Lithia Park

The basics

Lithia Park is a great place to jog, picnic, or just take in the scenery. Highlights include hiking trails, a playground, volleyball and pickleball courts, a bandshell for events, picnic areas, and a swimmer-friendly reservoir. It’s also home to the beautifully landscaped Ashland Japanese Garden, complete with a bamboo forest, a tea garden, a sand-and-stone garden, and a waterfall.

Things to know before you go

• Lithia Park is a must for families and nature lovers.
• There is no charge to visit the park or the Japanese garden.
• Dogs (except for ADA service dogs) are not allowed inside Lithia Park.
• The park is wheelchair accessible (with accessible restrooms), but parts of the Japanese garden are not.

How to get there

If you’re already downtown, the easiest way to get to the park is to walk right over—it’s just south of Ashland’s Downtown Plaza. You can also drive to the public parking lot on the south end of the park next to the Granite Street Swim Reservoir, or to the parking lot on Winburn Way on the western edge.

When to get there

Lithia Park is a year-round attraction, but you're best off visiting between the middle of spring and early fall, when temperatures are at their most pleasant. Free, volunteer-led guided park walks take place every Saturday morning from May to September, and depart from the entrance closest to the Downtown Plaza.

Ashland’s Downtown Plaza

While you’re in the area, stop by the Downtown Plaza on Main Street, just across from the northern part of the park—it’s the de facto center of the city and a great place for people-watching. A fixture here is an eight-spout fountain in the square that provides visitors with Lithia Springs water (touted in the old days for its high lithium oxide content); though the mineral-rich flavor isn’t for everyone, it’s worth sampling.