Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

By Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

As you hike along the twists and turns of the snaking trails just outside of Ashland – perhaps while on the White Rabbit Trail, at the junction with the Cheshire Cat Loop – you might begin to detect a theme.



The area is officially called the East Side Forest Lands, but it might as well be called the Alice in Wonderland Trail System, as nearly every trail in the network is named after one of Lewis Carroll's fanciful creations, most from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking Glass."



There's the Caterpillar Trail, Red Queen, Jabberwocky, Bandersnatch, Queen of Hearts Loop, and the Alice in Wonderland Trail itself, to name a few. Collectively, they link Siskiyou Mountain Park, Oredson-Todd Woods and the land leading up to Ashland's famed Lithia Park downtown.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jeffrey McFarland, interim superintendent of Ashland Parks and Recreation, said the sprawling network has been growing steadily since the 1980s, adding mountain bike trails, hiker-only trails and space for equestrians. They're varied enough that you can take a short, easy stroll, or spend all day on a strenuous hike.



One of the first trails in the network was the Alice in Wonderland Trail itself. The path traveled through a tunnel of brush on its way south of town, earning its fanciful nickname.



"Since then, the theme just kind of stuck," McFarland said.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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The multi-use network now runs for about 13 miles, leading to stunning views of downtown Ashland, and the Cascade and Siskiyou Mountains that converge nearby. On sunny days, the blue sky, green canopy and the red, peeling bark of Pacific madrones all swirl together, making an especially colorful hike.



McFarland said while the parks department has invested a lot of time in expanding the trail network, it's probably maxed out at this point. Taking into consideration environmental criteria, sustainability and usage, it's hard to see potential for many more Wonderland trails in the area.



"We're asking the question, 'How many more trails can be in here?'" he said.



Truthfully, it doesn't really need to get any bigger. The East Side Forest Lands are a big chunk of more than 48 miles of trails in and around Ashland – already an incredible opportunity for hikers and mountain bikers. Strangely, it's not something the city tends to boast about. Instead Ashland allows for a certain mystique to fall over the trails, giving outsiders the chance to stumble in, and tumble down the rabbit hole for themselves.



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Courtesy of Ashland Parks and Recreation

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Courtesy of Ashland Parks and Recreation

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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