Merlin is rural neighborhood between the Rogue River and Grants Pass
On the way into the small, rural community of Merlin, drivers pass by tree-covered hills, fenced-in properties and a drive-thru coffee shop on Merlin Road. This spread-out country community is known as the gateway to the Rogue River, says Kendon Leet, owner of Kendon Leet Real Estate in Grants Pass. “Going through Merlin is the only way to get down to the exciting part of the river where people go rafting and go on multiday trips.” Streets are calm and quiet with no stoplights, and neighbors take Merlin Road 9 miles to reach downtown Grants Pass.
Rafting on the Rogue River
The Rogue River gets wilder with rapids as it flows westward. Small businesses throughout Merlin sell rafting supplies and organize group excursions, and anglers fish for steelhead and salmon. Within the neighborhood, Merlin Community Park is a recreational and social hub. Its community center can be rented for private events. It also has horseshoe pits, a playground and a baseball field. On Thursday evenings in the summer, live musicians play in the park, and its Veterans Walk of Honor invites quiet contemplation. At this memorial, locals can donate to engrave the names of military members and veterans upon the granite markers. Oregon’s second-oldest apple tree, the Haines Family Apple Tree, sits within Merlin, holding strong since the 1850s.
Properties with up to 5 acres of land
Custom homes, many of which are New Traditionals, sit on fenced-in land between two and five acres. Homes operate on septic tanks and use well water, and prices range from $275,000 to nearly $1 million, depending on age. Some come with a second garage, a garden or fruit trees on the property. Manufactured homes sit on land between one and five acres and typically come with greenhouses or a shed. They cost between $348,000 and $405,000, and open plots of land generally range from $180,000 to $239,000
Schools within 5 miles of Merlin
Students may attend Manzanita Elementary, rated B-minus on Niche. Fleming Middle School and North Valley High School are both rated C. North Valley High won district wrestling championships in 2023 and 2024. Southern Oregon Success Academy, a public charter school for grades 6-12, is the only school in the neighborhood; it is not rated on Niche.
Driving into Grants Pass
Merlin is a bit too spread out to be considered pedestrian or bike-friendly. Roads form a triangle in the center of Merlin as they stretch outward in different directions. Merlin Road runs southeast toward Grants Pass and Interstate 5, a major north-to-south highway that stretches across the West Coast. Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass is the nearest hospital; it is 12 miles away. Josephine County commuter buses stop in Merlin and go to Grants Pass and the small towns of Hugo, Sunny Valley and Wolf Creek to the north. For air travel, locals typically drive to Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, 34 miles away. Although Grants Pass Airport is next to the neighborhood, it has no commercial carriers. “Grants Pass Airport has a staffed office but an unmanned tower with no aircraft control. Small private jets use it,” Leet says.
Brunch at the neighborhood café
With its rainbow décor and signage, Riffle Café is impossible to miss on the way into Merlin. Decked out with lizard-themed artwork on the ceiling, this woman-owned brunch spot serves hearty portions and cold beer in a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Lil’ Pantry has been a local Rogue Valley chain since the 1980s. This corner market has a beer cave with more than 100 varieties for sale and serves hot food and coffee, including all-day breakfast.
A drive-thru coffee shop on Merlin Road is part of the Dutch Bros Coffee chain, which began in downtown Grants Pass. The company headquarters sits right outside Merlin next to the Grants Pass Airport, which transports its coffee to nearly 900 locations across the country. For more grocery and retail stores, shoppers can head 9 miles into Grants Pass.
