The Rogue River National Forest is composed of two separate units of land, each with its own mosaic of diverse terrain and vegetation. On the west, the Forest includes the headwaters of the Applegate River, within the ancient and complex geology of the Siskiyou Mountains. This is a country of narrow canyons and high, steep ridges. Elevations range from 1,600 feet on the Applegate River to 7,533 at the summit of Mount Ashland (the highest point in Oregon west of the Cascades). The variety of environments includes open oak woodlands, dense conifer forests, and barren, rocky ridge-tops. Once the home of several Indian groups, the Siskiyou Mountains saw a sudden influx of prospectors during the gold rush of the 1850s. (The activities of the Chinese miners are explained along the Applegate Ranger District's Gin Lin Trail.)

To the east, the Forest contains the upper reaches of the Rogue River, located along the slopes of the younger volcanic Cascade Range. Although the southern Cascades tend to have fairly gentle relief, several deep canyons, such as the Middle Fork of the Rogue and the South Fork of Little Butte Creek, are located in this part of the Forest. The highest point (9,495 feet) is the top of Mt. McLoughlin, one of the major volcanic cones in the Oregon Cascades. The area's extensive forest of Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and other conifers is enlivened by occasional meadows, lakes and meandering streams. This part of the Forest contains Huckleberry Mountain, the ancestral berry-gathering ground of the Klamath Indians. Other historic sites include the route of the old military wagon road across the Cascades to Fort Klamath and the rustic buildings of the Union Creek Historic District.

A wide variety of recreation opportunities are available in the Rogue River National Forest, including fishing, swimming, hiking and skiing. There are over 40 developed campgrounds and picnic grounds. The Forest contains approximately 400 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail runs the entire length of the Forest, through the remote back country of the Sky Lakes Wilderness along the spine of the High Cascades, and extends westward along the crest of the Siskiyou Mountains. Other remote sections of the Forest include the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness and, to the south, the Red Buttes Wilderness in the rugged headwaters of the Applegate River. Downhill skiing (at Mt. Ashland Ski Area), cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are popular wintertime activities.

Northeast of Medford, the scenic route along Highways 62 and 230 provides access to the spectacular beauty of the Wild and Scenic Upper Rogue River, Crater Lake National Park and popular recreation developments at Diamond Lake (Umpqua National Forest). Less than one hour's drive southwest of Medford is Applegate Lake, a 988-acre reservoir which offers swimming, hiking, camping, picnicking, fishing and boating in the dramatic setting of the Siskiyous. The"Siskiyou Loop Discovery Tour" provides a scenic, self-guided driving tour of these mountains.

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