation of the Rogue Valley took place.
About 7 million years ago, a shield volcano erupted a lava flow that was approximately forty-four miles long and spread out over the entire valley, from the Prospect area to Sams Valley. This mass of lava caused the valley floor to rise in elevation to the height of the top of Table Rocks.
The 4,864-acre Table Rocks Management Area is cooperatively owned and administered by the Medford District Bureau of Land Management (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.
The Table Rocks trails are some of the most highly used trails in the Rogue Valley-almost 50,000 people hike the trails to the top each year. You could be one of hundreds of hikers enjoying the wildflowers and scenic vistas on a beautiful spring day, or you could be the lone hiker on a cold, foggy winter day. Some people like to linger and take their time getting to the top, watching for birds and identifying wildflowers on the way, while others run the trail and focus on getting a workout.
During the spring months, BLM Rangers lead large school groups on guided hikes Tuesday through Fridays, stopping often along the trail. To encounter fewer people and school groups, consider hiking in the early morning or early afternoon on weekdays.
To find out more about this stunning area head on over to:
blm.gov/19ld