Oregon · Hiking

Yellow Rock Trail

2.4 mi
round trip
2,055 ft
climb
2,979 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Yellow Rock Trail is a moderate hike in southern Oregon, about 2.4 miles from the community of McLeod. The trail is an out-and-back route that climbs to about 2,979 feet from a starting point near 2,794 feet, with a round-trip elevation gain of about 2,055 feet. That makes it a short but steady climb, and the steepest section comes around 1.5 miles in, where the grade reaches about 17%. For the most comfortable conditions, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show highs around 71°F in May and 70°F in October, with July and August highs near 89°F. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on top run a little cooler. The hike takes about 2.5 hours. Viewpoint Mike Trail lies about 2.7 miles away, and the Rogue River Trail is about 2.9 miles off. Paddlers can reach Trail Creek, roughly 6.8 miles away, and Flounce Rock Trails, about 5.2 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Yellow Rock Trail

    Best months: May–June and September–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

      50° / 30°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      54° / 31°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      58° / 33°

      16 wet

    4. Apr

      62° / 35°

      15 wet

    5. May

      71° / 41°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      78° / 45°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      89° / 50°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      89° / 49°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 44°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 38°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 34°

      16 wet

    12. Dec

      48° / 30°

      17 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Prospect 2 Sw, OR, 9.6 mi away at 2,482 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Lost Lake Edge Trail

~7 min drive

1.92-mile out-and-back trail with 652 ft gain and 2,104 ft max elevation.

Upper Rogue River TrailPhoto: Little Mountain 5, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Upper Rogue River Trail

~19 min drive

45.00-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 4,104 ft elevation gain.

South Fork TrailPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

South Fork Trail

~37 min drive

9.98-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,660 ft gain/loss

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Bitterlick Trail

~21 min drive

10.28-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,808 ft elevation gain/loss.

UNION CREEK CG NORDICPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

UNION CREEK CG NORDIC

~33 min drive

2.11-mile loop trail in Oregon with 462 ft elevation gain and loss.

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Rogue River Trail

~5 min drive

19.2-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,965 ft elevation gain/loss.

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Viewpoint Mike Trail

~5 min drive

2.58-mile out-and-back hike in Oregon with 1,395 ft elevation gain

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South Fork

~27 min drive

12-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,464 ft of elevation gain.

Union Creek TrailPhoto: zappowbang, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Union Creek Trail

~33 min drive

1.1-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 218 ft of elevation gain.

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BEAVER CREEK

~29 min drive

12.78-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 5,054 ft elevation gain and loss.