Provolt Recreation Site
The Provolt Recreation Site (PRS) is a day use area located at 14171 Williams Hwy. It is situated along the Applegate River and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It was once a seed orchard used for Douglas-fir reforestation, but is now home to multi-use trails and ongoing restoration efforts.
This site is managed by the BLM Grants Pass Field Office. Click here for up-to-date hours and visitor information. You can also view the BLM’s Provolt Recreation Site Brochure here.
Recreation
Home to the longest stretch of public access to the Applegate River, PRS offers bountiful opportunities for outdoor recreation. The mile-long River Walk, which is accessible to hikers, bikers, and equestrians alike, is an idyllic place to enjoy the river and spot wildlife. The 294 acre site also features a boat launch and multiple swimming spots.
Biodiversity
PRS supports many species of conservation interest. Coho and chinook salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey reside in the Applegate River and its tributaries. Beavers, Siskiyou salamanders, western pond turtles, martens, and ringtails make their homes in the site’s riparian and upland areas.
Restoration
APWC and BLM have conducted intensive, non-chemical invasive species removal at PRS since 2016. In that time, 17,000+ native trees and shrubs including ponderosa pine, incense cedar, mock orange, and Indian plum have been planted in the riparian area formerly overgrown with invasive plants.
Stewardship
PRS would not be a flourishing recreation site without its crew of dedicated community members. The Provolt Volunteer Team can be found maintaining trails, installing picnic tables, constructing nest boxes, removing invasive weeds, and more. A committed gate team ensures that the park stays open seven days a week
Education
PRS is host to Grow Youth, an outdoor environmental education program run jointly by APWC and BLM. Each fall, Grow Youth provides elementary, middle, and high school students with hands-on scientific field studies and service-learning projects to promote critical thinking and environmental responsibility while contributing to habitat restoration.
History
This land belonged to a dairy farm until 1982, when it was purchased by the Bureau of Land Management. It then functioned as a Douglas fir seed orchard until 2006. With the support of the community, the site was established as a recreation area in 2016. In 2021, after years of restoration work, PRS opened to the public on weekends only. As of 2023 it is open to the public as a day use area seven days a week.
Multi-Use Trail Development
The Provolt Volunteer Team worked with APWC’s Provolt Restoration Project Manager and the BLM’s Recreation Manager to locate and construct the mile-long "River Walk Trail". BLM biologists were also consulted in the approval process to ensure the trail would not adversely impact wildlife or damage sensitive habitat. Volunteers used hand tools to clear vegetation and smooth the trail tread during a series of volunteer work parties. Volunteers monitor all of the trails and provide maintenance as needed and as conditions evolve with use. More trails are planned for all portions of the Provolt Recreation Site once these other management zones are opened to the public.
Horseback Riding at Provolt Recreation Site
The upland trails in Area A at the Provolt Recreation Site provide a variety of loop options for riders. These trails wind through open areas in full sun and then sneak through the remaining trees in the old seed orchard, where a picnic table hides in the shade now and then. Together with the existing River Walk Trail and the perimeter trails, a visitor can enjoy a human or horse powered jaunt of nearly three miles. Add in some loops and figure eights for another mile or two!
A large area for horse trailer parking near the vault toilet and west of the car parking area provides plenty of room for several rigs at a time to make a wide circle and park. Please park efficiently to allow other rigs to pull around and park, and clean up your horse manure and hay. Until a manure bin is installed onsite, please put it in your trailer and take it home with you.
Join the Provolt Volunteer Team!
The Provolt Volunteer Team (PVT) is a group of dedicated community members that organize work parties, conduct trail maintenance, fundraise for site improvements, and so much more. The Provolt Recreation Site is now open 7 days a week thanks to these dedicated volunteers.
Have questions or want to join?
Contact our PVT coordinator:
Liz Shen
provoltvolunteerteam@apwc.info