The Medford Ugly Sweater 5k is a perfect way to work off those Christmas cookies this holiday season! Run walk or dance your way through this festive 5k and show off your Christmas Sweater on Saturday December 11th! Fun for all ages, the Medford Ugly Sweater Run is a great outing for the whole family. The best part about this run is that all of the proceeds are donated to the Jackson County Foster Parent Association!

Visit the first annual Applegate Holiday Market on December 11th and 12th at Applegate River Lodge! Filled with vendors, food and crafts, you can have some fun while doing a little holiday gift shopping from local artisans. There you'll find a Santa photo booth, games for kids, gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa. Sounds like a perfect way to spend a December afternoon!

Visit Ashland Ice Rink at Lithia Park on Saturday December 18th for the First Frost Celebration, where ice skating meets holiday cheer! Family skating is discounted from 4pm-5:30 and the Southern Oregon Figure Skating Club performs at 5:45pm, where you can watch in awe of their incredible talent! Public skating resumes right after, alongside music played by the Ashland High School Band! Hot drinks and snack will be served by the Local Lions Club. So strap on your skates (or rent them there) and prepare for a good time!

Snowshoes, skis and snowy slopes — winter activities abound in the heart of the Rogue Valley, and sledding is a favorite cold weather adventure. Don't worry about searching for the sweet spots because we have snowballed a list of some of the best. Gather your boots, sled, best buddies and head outside!

The soft, supple snow at Diamond Lake Resort make it a popular winter destination among locals and visitors. Grab your tube, sled or saucer because there’s plenty of room for everyone to have fun on the hill. Diamond Lake is a hub of winter fun with seven sliding lanes, fabulous facilities and a friendly staff.

For a truly unique experience, tube down the slope under shimmering lights on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays.

The resort also offers 3-hour and all day passes, as well as discounts for families of four.

Stay a few hours or all day for the best snowy fun in Southern Oregon.

Directions: Diamond Lake is about 70 Miles north of Medford. Take Highway 62 up from Medford through Shady Cove, past Union Creek and Crater Lake National Park. This drive is stunning and has a lot of gorgeous stops and viewpoints along the way!

Heading south? Table Mountain has an awesome sledding hill in the Hyatt Lake Recreation Area at the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. During the winter months, Hyatt Lake offers sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Directions : 20 miles east of Ashland, Hyatt Lake is a portal to a plethora of winter outdoor recreation activities.

Mt. Ashland is the crown jewel of Southern Oregon. A mecca for winter recreation, Mt. Ashland has been a local favorite since 1964.

There is plenty to do at Mt. Ashland, but twilight skiing is a must. It’s the best way to experience a beautiful Southern Oregon winter sunset. Twilight skiing starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights in January, February and early March. When the lights go on, your journey of lights and snow begins!

While you’re in the area, head over to Grouse Gap Sno-Park for sledding. It’s just up the road from Mt. Ashland and a great place to hit the snow.

Directions: Head south on I-5 from Medford and take the Mount Ashland Exit just south of the Ashland City Exit.