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Sign near London Peak Scenic Overlook, May 2, 2017, by Greg Shine, BLM.

Are you planning to travel through the mountains of southern Oregon on Interstate 5 this summer? Want to stop and stretch your legs? If so, a choice between difficult and easy trails can quickly get you out and hiking – and enjoying the sweeping vistas of the BLM’s London Peak Scenic Overlook.

Trailheads for easy and difficult hikes are just minutes from I-5. You can access both trails by following the Wolf Creek exit (exit 76) on I-5, between Roseburg and Grants Pass, Oregon.

Difficult trail

The difficult-level hike begins in Wolf Creek Park, operated by Josephine County Parks. To get there, exit I-5 and follow the well-signed route to the park along Old State Highway 99 to Front Street to the park entrance a short distance down Lower Wolf Creek Road. A day-use parking fee is required.

The trail leads across Wolf Creek and begins a steep, 800-foot climb up the peak’s northeast flank. More than two-dozen switchbacks make the trail itself less steep, but they also increase its length.

After climbing about 1.25 miles, the trail levels out briefly and turns to the southeast, following the spine of the ridge up another 800 feet of elevation over ¾ of a mile to the scenic viewpoint. Hikers will quickly learn that the trail grows steeper with the increase in elevation, but the view also opens up, providing glimpses of the Wolf Creek watershed and anticipating the panorama above.

Easy trail

For those seeking easier access to the London Peak Scenic Viewpoint, we have you covered! An accessible, ½-mile gravel trail with minor elevation changes (facilitated by two switchbacks) leads to the vista from a nearby gravel parking lot – and it’s only 5 miles from I-5.

To get there from either I-5 exit, follow Old Highway 99 southbound. Just past the Wolf Creek Rural Fire Protection District facility, follow the signs to London Peak and turn right onto Bridge Lane. After about 2.5 miles, again follow the sign and turn right onto a gravel road. Carefully follow this steep, one-lane fire road for another 2.5 miles to the parking area at the marked trailhead. On the way, openings will reveal glimpses of I-5 and its Smith Hill Summit, plus the mountains to the southeast.

The signed trail heads in a north-south direction, following the ridgeline of the saddle between London Peak and its scenic viewpoint. Douglas-firs tower overhead, with madrones, manzanitas, and oaks forming a trailside understory that blocks winds – but not the ubiquitous white-noise of I-5 traffic.

Near the scenic viewpoint, an opening in the trees and shrubs frames views to the west of Malone Peak, Sugar Loaf, Hungry Hill, while Wolf Creek meanders below toward its confluence with Grave Creek and, ultimately, the Rogue River. Scenic viewpoint

The scenic viewpoint itself includes a flat viewing area with a safety rail, concrete bench and an open, unobstructed, 180-degree view of the mountains to the north and northeast, and the community of Wolf Creek (including the Wolf Creek Inn State Heritage Site operated by Oregon State Parks) and I-5 nearly 2,000 feet below.

At this spot, occasional bird calls mix with the continuous hum of highway traffic in a blend of the natural and mechanical worlds. It’s not a place for a total immersion in nature, but it does provide a peaceful break from highway travel.

And the views – did we say they’re stunning?