Getting Oriented

To locals, southern Oregon refers to the southwestern third of the state, encompassing the Rogue and several other river valleys that lie between the Coast and Cascade mountain ranges, from a little north of Roseburg down to the California border. The area is due south of Eugene and the Willamette Valley, and has a similarly lush and fertile terrain that lends itself perfectly to agriculture and winemaking. Towns in the valleys, such as Ashland and Roseburg, have elevations ranging from about 500 to 2000 feet, while peaks to the east, in the Cascade Range, rise as high as 9,000 feet.