Oregon · Hiking · Wild Rogue Wilderness

Panther Ridge

2.2 mi
round trip
774 ft
climb
3,646 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 3 h ago

Is Panther Ridge open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Powers Ranger District. It doesn't name Panther Ridge, so check the source for the area it covers.

  • Rogue River National Recreation Trail Emergency Closure

    Agency closure covering Powers Ranger District · Order 06-10-28-26-05 · USFS · Powers Ranger District

As of · Source: USFS · Powers Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Panther Ridge is an easy out-and-back hike in Oregon's Wild Rogue Wilderness, on the Powers Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is 2.2 miles long with a total elevation gain of 230 feet, rising from about 3,450 feet to a high point of 3,646 feet. The trail is on natural surface, and it is open year-round. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. The route is not accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation run to highs around 77°F in July and August, with only about two wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the low 40s and rain on roughly half the days. Mule Creek is about 1.9 miles away and Devils Backbone about 2.4 miles. West Fork Mule Creek offers paddling at about 2.7 miles, and Sru Lake campground sits about 3.1 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Panther Ridge

    Best months: May–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

      43° / 33°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      44° / 33°

      15 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 33°

      16 wet

    4. Apr

      52° / 35°

      14 wet

    5. May

      61° / 41°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      68° / 46°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 53°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 54°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 51°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 43°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      47° / 36°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      41° / 32°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sexton Summit, OR, 30.9 mi away at 3,832 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. 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

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

Devils Backbone

~4 min drive

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

Coquille River FallsPhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coquille River Falls

~7 min drive

0.88-mile out-and-back trail to Coquille River Falls in Oregon.

Mt. BolivarPhoto: Don Henise — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mt. Bolivar

~12 min drive

2-mile out-and-back trail to Mt. Bolivar in Oregon.

HIKE

West Fork Mule Creek

~6 min drive

6.57-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,098 ft elevation gain.

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

Pine Grove

~24 min drive

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

Big TreePhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Big Tree

~12 min drive

1.46-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 569 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Sucker Creek

~14 min drive

4.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,778 ft gain and 1,550 ft loss.

HIKE

Rogue River National Recreation Trail

~8 min drive

Scenic 27-mile point-to-point trail along Oregon's wild Rogue River canyon.

HIKE

Clay Hill

~5 min drive

8.60-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 467 ft gain.

Elk Creek FallsPhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elk Creek Falls

~12 min drive

0.20-mile out-and-back trail to Elk Creek Falls in Oregon with 182 ft of elevation gain.