Table Rocks 

Exploring the 

on BLM’s Medford District 

1 

The BLM Junior Explorer program helps introduce young explorers like you to the lands and resources the BLM 

manages. This “Table Rocks Activity Book” focuses on plant and wildlife communities found in the Table Rocks 

Management Area. There are four different communities or habitats found on the Table Rocks and this book will 

take you through each of them. They are as follows: 

1. Oak Savanna habitat 

2. Chaparral habitat 

3. Mixed woodland habitat 

4. Mounded prairie/vernal pools habitat 

You can work through the activities on your own or invite a sibling, parent, or an adult you know to join you. 

After you complete the activities, go to the last page in the book and say the Junior Explorer pledge, sign the 

certificate, and you’re on your way to exploring and protecting America’s public lands. We hope you have fun 

exploring and learning about this unique area that is home to so many plants and animals! 
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal government agency that takes care of more than 245 

million acres of land. Most of these lands are in the western part of the United States. These lands are 

America’s public lands, and they belong to all Americans. 

The BLM manages public lands for many uses. The lands supply natural resources, such as timber, coal, oil, 

natural gas, and other minerals. The lands provide habitats for plants and animals. People enjoy the big open 

spaces on the lands. The lands also contain evidence of our country’s past, ranging from fossils to Native 

American artifacts to ghost towns. 

PUblic lands 

belong To YoU! 

2 

The Upper and Lower Table Rocks are two of the most prominent topographic features in the Rogue River 

Valley. The Table Rocks are designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern to protect the special 

plants and animal species, unique geologic and scenic values, and provide educational opportunities. This 

area is managed by the BLM and The Nature Conservancy in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of 

the Grand Ronde, and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians – all working together to protect the 

Table Rocks for present and future generations. 
UN,

XPLORE

HARE

LEASE

NJOY

AREFUL

O T UCH

 WALK, & PLAY ON DESIGNATED TRAILS. 

This is helpful in preventing damage to soils needed 

to grow all the beautiful plants and flowers you see.

 EVERYTHING ENTHUSIASTICALLY BUT AT A DISTANCE. 

Remember that the Table Rocks are home to many unique species and we are 

the visitors. 

 THE TRAIL. BE KIND AND COURTEOUS TO OTHER HIKERS. The 

Table Rocks are visited by over 40,000 people each year! That’s lots of sharing! 

BE A “PACKER”. IF YOU PACK IT IN - PACK IT OUT. This will help keep 

the Table Rocks clean and beautiful. We love bugs as long as they aren’t litter bugs!

 THE FLOWERS! LET OTHERS ENJOY THEM AS WELL BY NOT 

PICKING THEM. Take as many pictures as you want so you can share their beauty . 

OF SNAKES. The Table Rocks 

have many different types of snakes that play an 

important role in keeping the ecosystem healthy. 

The Western Rattle Snake is the only one that is venomous in 

Oregon. While it’s 

rare to see this shy 

act agressi

rare to see this shy 

creature vely, 

keeping your distance 

will keep you safe 

from harm. If you 

encounter a rattlesnake, 

remain calm and ease your way around it. 

O OR 

NOT TO TOUCH? POISON OAK 

IS A PLANT YOU WON’T WANT 

TO TOUCH unless you like having 

itchy, painful skin rashes! 

Remember:“Leaves of 3, 

Let them be!” Let them be!” 

OF SNAKES. The Table Rocks 
WHITE OAK LEAF

OAK GALL LICHEN

4 Table Rocks 

b i n g o

When you are out exploring the Table Rocks, play Table Rocks Bingo! When you fi nd something that matches 

a box below, cross out that box. Play until you have fi ve in a row crossed out, whether up and down, left to 

right, or diagonal. Each of the four habitats are represented within the Bingo game. Give yourself extra points 

if you can identify the habitat where the plant or animal is found. 

HIKER FROG SNAG SQUIRREL WOODPECKER 

DWARF WOOLY 

BEE BALSAMROOT FLOWER BUTTERFLY BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER MEADOWFOAM 

any wildflower 

MOSS MISTLETOE OAK GALL LICHEN

see page 14 

for reference LIZARD 

BLACK OAK LEAF TURKEY VULTURE ANIMAL TRACKS CAMAS 

INDIAN 

PAINTBRUSH 

BLUEBIRD WHITE OAK LEAF PINECONE SNAKE 
Table Rocks 

WoRd seaRch 

The Table Rocks are thought to be about 7 million years old. They were made when lava flowed out of a volcano and covered a large area that included the present day Table Rocks. Since then, erosion from moving water, weather and freezing/thawing activity has carved away at the lava flow and left only the Table Rocks standing. 

5 

What happened when the land around the Table Rocks eroded away? 


They became...
 
6 oak saVanna 

habiTaT
�

This plant community is well known for its colorful wildfl owers. 


Have fun coloring all these fl owers and 


drawing your own Southern Oregon Buttercup.
 

(see the inside cover for an example of this beautiful flower) 

SOUTHERN OREGON BUTTERCUP 

Draw buttercup flower below. 

DEATH CAMAS 

Zigadenus venenosus 

Flower are always white 

and smaller than common 

camas. This plant is called 

Death Camas because it is 

poisonous. 

CAMAS 

Camassia quamash
 

Flowers are purple and 


sometimes white. The 


blooms are larger than 


death camas.
 
 

While hiking the Table Rocks, you will 

see two different types of oak trees... 

White Oaks grow in lower elevations 

while Black Oaks grow in higher 

elevations. 

TRees oF liFe 

While hiking the Table Rocks, you will 

see two different types of oak trees...

White Oaks grow in lower elevations 

while Black Oaks grow in higher 

White Oaks have leaves 

with rounded edges and 

Black Oaks short, round acorns. have 

leaves with pointy 

edges and long, 

pointy acorns. 

edges and long,

pointy acorns.

Acorns from both White and Black Oaks were 

used by Native Americans as one of their most 

important sources of food. Black Oak acorns 

contain more fat and have more protein, 

so they were preferred. 

Look on the front inside cover to find a bird who stores acorns in trees. 

Fill in the blanks below to name this bird: 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

7 
Have you seen our 

hidden visitor from 

the South? 

If you look very carefully 

in the shrubs along the Table 

Rocks trails you might see a tiny pair of 

eyes watching you. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 

is a small, active bird who loves to eat gnats 

and flies. 

Blue-Gray 

Gnatcatchers 

measure at 

3.9”–5.1” 

What do they look like ? The Blue-gray 

Gnatcatcher is smaller than a sparrow with a 

slender, long tail. It is gray above, white below, and 

has a white eye ring around its eye. 

Both parents construct the nest and feed their young. They lay 4-5 pale blue 

eggs with brown spots in a small cup nest made of plant material, lichen, and 

spider webs. 

Look for this delightful little bird as it has traveled a long way to the Table 

Rocks. In fact, it’s the most northern place in the western United States that 

this bird will stop! 

Use red and orange 

to color in the plant 

in the top corners 

of page 8 and page 9. 

8 

Chaparral habitat is a shrub community. Plants 

in the Chaparral must be able to survive hot, dry conditions 

in shallow soils. You will see mostly bushes or shrubs with 

woody, round, waxy leaves adapted to prevent water loss. This plant 

community is home to numerous bird species that find protection in 

the thick vegetation. One such bird is a very small songbird: 

the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. 
. They escape to safety while their tail 

stays behind! Don’t worry; it will grow back. Both male and female western fence lizards have a blue belly, but the male’s 

belly is especially bright. They like to show it off by doing push-ups. This attracts females and scares off other males. 

Fence lizards have a detachable tail that helps them survive an attack from a predator

While hiking in the Chaparral 

habitats, you may see Western 

Fence Lizards, small, brown 

lizards with blue bellies, sunbathing 

on the rocks. Lizards are cold blooded 

and they need the sun to give them energy. 

Check Out that Blue Belly! 

Amazing

Adaptation:

WesTeRn 

Fence 

liZaRd 

What is the name of 

the plant in the design 

to your right? 

__ __ __ __ __ __ 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 

9 
The Mixed Woodland habitat consists of 

Ponderosa pine, madrone, Douglas-fir, California black 

oak, incense cedar, and many other plant species, including 

numerous colorful wildflowers. This forest community 

is home to many different species of plants and wildlife due to the shade cover created by the 

dense tree canopy. Temperatures are cooler which make for thick understory vegetation and 

abundant food resources. Grasses, fruits, nuts, and berries attract wildlife - especially bears! 

The Lupine is named after “Lupus,” the Latin word for wolf. 

It is in the pea family with seeds that look like pea pods but don’t be 

fooled into eating this plant! Lupine is poisonous and will make you 

very sick. When this plant was named, people thought that both 

the wolf and the plant killed livestock. 

Although lupine is poisonous, it is an important 

part of a healthy habitat. After a forest fire, Lupine 

grows rapidly and puts vitamins and nutrients back 

into the soil. This helps the forest grow! 

10 

 consists of 

Ponderosa pine, madrone, Douglas-fi r, California black 

oak, incense cedar, and many other plant species, including 

numerous colorful wildfl owers. This forest community 

The Lupine is named after “Lupus,” the Latin word for wolf. 

It is in the pea family with seeds that look like pea pods but don’t be 

fooled into eating this plant! Lupine is poisonous and will make you 

very sick. When this plant was named, people thought that both 

the wolf and the plant killed livestock.

Although lupine is poisonous, it is an important

part of a healthy habitat. After a forest fi re, Lupine 

grows rapidly and puts vitamins and nutrients back 

into the soil. This helps the forest grow!

Arrow-Leaf 

Balsamroot 

The leaves of this beautiful 

yellow flower are shaped like an 

arrowhead and that’s where it 

gets its name. Native Americans 

used its seeds for food. They ate 

them raw or ground them and 

mixed them with fat to form 

balls. The balls were rich in 

energy and were stored for 

winter use. 

The Black bear is an intelligent 

animal with keen senses of smell and 

hearing. It can detect the slightest scent 

of food, which can lead the bear to 

recreation sites. Odor from carelessly 

stored food and garbage can lure 

bears long distances. Drought 

may result in a food shortage, 

causing bears to travel many 

miles in search of 

food. While these bears are generally 

shy and secretive and usually fearful of humans, they can lose this fear. Fortunately, unlike grizzly bears, black 

bears are seldom aggressive toward humans. Be careful and remember these big animals are wild! 
11 

1. _____ My leaves have rounded lobes and my fruit is an acorn. I grow 

in the savanna in the lower elevations of the Table Rocks. 

2. _____ I have needles in bundles of three. I protect my seeds in cones 

and when I get older, my bark gets thicker and helps protect me from 

fi re. 

3. _____ My leaves have pointed lobes and grow larger than my relative 

who lives lower on the Table Rocks. I also have acorns as my fruit. 

4. _____ My bark is reddish color and peels away showing my inner 

bark. My broad leaves are dark green and leathery. I am an evergreen 

because I keep my leaves all year. I have bright, red berries. 

5. _____ I am a conifer (a cone-bearer) with short needles. My seeds 

look like a snakes tongue that sticks out of my cone. 

6. _____ Sometimes I am a shrub, but I can grow up to 40 feet tall! My 

leaves are fuzzy and I keep them throughout the year. My seeds look like 

they have a feather on them. 

This page shows trees found in different habitats on the Table Rocks. 

Read the list of tree descriptions, then look at the six pictures on the right to 

match the correct letter next to the description. 
This unique and rare plant community includes a thin 

layer of impermeable volcanic rock with mounds of 

earth on top. Water collects seasonally 

in depressions between the mounds, 

creating vernal pools. 

While hiking the Table Rocks, 

you might see Turkey Vultures 

soaring in the wind. These awkward 

looking birds are the “janitors” of habitats 

because they eat and remove dead things. 

Can you imagine what our world would 

look like (and smell like) if we didn’t have 

Turkey Vultures? They have an incredible 

sense of smell and can find dead animals 

up to one mile away! 

Vernal pools support a federally 

threatened animal called the 

12 

vernal pool fairy shrimp. 


These very rare and wonderful 


creatures lay little sacks of 


eggs that wait out dry seasons. 


Sometimes these eggs will rest for 


years at a time, but when it rains, 


Diagram of fairy shrimp cycle 

the eggs hatch. This cycle repeats 

itself over and over again. 

The Pacific tree 

frog lives in large 

numbers on the 

Table Rocks, while 

tadpoles of the rarer 

Western toad 

can be seen only 

between March 

and May. 
A state endangered plant, 

called the dwarf wooly 

meadowfoam is endemic to 

the Table Rocks, meaning it is found 

nowhere else in the world! Scientists have 

13 

discovered that the seeds of the meadowfoam contain a 

very high quality oil that is similar to sperm whale oil. We use 

this type of oil on spaceships, airplanes, and in cosmetics. This plant 

grows in the wet areas on top of both Table Rocks. It grows low to the ground 

and has small leaves. 

Please admire with care. 

They are Very Rare! 

The flower is small and 

white with five petals. 

It usually blooms in 

the month of April. 

Unlike frogs, the Western toad has warty 

skin and will 

walk or crawl 

more than 

hop. This 

toad sounds like 

the weak peeping 

of a baby chick. It 

is recognized by the 

light-colored stripe 

down the middle of 

its back. Careful not 

to touch as this toad has 

glands that secrete poison! 
Bear 

Ground 

Squirrel 

The Table Rocks are home to over 70 species of animals and 340 

species of plants, which includes over 200 species of wildflowers! 

The tracks below represent some of the wildlife species that 

live among the Table Rocks. Use these as a reference for 

playing Bingo on page 4 of this book. 

Raccoon 

Ringtail 

Deer 

Elk 

Bobcat 

Cougar 

Gray Fox 

Coyote 

Jack Rabbit 

Western 

Gray 

Squirrel 

Dusky Footed 

Wood Rat 

California 

14 

Killdeer 

Kangaroo 

Rat 

Wild Turkey 
START 

~~ 

FINISH 

Find your way through the maze ... from the start where a 

seed is nourished in the soil until it finally blooms into a 

colorful wildflower. Keep an eye out for the many wildflowers found on the Table Rocks so that you can check off 

your FREE space on page 4 of the Bingo game. 

15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KW

nk) 

The C ow C reek people hunted, f ished and gathered in the Table 

Rock area since time immemorial (the beginning of time) 

Table Rock is a part of the Tribal homeland that provides many 

resources f or N ative people such as; acorns, camas, salmon, lamprey, 

deer, elk, pine needles, cat tails, maiden hair f erns, and much more. 

These items were historically used in daily lif e. 

OHOP (Olivella Shell) 

YULUM (Eagle) 

XTAAN (Lamprey) 

A ccording to Takelma legend, lamprey are known as the best singers 

of all the f ish, because of the seven gill openings on each side. 

LOOM (Cedar) 

TKAM (Elk) 

16 

I SKWAS (Chipmu

Cow Creek Takelma Language 


(Word Search) 


Y S D V Y F C A I F R P U L J KEET (Beargrass) 

Q A K S K F F X A A V A W P E

A W H T I B H Q U N N W L E J

N K V A L F Z S P F T E B N K 

KWISKWAS (Chipmunk) 

LOOM (Cedar) 

G S W I M O I T X E K E M C H 

W I W Z N N O Z G A A T Y I K 

MENA (Bear) 

G W X A M K A M B R M U X B L OHOP (Olivella Shell) 

L K A V S L V T U U U M C G B 

E T X T L V I J N P O P I M I 

PIM (Salmon) 

X A E A A U L M M C T P O H O TANMAHAY (Big Rock) 

C E G L L D U Q V N M M A I H

K N R J O L M R T D E T G R V 

TKAM (Elk) 

G R B V Y C V P L L H Z F X Y XTAAN (Lamprey) 

F C P G L F D E I U Y E E F Z 

Y U L U M I C M J B M T O U R 

YOLA (Fox) 

YULUM (Eagle) 

YOLA (Fox) 

MENA (Bea r) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PIM (Salmon)

KEET (Beargra ss) 

PO P Q U IZ !!! 

What year did the 

C ow C reek Tribe sign 

the treaty? 

A ccording to 

Takelma legend what 

are Lamprey known 

as? 

TANMAHAY (Big Rock) 

Table Rock 

T h e Do c t rine o f T riba l 

So v e re ignty st ates t ha t... 

Indian governmentpowers with some 

exceptions, are not delegated powers, 

but inherent powers of a limited 

sovereignty that have neverbeen 

extinguished. 

This doctrine was first articulated in 

this country by U S SupremeCourt, 

Chief JusticeJohn Marshall in 

Worchester v. Georgia in 1832 

17 

1. 

2. 

The C ow C reek Band of U mpqua Tribe of Indians 

signed a treaty in 1853 that negotiated historic Tribal 

lands in exchange f or a reservation, goods, and the 

promise of annuities. The Tribe’s A ncestral territory is 

located in the Rogue and U mpqua Watershed areas of 

Southwestern O regon. 

3. What is the Talkelma 

word f or C hipmunk? 

2371 NE Stephens Street

Roseburg, OR 97470 

541-677-5575 

3 2. Great Singers 3. kwiskwas 581. 1: sr e ws n A Rhonda Malone, Cultural Coordinator 
 

Humans have lived in the Table Rocks area for at least 15,000 years. The Takelma tribes depended upon the area’s 

plants and wildlife to survive. Groups of families moved around as food sources became available. Generally, they 

traveled from the lower elevations in the spring to higher elevations during the summer and early fall, and then 

returned to their villages along the river for the winter. Each season represented a new round of food resources 

to be collected and work to be done. Draw a line connecting the season to the boxed list that best describes food 

resources or work done during that season. 

•	 salmon 

•	 camas bulbs 

•	 basketry materials 

•	 deer 

•	 elk 

•	 rabbits 

•	 waterfowl 

•	 Squirrels 

•	 chipmunks 

•	 acorns

•	 pine nuts

•	 hazel nuts

•	 grasshoppers

•	 drying and storing

foods for the winter

months 

•	 bulbs 

•	 fruits 

•	 berries 

•	 nuts 

•	 hunting deer 

•	 elk 

•	 story telling

•	 weave and repair

baskets

•	 repaired hunting

tools

•	 made new tools 

18 

Hint: spring is a “squirrel-ly” time of year; summer is the most “fruitful” time of year; fall is a bit “nutty”; winter is a “telling” time of year. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ansWeRs Page 

page 5 - Word Search Key: 

19 

page 5 - Bottom question fill in the blanks: I s l a n d s i n t h e S k y 

page 7 - Acorn Woodpecker 

page 9 - I n d i a n P a i n t b r u s h 

page 11 - 1. F - White Oak 

2. D - Ponderosa Pine 

3. C - California Black Oak 

4. B - Pacific Madrone 

5. A - Douglas-fir 

6. E - Mountain Mahogany 
Bureau of Land Management 

Junior Explorer 


As a Bureau of Land Management Junior Explorer, I promise to: 

• 	do alii can to help preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources 

on our public lands, 

• 	be aware of how my actions can affect other living things and the evidence of 

our past, 

• keep learning about the importance of nature and our heritage, and 

• share what I have learned with others! 

Date 	 Explorer Signature 

Students at the Table Rocks with Mt. McLoughlin in the background. 

BLM Medford District 3040 Biddle Road Medford, OR 97504 541-618-2200 www.blm.gov/or 

BLM/OR/WA/GI-14/026+1122.32 

BLM Medford District 3040 Biddle Road Medford, OR 97504 541-618-2200 www.blm.gov/or