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PROTECT THE TRAIL

• Pleaserespectprivatepropertyandstayonthetrail.

• Protectnaturalandculturalresources.

• Respect“NoTrespassing”signs.

• Packitin;packitout.

• Leavenotrace.

• Becourteousofothersonthetrail.

PLAN FOR THE TRAIL

• Alwayscarrywaterandasnackwhenusingthetrail.AfewseasonalstreamscrosstheSMDTbutarenotreliablewatersources,especiallyinlatesummer.

• Dressfortheconditions.

• Reviewmapsandtrailguidespriortomakingatrip.

• Bealertforticks,poisonoak,andrattlesnakes.

SHARE THE TRAIL

• Askhorseriderswhichsideofthetrailtheyprefer.

• Speakcalmlyandavoidsuddenmovementswhenyouarearoundhorses.

• Horsesandmountainbikescandamagethetrailwhensoilsarewet.Inwinterandspring,pleasewaitfordrierconditionstohelpusprotectthetrail.

Trail Etiquette & Safety

Equestrians,hikers,runners,andbicycleriderscanenjoyandsharethetrailsafelybyfollowingsomesimplerulesoftrailetiquette:

Fordetaileddirectionstothetrailheads,seeSUTA’swebsite:www.sutaoregon.org

EXPLORING THE STERLING MINE DITCH TRAIL

ThishistorictrailislocatedsouthofJacksonville,Oregon.Thetrailismaintainedfornon-motorizedrecreationbytheU.S.BureauofLandManagementMedfordDistrict(BLM)andtheSiskiyouUplandTrailsAssociation(SUTA).TheSterlingMineDitchTrail(SMDT)providesrecreationalopportunitiesforvisitorsofallages:short,levelstrollsforsmallchildren;long-distancehikes;runs;horsebacktrails;&mountainbikerides.

Currently,threetrailheadsarelocatedalongLittleApplegateRoad:BearGulch,TunnelRidge,andLittleApplegate.TherearethreetrailheadsoffSterlingCreekRoadonunpavedBLMroads:Deming,ArmstrongGulch,andWolfGaptrailheads.MoretrailheadsareplannedincludingatrailheadatGrubGulch.

Withalittleplanningandtwocarsforashuttle,youcancreateawidevarietyofroutes.HorsetrailerparkingisprovidedatalandingeastoftheDemingtrailhead,andatArmstrongGulchtrailhead,TunnelRidge,andLittleApplegatetrailheads.

Pleasehelppreserveandprotectyourtrail!Thetrailisopenforusebyhikersandrunnersyear-round,thankstoits2,000-2,400footelevation.Intheinterestsofmaintainingthetrailintopconditionforallusers,equestriansandbicyclistsmustavoidusingthetrailaftersignificantrains.

Thesetrailheadsmakeitpossiblefortripsofvariouslengths:

• Short and level (1 to several miles): out-and-backfromDemingorArmstrongGulch.

• 5 miles: BearGulchtrailheadtoTunnelRidgetrailheadandbackalongLittleApplegateRoad.

• 8 miles: Tunnel Ridge to Little Applegate and backalongLittleApplegateRoad.

• 12 miles: Deming trailhead toWolf Gap and backalongBLMroad39-2-8for2milestoreturntostartingtrailhead.

• 17.5 miles: Deming trailhead to Little Applegate(requiresshuttleforone-waytravel).

• 23 miles: Full length of the open trail, from LittleApplegatetrailheadtothefutureGrubGulchtrailhead(requiresshuttleforone-waytravel).

TheSterlingMineDitchTrailismaintainedjointlybytheMedfordBLM,theSiskiyouUplandTrailsAssociation(SUTA),andcommunityvolunteers.Tolearnhowyoucanparticipateinworkparties,visitSUTA’swebsitewww.sutaoregon.org.

Sterling Creek R

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Rogue River

Medford

Talent

Jacksonville

Applegate

Ruch

BuncomLegend

SMDT

Secondary Roads

Primary Roads

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62

Little Applegate Road®

Sterling MineDitch Trail

Sterling Mine Ditch TrailJacksonville