Oregon · Hiking

Hardscrabble

5.0 mi
round trip
4,987 ft
climb
2,366 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Oct
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 11 h ago

Is Hardscrabble open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests.

As of · Source: USFS · Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Hardscrabble is an expert-level out-and-back hike in Oregon's Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, within the Gold Beach Ranger District. The trail is about 5 miles long, with a total elevation gain of nearly 5,000 feet, and it starts at roughly 2,335 feet before reaching a high point of 2,366 feet. The climb is steep from the outset, with the steepest section at about 0.6 miles, where the grade reaches nearly 50 percent. That makes this a serious route, and the trail is not accessible. It is natural-surfaced and closed to bikes. Summer is the driest stretch, with typical averages from a nearby weather station showing July and August highs around 94°F and only one or two wet days a month. Winter there is cold and wet, with highs in the upper 40s and rain on 15 to 18 days a month. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures up high run cooler. The hike is open year-round and takes about 4 hours. Indigo Creek, a canoeing spot, is about a mile away, and the Silver Peak - Hobson Horn Trai is 1.8 miles off. Nancy Creek and Game Lake are both within 4 miles, and Oak Flat Campground/Gravel Bar is about 3.7 miles away for an overnight stay.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Oct

    Best time to visit Hardscrabble

    Best months: April–June and October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 32°

      17 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      55° / 33°

      15 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      60° / 34°

      16 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      67° / 37°

      12 wet

    5. May

      76° / 42°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 46°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      94° / 52°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      94° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      87° / 44°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      72° / 39°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 36°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      47° / 33°

      18 wet · 1 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cave Junction 1 Wnw, OR, 29.2 mi away at 1,377 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

South Bend Mountain WayPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

South Bend Mountain Way

~9 min drive

4.96-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 810 ft gain.

Pine GrovePhoto: james shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Pine Grove

~10 min drive

11.70-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,241 ft of elevation gain.

Florence Cut-OffPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Florence Cut-Off

~12 min drive

2.77-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,029 ft gain.

Illinois River TrailPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Illinois River Trail

~21 min drive

27.99-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 6,667 ft gain.

Collier BarPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Collier Bar

~11 min drive

5.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 4,699 ft gain.

Devils BackbonePhoto: james shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Devils Backbone

~22 min drive

1.90-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,153 ft elevation gain.

Lake O WoodsPhoto: james shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lake O Woods

~12 min drive

0.60-mile lollipop trail at Lake O Woods in Oregon with 287 ft of elevation loss.

HIKE

Game Lake

~6 min drive

17.56-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 4,475 ft gain.

Pine Flat WayPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pine Flat Way

~15 min drive

3.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,609 ft elevation gain.

Florence WayPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Florence Way

~10 min drive

6.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 275 ft elevation gain and 3,449 ft loss.