Doggin ‘Jacksonville, Oregon: Where to Walk Your Dog at an Old Gold Mining Camp

Gold was discovered at Jackson Creek in Oregon in 1851, but it brought neither fame nor fortune to the prospector, a lone miner remembered today only as “Mr. Sykes.” The gold rush broke out very soon and within two years thousands of men tediously extracted flakes and nuggets from the stream beds in the area.

Jacksonville’s first brick buildings were in place in 1853 as the city prospered. That
it even became the county seat, but when the Oregon and California Railroad headed to
near Medford in 1887 and bypassing Jacksonville, the good old days
a halt.

Jacksonville residents built their own railroad four years later, but the
The distressed line was dismantled and sold in 1925. During the Depression, the fighting
Residents dug deeper into the hills around town to extract a few gold dollars for
survive. Not much happened in the city after that. In fact, so little has changed that the
The entire center was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.

In 1989, Jacksonville residents formed the Jacksonville Forest Association.
preserve and protect the quiet forests on the hillsides that surround the city. The majority
Dog-friendly Jacksonville forest explorations will begin in the city along
the Zigler Trail, a flat mile trip to walk your dog along the Jackson
Stream where gold was discovered in 1851.

A detailed brochure tells the fascinating story and makes for an extended ride.
With your dog. Strollers will want to turn around on the catwalk and back on their
paw prints, but adventurous canine hikers will turn left and climb the ridges and
cannons over the city. Three mile Rich Gulch trail leads to scenic view
of the town and field.

At the eastern end of the city, behind the gothic house built by an apprentice
carpenter turned pioneer banker Cornelius Beekman in 1873, you will find the
Beekman cannon loop. The trail begins and ends at a small arboretum that shows
eight different biohabitats found in the region. The trail climbs somewhat steeply
through clear woods before descending back to the Beekman Garden.

After walking through the tranquil forests of Jacksonville, be sure to bring your
dog on a walk around town More than 80 original brick and wood buildings
since the nineteenth century they have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can
continue on the outskirts of town to the Jacksonville Cemetery that has been in use
for more than 150 years. Dogs are as welcome in Jacksonville today as they were in the
mining camps of yesteryear: there is a water bowl placed for dogs outside the
Visitor information kiosk.

Jacksonville is located on Route 238, exiting I-5 from Grants Pass heading north
or Medford from the south.

copyright 2006