A View Of Medford’s Railroad Park

If you’re heading out of Medford Oregon in a northerly direction on Riverside Ave(which becomes 99 N), you will come to a sign that reads Table Rock Road.  Get in the far right lane, and you’ve positioned yourself for an adventure.  That is, assuming that it is the second or fourth Sunday of the month, and that it is between 11A.M. and 3P.M. and that the month is within May-October.  Let’s assume all the above, and turn right on to Table Rock Road. You don’t have to go far until you see a road on the right with a fire station.  Turn right, and park in the second parking lot (unless you have a yen for putting out fires, because the first lot goes to a fire station), and you’re at the entrance to Medford’s Railroad Park.  You may have some difficulty finding parking, since this site is free and attracts families of all sizes.  Railroad Park offers a train ride on small cars(adults watch your balance!) that lasts about ten minutes.  The ride is a great way to get a panoramic view of the park, since you pass classic trains, a telegraph station, the museum, and the mini-trains that pass near waterfalls, over bridges, and through secluded mini-villages.  If you have children(and even if you don’t), please drop by and enjoy an afternoon of fun, history, and delight.  I’ve posted several photos below to give you a better view of Medford’s Railroad Park.

entrance to Medford Railroad Park

Entrance to Medford Railroad Park

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A Hidden Jewel In The Rogue Valley

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is well-known to tourists, but there is a hidden gem in the Rogue Valley that deserves to be explored:  The Crater Rock Museum in Central Point.  Despite its uninspiring name, it hosts one of the finest mineral collections in the Northwest.  The museum is run by the Roxy Ann Gem and Mineral Society, a non-profit organization.  It began in 1954 through the initiative of Delmar and Frieda Smith and Cap Mentzer.  It has grown into a world class museum, offering spectacular mineral specimens from around the world.  It has the largest agate collection in the country, and also offers arrowheads, shells, fossils and an ultraviolet room.  There is also a gift shop.  The museum is open from Tues.-Sat. 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.  If you’ve got kids, the museum is a wonderful place for them to start a new hobby.  There are classes in cab making, faceting, jewelry with planned trips to mineral locations, and there is a special Kid’s Day!  Please drop by, if you’re in the area.  Volunteers will be glad to show you around.  For more info, please visit http://craterrock.comIMG_6341