Oregon - Washington adventure

[kingfisher24]

So after the July 4th rally at Baker City we are planning to spend the remainder of july and all of august wandering the roads and beaches of oregon and washington. Ending up somewhere near the entrance of Yellowstone Labor Day...waiting for the crowds to go home and back to school.

In planning the trip I have started and headed back up towards Pendelton finding a stopover at a commercial camp at Hermiston for the fist night out..that being July 5th. Then I found Deschutes River State Rec area for a stop of two days to explore the columbia river scenic gorge area and Hood River.

Then down US 97 and KOA at Culver to explore the area around Redmond....The Cove Palisades state park...all 299 spaces were full...a weekend i guess...

Then down to LaPine and a state park there to explore Newberry Crater and Paulina Lake.

From there, will someone help me with Crater Lake and some recommendations for the area......

trip planning is ongoing.....i like to plan ahead and will have to to get some places on the coast as that is my most important focus....i want to be ON THE BEACH

[Jim Foster]

If you have never done it, the Oregon Coast is one of the West's great drives. It is best done from north to south as there are many pull outs, all on the sea side of the highway. Much easier, especially towing, than driving north and crossing the highway time after time.

We spend the last three weeks in August in Washington and Oregon. Love it, year after year.

[kingfisher24]

with the oregon coast.... Last year we traveled from Olympia to Harrris beach.....a beautiful drive... I was trying to make reservations at Harris Beach yesterday and it is all booked up until the 1st of August.

So continuing....after LaPine we are going to find a place maybe at Diamond Lake or Collier Memorial State park,...to explore Crater Lake.


Then down to the Valley of the Rogue.....

Then to the SKP park at Sutherlin....

Then to Humbug Mountain State Park.....

Then..????

[kingfisher24]

The Birthday for Wally in the park at Baker City was great. To arrive there we left Lewiston, Idaho and entered Washington at Clarkston and headed down route 129 towards Rattlesnake grade and the entry into Oregon along the Grande Ronde river...such a beautiful drive down Oregon Route 3 winding down the valley and up again towards Enterprise , Or. Here we split trails with our traveling partners , Lew and Gayle Miller and we headed north and west thru Elgin, Or and they went East and South towards the Hells Cannyon Wilderness...both of us headed to Baker City.

While in Baker City we traveled up to Halfway, Oregon along the Powder River checking out the real estate and the scenery....beautiful country.



so the pictures were supposed to be here





After the rally we headed out to explore Oregon heading north on IH 84 up country to Pendelton and stayed the night at Pioneer RV park in Hermiston; up Emigrant Hill and through a much different countryside than around Baker City.

Next stop was to be the Deschutes River SRA and a stay at the park there where the Deschutes empties into the Columbia river at the National Scenic area of the Columbia River Gorge.

next entry will be down US 97 towards Bend and the Newberrty Volcanic area around La Pine, Paulina Lake and The beautiful Rogue River

[Lily&Me]

Beautiful pictures, what you got posted.

Glad to hear all is still going well.

Travel safe,


Maggie

[Splitrock]

Very nice! Thanks for the update. I'll watch for more later!

[sharbours]

That's a beautiful area! We really enjoyed La Pine State Park - but watch out for the ground squirrels, they'll come right in the trailer! (Look in the window, under the truck tire.)


The lava tube and the obsidian flow were some of my favorite day trips.


I'm not much for heights, but the view from the top of the mountain looking down on Paulina Lake was worth it!


We've never been to Crater Lake before, so we have a 10 day trip to the area planned in about 2 weeks, along with two other couples. We're staying at the Crater Lake Resort; Fort Creek runs through it right behind our sites. They also have canoes for their guests to use to paddle around the creek. I don't know if you've found a park in that area, but if not, you might want to give them a call.

Enjoy your trip; maybe we'll see you out on the road sometime!

Sharon

[kingfisher24]

while in this area, deschutes SRA, we took a day trip into washington headed up US 97 towards yakima but then hung a left on washington 142... a very scenic drive that affords a view of Mt Ranier, Mt Hood and Mt St Hellens from one viewpoint near Goldendale, Wa and then you continue to Klickitat on to white salmon and a toll bridge across the columbia into hood river where you find a wind surfing park.

After leaving this area we headed south and made a stop at a KOA near Redmond where we explored the area of pilot butte and prineville and the scenic viewpoints in that area.

Then on to LaPine State Park and ground squirels everywhere....they would come in the trailer if you let them.... This park has very nice hiking trails that follow the deschutes river....great area that leads you into the Paulina Lake area and all the volcanic areas around.

From there we made our way to Prospect, Oregon...a town south of crater lake and right on the Rogue River.....such a beautiful area. Then, following the Rogue river we made our way into Gold Hill and Grants Pass and a stay at the state park....the valley of the rogue...a large park that was full of rv'er and tenters. Leaving there we made a suprise stop at the seven feathers casino resort at canoynville,,....a very beautiful resort at the casino...well worth the stay.

from there we checked out the SKP park at Sutherlin and the various arms of the Umpqua river...checked out roseburg, drain, oregon and we especially liked elkton....right on the river....great place.

From there we headed to Humbug Mountain state park....hicked up the mountain and went to the beach....leaving there today we settling on gold beach......temps in the 60's......just beautiful weather.......

[phbarnhart]

Love the picture of Wizard Island. The waters of Crater Lake are the most amazing color.

[Relentless]

If you are coming north up the coast, try to get reservations at Cape Disapointment and/or Grayland State parks in Wa.

John

[kingfisher24]

To me, this is one of the most beautiful places, We made our way to the state park here from a lovely stay at gold beach over the weekend. I love that area as well...where the rogue river meets the sea.

But Cape Blanco....is just magical to me....the lighthouse....the beach down the bluff...seems unspoiled and virgin...

[Gene]

I don't know exactly where you are and if you are still in the Crater Lake area, but we enjoyed Oregon Caves—I think it is a national monument. Every once in a while we need to explore a cave and this was ok, not great, but fine. The old national park style hotel is interested to see, not great, but still good. The access road to the park is better done without a trailer.

Gene

[kingfisher24]

that is south of Grants Pass almost in Calif....we did not make it in that direction....I am a little batty ....so i avoid caves