Fall Colors & Chanterelles

Though no match for a forest full of sugar pines (see my post on Cape Breton Island), southern Oregon has some beautiful fall colors of its own. Our forests have a number of hardwoods, including Acer-family maples which are small but very graceful. Even the vineyards, and we've got a lot of very fine ones, turn a wonderful shade this time of year.

My partner & I spend a lot of time in the Autumn wildcrafting mushrooms in the woods. It's a great way to get out and reward the taste buds at the same time. We've got the really big, white Chanterelle mushrooms that chefs just drool over. And we generally bring back several pounds from each trip to the woods. Yum. So much better than the storied Matsusaki shrooms.

Chanterelles come in yellow and white, and we've got them both. Though our personal site is a secret (don't even ask), these gourmet culinary shrooms can generally be found in old growth forest under fir trees. They smell a little like apricots and are full of moisture - so they are best sauteed dry. We eat them in eggs, with meat, and in a wild mushroom cream soup we make.

Ashland is for Lovers

According to a recent USA Today article, Ashland, Oregon is one of the most romatic destinations in the country. That's what I'm talking about. Southern Oregon really does rule. In so many ways. So if you're a local reader, tune out for this post. Let's talk Ashland.


A mountain-side alpine village just 20 minutes over the border from California, Ashland is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival the longest running theater festival in the county; to the Mt. Ashland ski resort; the Ashland Independent Film Festival, and to Lithia Park.

The charming downtown is almost European, dotted with bakeries, exotic gift and clothing stores, and a very wide variety of first-class eateries. There are more bed and breakfast inns than you might guess, and the grand dame of southern Oregon, the Ashland Springs Hotel. The town is also home to Southern Oregon University, Jefferson Public Radio, and the One World Series of world music. Of course there are numerous art galleries, and a weekly art walk. A new Tibetan Buddhist spiritual center is under construction to complement the many other faiths that are represented in town. There's an active farmer's market, a weekly artisan's market in the season, and a food co-op. And Ashland is wired. Massive broadband pipes, through the city's Ashland Fiber Network. Maybe that's why there's always a few software publishers setting up shop in the remodeled railroad district. (Pic below: Lithia Creek in the Park)

Come visit, but don't plan on relocating to this delightful village unless you've got some serious juice. Like Berkeley, Laguna Beach or Mendocino, Ashland also hosts a bunch of very upscale neighborhoods with very custom homes. Not to worry, if you fall in love there are a number of more modestly priced small towns and rural acres close by.

Tree House Bed and Breakfast

If you are looking for a really unusual road trip in the Oregon woods, you've got to factor Out-n-About, the Treesort, into your list of potential destinations. Located practically next door to the Oregon Caves, a wonder themselves, the Treesort is an eclectic collection of amazing treehouses, tree-pees, platform campsites and cabins. There's a natural swimming hole in a meadow surrounded by Oak and Madrone, just below the Doug Fir and Pine forests on the hillsides around the valley.

But it's the tree houses that are mind boggling. One, for example, consists of three rooms; including a full-bath with claw-foot tub, a separate bedroom, and a sitting room with French doors onto a substantial balcony. Another, the subject of a Japanese TV spot, is 36 feet above the ground, again with French doors and a balcony. There's a "family compound" of treehouses, connected by rope bridges and equipped with bunks for the kids. And this is not Disneyland. There are dirt paths, horseback rides and hiking; river rafting and just plain hanging out. It's a low-key, laid-back place that often hosts overseas guests seeking that "out-of-the-ordinary" experience. And take it from me, it is totally out of the ordinary.



Like every truly unique location there's a fascinating story and a singularly unique individual behind the treehouses in Takilma. Proprietor Michael Garnier has lived in the area for over 30 years. He's a former Green Beret who does things his own way, without a lot or regard for the opinions of others. In other words, he's a real Oregonian. You need to have him tell you the stories about how his dream became a reality. I wouldn't even go there, it's his story to tell. Suffice it to say there was an epic struggle with some clueless bureaucrats over decades covering a variety of issues. Bottom line: Michael won. The guy's made a significant contribution to the area's economy, created jobs and maintained a pretty light footprint on the land in the process. He's got serious cred as an early environmental activist, and roots in the oldest and best known commune in the state.

So here's the trip. Fly or drive to Medford. Stay a night or two, visit Crater Lake and Ashland. Then, head out through Grants Pass to the Illinois Valley and Cave Junction. Stay at the treesort and visit the Oregon Caves. If you've got the time, cap off the trip with a visit to the Coast and a night or two at the Best Western on the beach in Brookings. Come on by, you know you want to. Just to check out the treehouses. The rest is cake.