lakes Archives - Pacific Northwest Explorer

Florence, Oregon

by Alan K. Lee

Introduction

Florence, Oregon (not to be confused with Florence, Italy) is a small town on Oregon’s central coast. The town lies on the estuary of the Siuslaw River, a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Historically, Florence’s economy centered around commercial fishing and the timber industry, but today sport fishing and general tourism are more important. Florence has a vibrant old town area, many festivals and parks, and access to miles of ocean beach. The surrounding area also has many tourist draws, most prominently the 31,500-acre Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area that runs for forty miles along the coast from the Siuslaw River to Coos Bay.

The Town

I have to confess that for years Florence was, to me, just a not terribly attractive town that you passed through to get to the lakes, streams, beaches, headlands, and dunes that were the real attractions of the area. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered the charms of the old town waterfront area, the many quality eating establishments to be found in the town, and the parks and other attractions of the town. While the surrounding areas are still the main draw, Florence makes an attractive base to explore the area and has plenty of attractions of its own.

The old town area of Florence lies along the shore of the Siuslaw River. Although not large, the area has many restaurants and cafes and numerous small hotels and guest houses. There is a marina and an RV park, trails along the river, and a number of public art works. On my last visit, the main old town street was closed to vehicle traffic one evening to facilitate a giant block party that drew a huge crowd, with live music and many food vendors that made for a very festive evening.

Art lovers will want to check out the Blue Heron Gallery and Backstreet Gallery, both in the old town area. For history buffs, the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum offers “a taste of life as it was 150 years ago.”

Quality dining in the old town can be found at Waterfront Depot, Nosh Eatery, Maple Street Bistro, 1285 Restobar, and the Firehouse. Outside of old town, Venny’s Café on Hwy 101 gets good reviews and Fresh Harvest Café, farther north on 101, is a good place to get breakfast or lunch. Brew pubs worth checking out include Beachcomber Pub and Homegrown Public House, both in the old town.

You might want to try the sport of sandboarding, especially if you are a family with active kids. Think snowboarding but on the dunes not the mountain slopes. Sand Master Park, just north of Fred Meyer in the north end of town, bills itself as the world’s first sandboarding park. You can get lessons, rent sandboards, and try out the sport onsite on 200 acres of dunes.

If you enjoy gambling, Three Rivers Casino Resort, just off Hwy 126 about a mile east of Hwy 101, offers plenty of opportunities to strike it rich (or not), plus several dining options and frequent live entertainments events. The casino is owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. The Tribes also own and operate Ocean Dunes Golf Links, one of two 18-hole courses in Florence, the other being Florence Golf Links (formerly known as Sand Pines).

One of the oddities of Florence, Oregon involves an exploding whale. In 1970 a 45-foot sperm whale carcass washed ashore at Florence. The Oregon Highway Division used twenty cases (literally a ton) of dynamite in an attempt to break the carcass into small pieces. The resulting explosion sent pieces of the whale flying as much as 800 feet from the beach. No one was injured but several vehicles were damaged by falling blubber. The KATU-TV news story and video of the event has become something of a cult-classic and continues to be frequently viewed more than half a century later. An exhibit at the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum has bone fragments from the whale and a city park along the riverfront west of Hwy 101 was recently renamed Exploding Whale Park.

The Oregon Dunes

The Oregon Dunes consist of the largest coastal dune field in North America, coastal spruce and pine forest that includes many “tree islands” surrounded by dunes, miles of ocean beaches, and numerous freshwater lakes and wetlands. Outside the boundary of the national recreation area (NRA) there are several state parks and a number of Siuslaw National Forest campgrounds.

Honeyman State Park, about three miles south of Florence, has a large (364 site) campground, dunes access for both hikers and OHVs (Oct-Apr), picnic areas, a children’s playground, restrooms and showers, and two freshwater lakes.

The miles of dunes are a very popular off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreational area. You can rent dune buggies if you don’t have your own, and tours on larger OHVs are also available. About one third of the NRA is open to off-highway vehicles. There are also ample areas within and adjacent to the NRA that are off limits to OHVs that provide a quieter experience for hikers, paddlers, birders, photographers, beachcombers, and other nature lovers.

Fishing and Boating

Fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout and warm water species like bass and perch are popular activities on the freshwater lakes near Florence. Woahink, Siltcoos, and Tahkenitch Lakes south of Florence are all prime fishing grounds. All have public boat ramps that also give canoers, kayakers and paddleboarders access to the lakes. Cleawox Lake in Honeyman State Park also is a popular paddling spot. The Siuslaw River has both salmon and steelhead runs, and ocean fishing trips can be booked through charter services in Winchester Bay (aka Salmon Harbor) about twenty-five miles south of Florence. A list of local fishing guides can be found on the Port of Siuslaw website.

Area Beaches

The south jetty area has five beach access points and four miles of beach where OHVs are not permitted. Go south on Hwy 101 and turn right onto Sand Dunes Road about a half mile south of the Siuslaw River Bridge. At the north end of town, the north jetty area and Heceta Beach County Park give access to another five miles of ocean beach. There are also many beach access points both north and south of Florence.

Heceta Head

Heceta Head Lighthouse, about ten miles north of Florence, is one of the Oregon coast’s most iconic and most photographed locations. The lighthouse, built in 1893, is 56 feet tall and sits 200 feet above the ocean, making it one of the best whale-watching points on the coast. And the original assistant lightkeeper’s house is now a bed and breakfast inn with six rooms and features a seven-course breakfast menu.

Sea Lion Caves

Located on Sea Lion Point about a mile south of Heceta Head , Sea Lion Caves is a privately owned attraction featuring the largest sea cave in the Americas. The cave (and the surrounding rocky shoreline) is the only mainland rookery of Steller Sea Lions. From the observation deck at the gift shop there is a great view of Heceta Head Lighthouse. From there, a short trail brings you to an elevator that descends over 200 feet to the cave. In winter and spring, you’ll likely see hundreds of sea lions in the huge cave, but in the summer and fall there may not be any sea lions in the cave. They’ll mostly be found on the rocks outside the cave in those months. But the cave itself (about 300 feet across and 125 feet high) is worth the cost of admission.

Cobra lilies, Darlingtonia State Natural Site

Darlingtonia Wayside

A few miles north of Florence at Darlingtonia Wayside (now officially Darlingtonia State Natural Site) you’ll find one of the few places in the Pacific Northwest where cobra lilies (Darlingtonia californica) can be found. These carnivorous plants trap and consume insects that provide the plant with nitrogen and nutrients that they can’t get from the boggy soil. There are restrooms at the parking area and a short boardwalk trail that takes you into the cobra lily’s domain.

Conclusion

Florence, Oregon is a great stopping point on a tour of the 363 miles of Oregon coastline. There’s so much to see and do in the surrounding area and in the town itself that you could easily spend a week in Florence and not run out of things to do and sights to see. I’m looking forward to my next visit, maybe an off-season trip this winter.

And if you’re heading farther down the coast, make sure to stop in Bandon-by-the-sea. Farther south, the southern Oregon coast has spectacular scenery and is as uncrowded and unspoiled as it gets on the Pacific coast.

Posted Dec 2, 2024

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Rocky Mountain National Park

Overview

Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado is without question one of the most scenic places I have ever been. Its mountains, lakes, meadows, waterfalls, rivers, and forests rival those of Glacier National Park, the Canadian Rockies, and the Teton Range. And its vast tracks of alpine tundra above the timberline and its 14,000-foot peaks make it unique. All of that, and its proximity to the Denver metropolitan area, make it one of the most visited national parks in the country.

I had the pleasure of visiting the park last August (2023) with my wife at the beginning of our tour of the Colorado Rockies that also took us to Breckenridge, Leadville, Aspen, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Alamosa, Royal Gorge, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs. We ended our tour at the Garden of the Gods, an incredibly beautiful collection of rock spires that is another of the most scenic spots I’ve ever visited.

The popularity of Rocky Mountain National Park has led to overcrowding in the past. To limit the number of visitors, the park has instituted timed entry permits, which are needed to visit both the Bear Lake area of the park and to access Trail Ridge Road, which takes you through the high-altitude country along the continental divide. The permits can be obtained through the park website but go quickly.

View from Alpine Visitor Center, Trail Ridge Road

On the first day of each month during the summer tourist season, the park opens the sale of permits for the following month. We had already made reservations for lodging in Estes Park, as well as our flight to Denver and our car rental before the entry permits for the days in August that we planned to visit were available. So, my wife got on the web early on July 1 to ensure that we got permits for our desired days, which she was able to obtain. Otherwise, we would have been scrambling to change our plans.

Estes Park

The town of Estes Park, located just outside the eastern boundary of the park, is the gateway to the park and an ideal base for exploring the park. It is a tourist town, to be sure, with at least some of the negatives that being one brings. But it also has enough appeal to make spending a whole day there an enjoyable start to your trip. We had fun exploring the compact downtown area with its many cafes, bars, art galleries, and shops. The Riverwalk along the Big Thompson River and Estes Lake is pretty, and many of the downtown businesses can be accessed from both the main street and the Riverwalk.

At an elevation of 7500 feet, Estes Park is also a good place to spend a couple of days acclimating to the altitude. If, like us, you live near sea level, giving yourself a few days to get used to the lesser oxygen content of the atmosphere is definitely something that you should consider doing. We didn’t, but we paid a bit of a price for not doing so, too.

Bear Lake Area

Our first full day in the Rockies was spent in the Bear Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park. Having a timed entry permit doesn’t mean you’ll find a parking spot at Bear Lake, so we opted to park in the park-and-ride lot a few miles past the entry station and ride the shuttle up to the lake. The shuttles run frequently and the trip is short – 15 minutes, maybe. So, if you don’t get on the first shuttle, another will be along soon.

We did three hikes that day. The first, a short, almost flat 0.8-mile loop around Bear Lake, was a good start. Bear Lake is at almost 9500 feet, so the air was noticeably thinner than even at Estes Park. But we took it slow, soaking up the scenery and taking lots of photos.

Our second hike was longer, about two miles, and took us to Alberta Falls. The trail descends about 300 feet from Bear Lake to Tyndall Creek, then climbs to the falls on Glacier Creek. We took a shortcut on the return trip by hiking down to the Glacier Gorge trailhead and riding the shuttle back to up Bear Lake rather than hiking back up the hill.

Our third hike was the 2.5-mile out and back hike up to the aptly named Dream Lake at just under 10,000 feet. We were feeling the altitude by the time we got to the lake. We spent quite a bit of time at the lake resting and taking in the absolutely gorgeous setting. Emerald Lake is only about a third of a mile from Dream Lake, and possibly even more beautiful, but I was gassed by then, so we turned around at the head of the lake and returned to Bear Lake and picked up a shuttle ride back to our SUV.

On our way back to Estes Park we took a side trip to Moraine Park, a glacier-carved valley on the Big Thompson Reservoir lined by steep ridges to the north and south. Moraine Park was once home to a resort and golf course but has been restored to its natural state of meadow and marshland. Moraine Park is known for its elk and other wildlife, but the elk were nowhere to be seen when we were there.

Trail Ridge Road

The next morning, we packed up and headed for the high country of Trail Ridge Road. Much of the drive is above timberline. The high point of the drive is at almost 12,200 feet.

We first stopped at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. From there, the road climbs steadily to Many Parks Curve Overlook, where you look down almost 1500 feet to Beaver Meadows and Moraine Park in the distance. At Rainbow Curve Overlook you look down on Fall River Valley, 2200 feet below you.

We stopped at Rock Cut and did a short hike at an elevation of 12,150 feet. It had to be short because just walking around at that elevation was enough to make both of us lightheaded. But, my God, what incredible scenery.

I can say with confidence that Trail Ridge Road is one of the most beautiful drives on the planet. Just awesome.

Coming down off Trail Ridge we stopped on the continental divide at Milner Pass (at 10,759 feet you actually come down in elevation from Trail Ridge to the divide). We did a short walk there along the shore of Poudre Lake and, of course, took a photo of the continental divide sign before heading south.

Upper Colorado River

The headwaters of the Colorado River lay just northwest of Milner Pass. We stopped in Coyote Valley, where we did another short hike (about 1¼ miles) along the upper reaches of the river, which at that point is just an easily wadable creek.

Conclusion

We exited the park that afternoon at Grand Lake, with some regrets that we didn’t plan for more time in the park. Two days weren’t enough. It was a pretty grand two days, but we missed a lot of what the park has to offer. I’m hopeful that we will be back someday, maybe as part of a longer Rocky Mountain adventure. I’m up for a return trip Rocky Mountain National Park, and to the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier, too. I don’t know if that will happen, there are so many places that we’ve never been to, but the dream is there, and why wouldn’t it be?

Posted November 16, 2023 by Alan K. Lee

All photos ©Alan K. Lee

Zylstra Lake Preserve, San Juan Island

Zylstra Lake Trail

Where: San Juan Island, Washington

Distance: 2.2 miles

Type: Loop

Elevation gain: Minimal

Difficulty: Easy

Map:

Online map: San Juan County Land Bank website

Overview:

Zylstra Lake is the centerpiece of a 284 acre preserve owned by the San Juan County Land Bank and managed under a conservation easement by the San Juan Preservation Trust. Zylstra Lake is home to over 100 species of birds and is an important component of the False Bay watershed.

The property was formerly a privately owned farm that was the site of a proposed housing development. Instead, the property was sold to the land bank in 2015 and the trust obtained the conservation easement. Thirty acres of the property, including the farmhouse and agricultural buildings, were sold by the land bank to Island Haven, a non-profit animal sanctuary, with a conservation easement to protect the land.

Currently, there is no public access to the lakeshore, and the eastern and southern portions of the trail around the lake are closed from October through March. The northern and western portions of the loop are open year-round and can be hiked as a lollipop loop during the winter.

Getting there:

Zylstra Lake is 3.5 miles west of downtown Friday Harbor. Take Spring Street west from downtown. Outside of Friday Harbor, Spring Street becomes San Juan Valley Road. Continue west on San Juan Valley Road and look for the Zylstra Lake Preserve parking lot on your left, just before the road makes a 90⁰ turn to the north.

For information on getting to San Juan Island, see my San Juan Island post or the San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau “getting there” web page.

Trailhead:

The trailhead has ten parking spaces. There is a portable toilet, but no water available. No parking permit is required.

The hike:

From the parking lot, take the trail to the west. This is an old farm road running along the edge of the preserve through a mixed woodland with occasional views of the lake to the south.

At 0.3 miles the trail turns south and runs along the western boundary of the preserve for another 0.4 miles. The trail then turns southeast and follows the edge of an open field with good views of the lake.

At the 0.85-mile mark, turn right onto a trail that leads through a mix of open fields and partially logged woodland.

At the 1.25-mile mark, the trail returns to the open field. In winter, the trail ahead is closed, so you need to turn left and retrace your route back to the trailhead parking area.

In summer, you can continue straight. The trail then turns right and crosses a bridge over the creek that flows from the lake. Beyond the bridge, the trail runs along the top of the dam that forms the lake, then passes through a small grove of trees.

From there, the trail runs between fields to the old farmhouse site that is now home to the Island Haven animal sanctuary. The trail turns left there and follows a gravel farm road back to the trailhead.

Other area attractions and activities:

There are too many other attractions to see and things to do on San Juan Island to list them all here. See my post on San Juan Island (linked above) or visit the San Juan Island web page of the San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau website (linked above) for more information.

Posted October 12, 2023 by Alan K. Lee

All photos ©Alan K. Lee

Hosmer Lake, Central Oregon

Hosmer Lake is located just off the Cascade Lakes Highway, about 30 miles west of Bend, Oregon. The water is cold and crystal clear, and the scenery is spectacular. Mount Bachelor (elevation 9065 feet) rises only a few miles to the east, and the 10,358-foot South Sister and 9173-foot Broken Top are only slightly farther away, in full view to the north.

The photos here are from a summer day of kayaking on Hosmer a few years ago.

Hosmer Lake is an interesting body of water, well on its way to becoming a marsh or a meadow (in a few thousand years, perhaps). Big Marsh, about 40 miles to the south is an example of a former lake that has become all marshland. The technical term for this process is lake succession if you’re interested in learning more about it.

Hosmer Lake is a mix of open water and reeds, rushes, water lilies, and other marsh plants. Motorized craft (except for electric motor powered) are not allowed on the lake, which makes it ideal for kayaking or canoeing. It’s also not a big lake at 160 acres, so you can easily explore it all in an afternoon.

Hosmer is a popular fishing destination because it is one of the few lakes in Oregon that are stocked with Atlantic salmon. According to the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, the Atlantic salmon average 16 inches in length and range up to 22 inches. It’s also stocked with brook trout, which run only slightly smaller. It is a fly fishing only lake, so that limits its use somewhat. My wife and I have kayaked there a number of times, and it’s never been crowded.

Hosmer Lake is also a popular birding area. Waterfowl and shore birds, such as American Bitterns, Virginia Rails, Sora, and Wood Ducks, are common. Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds are abundant during the breeding season and into the fall. And Clark’s Nutcrackers, Gray Jays and other birds can often be seen in the forest surrounding the lake. The relatively uncommon Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers are also found in the surrounding area.

Elk and black bear also frequent the area. And let’s not forget the mosquitoes. Forget your insect repellent at your own risk here. Early in the season is especially bad.

At an elevation of 4966 feet, the recreational season is short at Hosmer. There may be snow and the lake may be still frozen until late May or even into early June some years, and the first snow in the fall can come anytime after the middle of September. But the short summer is glorious.

Hosmer is a good place to pitch a tent or park your RV. There are two small forest service campgrounds on the lake that have about 35 sites between them. Note that no water is available at theses campgrounds, so campers will need to bring their own. Water is available at Little Fawn Campground (8 sites) on the south end of nearby Elk Lake and there are many other forest service campgrounds in the surrounding area. There is also a resort at the north end of Elk Lake.

Hosmer Lake is fed by Quinn Creek, which flows into the north end of the lake. Quinn Creek is narrow and shallow, but it is possible to paddle up it for a ways. When we were there last, downed trees blocked our passage a few hundred yards from the mouth of the creek. We hauled our kayaks out of the water at that point and hiked along the creek to a small waterfall where we ate lunch and lingered awhile before heading back out on the water.

Recalling our visits to Hosmer Lake, I’m eager now to get back to the area and get back on the water again. It’s a beautiful place, and one of my favorite destinations. Hosmer Lake is located in the Deschutes National Forest. Check the Forest Service website for information on forest fire danger and possible use restrictions.

While Hosmer Lake is a worthy destination in its own right, there are plenty of other attractions in the immediate area. Elk Lake, a popular fishing and camping spot, is just west of Hosmer Lake. Sparks Lake, to the northeast, is another good canoeing and kayaking destination. There are a number of other lakes along the Cascade Lakes Highway, many trailheads along the highway that give access to the Three Sisters Wilderness, and many campgrounds in the area.

Nearby Mount Bachelor Resort is one of the prime alpine and Nordic ski areas in the Northwest, but it’s also worth a visit in the summer. Take a chair lift to Pine Mountain Lodge at the 7748 foot level and dine at the restaurant there. Then, if you’re adventurous enough, you can take the 3-stage, 1.3-mile long zip line that descends nearly 1400 vertical feet to the base of the mountain. Or just ride the chairlift back down and enjoy the magnificent views of the South Sister, Broken Top, and the surrounding area.

Originally posted December 10, 2018 by Alan K. Lee

Most recently edited and updated September 25, 2023

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon Coast

Introduction

Fort Stevens State Park is one of the most popular and most visited parks in Oregon, and for good reason. It includes a nice beach with good clamming at low tides, a freshwater lake with two picnic grounds, hiking trails, abundant wildlife habitat (including that of a resident herd of Roosevelt elk), a shipwreck, a large campground, and more. And it has an interesting history.

History

From 1864 to 1947, Fort Stevens was an active military base, one of three forts at the mouth of the Columbia River built to protect the entrance to the river. After decommissioning, the fort became the property of the Army Corp of Engineers. In 1975 ownership was transferred to the State of Oregon and became part of Fort Stevens State Park. Many of the concrete gun batteries are still present and open to the public. The park also includes a military history museum, and tours of an underground WWII-era portion of the fort are available.

Fort Stevens State Park was created in 1955 after Clatsop County gifted a parcel of land south of the old military base to the State of Oregon. The state expanded the park several times between 1955 and 1975. The addition of the grounds of the historic Fort Stevens brought the park area to its present size of 4300 acres.

In addition to its military history, Fort Stevens State Park is also part of Lewis and Clark National Historic Park.

The Park

Today, Fort Stevens State Park includes a campground with almost 500 campsites (174 with full hookups and 302 with water and electricity). There are also 15 yurts, 11 cabins, and a hiker-biker camp. The campground has bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers.

There are two large picnic areas on the shores of Coffenbury Lake, a 50-acre freshwater lake that is sheltered from the strong winds that can make the beach a less than pleasant experience at times. The lake has a boat ramp (non-motorized craft or boats with electric motors only), and the lake is stocked with rainbow trout. It also has a variety of warm water fish, including largemouth bass, and is occasionally stocked with steelhead.

The park includes a nine-mile-long bike path, six miles of hiking trails, four miles of ocean beach (part of 15 miles of uninterrupted beach stretching from the south jetty of the Columbia River to the town of Gearhart), two miles of Columbia riverfront beach, and four miles of marshland along the Columbia River Estuary.

Wreck of the Peter Iredale, October 25, 1906. Sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

The Shipwreck

One of the unique features of the park is the shipwreck still visible on the beach after more than a century.

On a foggy night in October 1906, the Peter Iredale, a four masted, steel hulled sailing ship, was blown ashore four miles south of the entrance to the Columbia River by a strong west wind. All 27 crew members were rescued unharmed, but the ship could not be salvaged and has remained on the beach ever since.

The wreck has deteriorated over the past century, but a surprisingly large amount of the hull remains intact. I visited the wreck at low tide in August (2023) and took the photos shown here. (My family camped at Fort Stevens a number of times when I was growing up, but in those days the wreck was buried in the sand, and I don’t remember it being visible on any of our trips there. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I first saw the remains of the ship).

Getting There

Fort Stevens State Park is located near Astoria, Oregon. From Astoria, take US Hwy 101 south across the New Youngs Bay Bridge. Just south of the bridge turn right onto Ore Hwy 104 (E. Harbor Drive). Follow Hwy 104 through downtown Warrenton and follow signs to the park. From the south, take Hwy 101 north, turn left onto Ore Hwy 104 just south of Warrenton, and follow signs to the park.

Nearby Attractions

The area around the mouth of the Columbia River has many interesting places to explore in addition to Fort Stevens. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, the first Americans to explore the area west of the continental divide, reached the mouth of the Columbia in 1806. Members of the expedition built Fort Clatsop, where they spent the winter of 1806-07. The exact location of the fort is unknown, but a replica of the fort, part of Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, is located a few miles east of Fort Stevens where historians believe the fort was located. For hikers, the park features a 6.5-mile trail from Fort Clatsop to the Pacific Ocean at Sunset Beach.

In 1811, John Jacob Astor’s Northwest Company established Fort Astoria at the site of the present-day town of Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Astoria is an interesting as well as historic town well worth visiting on its own.

North Head Lighthouse, Cape Disappointment State Park

Besides Fort Stevens, there are several other parks in the area. Cape Disappointment State Park is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River. It’s the site of Fort Canby, another of the forts that guarded the mouth of the river. Fort Columbia Historical State Park, a few miles inland on the shore of the Washington side of the river, is the site of the third of the three forts.

Ocean fishing trips can be booked on charter boats at the port town of Ilwaco, on the Washington side of the river across the four-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge from the town of Astoria.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a camper, beachcomber, history buff, fisherman, hiker, wildlife enthusiast, photographer, or sightseer, Fort Stevens State Park and the immediate area has something for everyone. And the Long Beach, Washington area north of the Columbia, and the towns, parks, and beaches of the northern Oregon coast also have a lot to offer the traveler. It is no wonder that the area is one of the top tourist destinations in the Pacific Northwest.

Posted August 13, 2023 by Alan K. Lee

All photos by and property of the author, except as noted

Clear Lake Loop Trail

Clear lake Loop Trail

Where: Upper McKenzie River Valley, Willamette National Forest, Oregon

Distance: 5.0 miles

Elevation gain: Minimal

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (for rough sections of the trail through the lava flows)

Overview:

Clear Lake is one of the clearest (as the name would suggest), cleanest, coldest, and most beautiful lakes in the Cascade Range. It’s also the headwaters of the spectacularly beautiful McKenzie River. This hike takes you through the forest and lava fields around the lake, with great views of the lake from all sides.

Note that the trail along the west side of the lake may be closed periodically to protect bald eagle nesting sites. Call the McKenzie River Ranger Station at 541-822-7254 for more information. (The Ranger District’s website wasn’t much help, and the link to their email didn’t work).

Map: Oregon Hikers

Getting there:

Clear Lake is located along Oregon Hwy 126 about 65 miles east of Eugene. From the Portland area, take I-5 south to exit 253, then travel east on Ore Hwy 22 for 79 miles to the junction with US Hwy 20, go west for three miles, then turn south on Ore Hwy 126. The lake is about three miles south of the junction. From the Bend area, take US Hwy 20 west over Santiam Pass to the junction with Ore Hwy 126, then south to the lake.

Trailheads:

You can start this hike from either the day use area at Clear Lake Resort on the northwest side of the lake or Coldwater Cove Campground on the southeast side. The resort has a small cafe (open limited hours) and restrooms, and drinking water is available. There is no charge to park and a Northwest Forest Pass is not required. The Coldwater Cove trailhead is at the end of Forest Road 770, about one mile east of Hwy 126 just south of the lake. There are vault toilets at the campground and drinking water is available. Parking requires a Northwest Forest Pass. The trail description below starts and ends at the resort.

The hike:

If you’re starting the hike at the resort, park in the day use area at the resort (unless you are renting one of the cabins or the yurt) and walk north through the resort along the shore of the lake. In a few hundred yards you’ll see the trailhead on your right.

The first part of the trail takes you through the forest with filtered views of the lake. Several side trails lead down to the lake for better views.

The new and much improved Fish Lake Creek bridge, 2024

The trail continues north away from the lake, then crosses Ikenick Creek and doubles back to the lake before turning north again for about a half mile to a junction with the McKenzie River National Scenic Trail. Here the trail crosses Fish Lake Creek. (The Forest Service was in the process of replacing the old single log bridge when I was there in 2022 and the bridge was closed, but the creek was dry and you could scramble down the slope and climb back up the other side. The new bridge was in place when I did this hike again in the summer of 2024.

After crossing Fish Lake Creek, the trail turns south and runs along the eastern shore of the lake to the Great Spring. This was the source of the McKenzie River before Clear Lake was formed about 3000 years ago when a lava flow damned the river.

From the Great Spring the trail follows the east shore through the lava fields and forest. Parts of the trail are pretty rough. Good quality hiking boots are advised, although I did this hike in sneakers on my latest visit. But open toed sandals or flip flops are definitely not acceptable footwear on this section of the trail.

Clear Lake Lodge from the opposite shore

The section of trail immediately north of Coldwater Cove Campground is paved. South of the campground, the trail runs through the forest to the south end of the lake where you’ll come to a trail junction. Turn right to return to the resort.

Clear Lake outlet and the beginning of the McKenzie River

The trail crosses the lake’s outfall on a bridge that provides good views south to the beginning of the McKenzie River and north across the lake. Across the bridge, the trail turns north through the forest along the west shore of the lake. There is one good side trail that will take you to the lakeshore, but the main trail gives only limited views of the lake before you return to the resort where you started.

Other area attractions and activities:

There are too many other hikes in the area to list all of them, but two of the best are the four mile out and back hike to the Blue Pool on the McKenzie River, and the 2.6-mile McKenzie Waterfalls Loop that takes you past both Sahalie and Koosah Falls on the McKenzie. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses Santiam Pass northeast of Clear Lake giving hikers access to trails in both the Mount Jefferson Wilderness to the north and the Mount Washington Wilderness to the south.

Fish Lake, a few miles north of Clear Lake, is definitely worth a visit. The lake dries up completely in the summer and becomes a lush, green meadow, even in late summer when the surrounding forest is bone dry. The 19th century Santiam Wagon Road crossed the Cascades here, and there was a Forest Service guard station here in the first half of the 20th century. Several of the Forest Service buildings and historic homesteads have been preserved and the area is now a National Historic Site.

Thermal pool at Belknap Hot Springs. Photo from Tripadvisor website.

One of the many hot springs in the Cascade Range is Belknap Hot Springs, located about 15 miles south of Clear Lake. The hot springs are at Belknap Hot Springs Lodge and Gardens. Day use visitors can soak in one of the hot springs pools for a $10/hr fee.

American Dipper. Photo by Joan E. Newman

Originally posted June 22, 2023. Updated September 7, 2024.

All photos ©Alan K. Lee, except as noted

Sunriver Resort

by Alan K. Lee

Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon has become a favorite destination for my wife and I over the years. Even during the first year of the corona virus pandemic we spent the 4th of July holiday at Sunriver with my step-daughter and her family. That year was a little different – we cooked all of our meals at the house we rented instead of dining out as we usually do, for example. But the nature center was open (with restrictions), as was the marina and the stables. And there are miles of bike paths winding through the resort and residential areas, which we took full advantage of.

Sunriver Resort is located about 15 miles south of Bend on the site of the former Camp Abbot, a WWII era Army training facility for combat engineers. After the end of WWII, Camp Abbot was abandoned. Most of the buildings were demolished and the land was sold to private developers. The only remaining Camp Abbot structure is the former officer’s club, now the resort’s Great Hall. Of Camp Abbot’s 5500 acres, 2200 were added to the Deschutes National Forest and the remaining 3300 acres eventually became what is now Sunriver.

Sunriver is more than just a destination resort. It is also a planned community of more than 4000 homes and condominium units. Most of the residences are second homes, many of them available as short-term rentals. Sunriver also has about 1500 full time residents, a fire department, several parks, community water and wastewater treatment systems, a public works facility that maintains the roads, bike paths and parks, and an airport.

Recreational facilities at the resort include two public golf courses, two private courses open to resort guests, tennis and pickleball courts, several swimming pools, parks, and the large Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic and Recreation Center (SHARC). Sunriver Marina offers canoe and kayak rentals and guided rafting trips. And the Sunriver Stables offer horseback and pony rides.

In the winter, snow sports take center stage. Snowshoe and cross country ski trails are close by. Alpine skiers and snowboarders make up a large portion of Sunriver’s winter visitors, as Mount Bachelor, one of the Northwest’s premier ski areas, is only about a 30 minute drive from the resort. Mount Bachelor also has a Nordic center with more than 30 miles of cross country ski trails.

With 300 days of sunshine a year, Sunriver has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Hiking, biking, fishing, and river rafting and paddling are all popular summer activities. The Deschutes River forms the western boundary of the resort, and the river is wide and placid in that stretch, perfect for a leisurely float. And floating the river is a very popular activity in the summer. The river is often crowded with people enjoying the river in canoes, kayaks, rafts, and inner tubes.

Downstream of the resort, the river changes drastically, becoming narrow and raging as it cuts through an ancient lava flow. Scenic Benham Falls is only a few miles from the resort. A relatively flat paved bike path makes cycling from Sunriver to Benham Falls quick and easy. You can also drive there, but the bike path is shorter and probably faster. And there is a somewhat longer and more challenging mountain bike trail from Sunriver to the falls for the more adventurous.

The bike path continues on to Lava Butte and the Lava Lands Visitor Center, part of Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Also part of the National Monument, Newberry Crater (actually a caldera) contains two lakes, East and Paulina, and a large and fascinating obsidian flow. You can also drive to the summit of Paulina Peak on the caldera rim where you’ll look down into the caldera and take in the panoramic views of the Cascade Range peaks to the west, the ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests surrounding the caldera, and the sage and juniper lands of the high desert to the east. Newberry Crater is about 25 miles by road from Sunriver. (Look for a future post on this site with more information and photos of Newberry Crater).

Sunriver Resort makes an ideal base for exploring all that Central Oregon offers. Besides Newberry Crater and Lava Butte, other attractions in Newberry National Volcanic Monument include the Lava Cast Forest , and Lava River Cave.

West of Sunriver, the Cascade Lakes Highway runs parallel to the crest of the Cascade Range and passes close to Todd, Sparks, and Elk Lakes. Hosmer Lake, just off the highway, is a fly fishing only lake where motor boats are prohibited, making it ideal for paddlers. The highway also passes close by Big and Little Lava Lakes, Davis Lake, Cultus Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, and Wickiup Reservoir. For those seeking to get deeper into nature, numerous hiking trails lead from the highway into the adjacent Three Sisters Wilderness Area to the west.

While you’re in the area, I highly recommend that you visit the High Desert Museum, on Hwy 97 about ten miles north of Sunriver. The museum offers visitors a chance to see native wildlife up close, and to learn about both the pioneering history of the area and the culture and lifestyles of the Native American tribes that lived in the area for thousands of years prior to the arrival of white settlers. The High Desert Museum consistently rates as one of the top attractions in Central Oregon.

For those wanting a more urban experience, Bend is only about a 20 minute drive north of Sunriver. Once a small lumber town, Bend is now a fast growing city with a population of about 90,000. Besides being one of the West’s premier outdoor recreation centers, Bend also has many fine dining establishments, brew pubs, wine bars, boutique hotels, art galleries, and numerous specialty shops. I’ll cover Bend in more detail in a future post.

Sunriver itself has a variety of restaurants, a nice brew pub (Sunriver Brewing), a number of small shops, and many fun things for kids to do (think bumper cars and climbing walls). Most of that is concentrated in The Village, located near the main entry to the resort. The Lodge also has several restaurants, and there is a Mexican restaurant (Hola!) on the river next to Sunriver Marina.

Sunriver Resort offers a variety of rooms and suites in the Lodge and adjacent Lodge Village and River Lodges. More than 300 homes and condos in Sunriver can also be booked through the resort. Check the resort website for more information. Many other vacation rentals are available through VRBO, Vacasa, Airbnb, and Sunriver Vacation Rentals.

We’ve visited Sunriver Resort many times, and we will return again many more times, I’m sure. It’s a great place for the whole family, and Central Oregon is a paradise for people who love the outdoors.

Originally posted December 20, 2020. Updated and re-posted January 21, 2023.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Jasper National Park

by Alan K. Lee

In August 2019, on a long road trip from our home near Portland, Oregon, my wife and I travelled to both Banff and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies. We had been to Banff before, but had never visited Jasper National Park.

We spent a few days exploring Canmore, just outside of Banff National Park, and the town of Banff, then visited Moraine Lake, Johnston Canyon, and Lake Louise before heading north into Jasper National Park on the Icefields Parkway. (Click here to read about our time in Banff).

The Icefields Parkway parallels the Continental Divide from just north of Lake Louise to the town of Jasper. It is without question one of the most scenic drives I’ve ever taken. Jagged peaks, glaciers, pristine lakes, spectacular waterfalls – it has it all.

From the beginning of the Icefield Parkway, just north of Lake Louise, the country felt wilder, more remote, and more removed from civilization. While Banff and Lake Louise seem relatively civilized because of the facilities, and the crowds, Jasper National Park is another animal. You won’t completely leave the crowds behind, of course, but you don’t have to venture very far off the road to find places with little or no trace of civilization.

Although it is only 143 miles (230 km) long and can be driven in less than three hours, you’ll want to spend a full day or more exploring the many scenic viewpoints, hiking trails, lakes, rivers, glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife viewing opportunities that the Parkway offers.

We didn’t have enough time to stop at every viewpoint along the parkway, much less do any serious hiking or exploring. (If we go back, we’ll budget our time more wisely because there is so much that we missed on this trip). Our first stop after leaving Banff and entering Jasper came at the Icefield Centre, where the Athabasca Glacier drops down from the Columbia Icefield that straddles the Continental Divide.

From the Icefield Centre, visitors can take tour busses up to the Athabasca Glacier, then onto the glacier itself in special sno-coaches equipped to deal with the unique terrain presented by the surface of the glacier. You can also take a guided hiking tour onto the surface of the glacier.

We opted instead to hike to the terminal moraine of the glacier, where we could get a good view of the entire glacier as it descends from the massive Columbia Icefield. We then drove to nearby Sunwapta Lake, fed by runoff from the glacier. The whole area is beautiful, a bit unworldly, and truly magnificent.

From the Icefield Centre, the parkway follows the Sunwapta River north. We stopped for a short time at Tangle Falls, a beautiful series of small falls, which is immediately adjacent to the highway, no hiking required.

Then it was on to Sunwapta Falls. A short walk of a few hundred feet brings you to the top of the falls, where the Sunwapta River drops into a narrow canyon. The Sunwapta is a sizable tributary of the Athabasca River and the volume of water funneling into such a narrow passage is very impressive to see, and hear. The best view is from a pedestrian bridge that crosses the riverjust below the main falls. There is also a much less traveled 1¼ mile trail to Lower Sunwapta Falls, where the gorge empties out into the broad Athabasca Valley.

Our next stop was Athabasca Falls. Here Hwy 93A splits off from the Icefields Parkway. Like at Sunwapta Falls, the river here also drops into a narrow gorge, and a pedestrian bridge above the gorge gives a fantastic view of the falls. Before we left on our trip I saw a video of a black bear crossing that same bridge, full of tourists. Some of the people froze in place and some ran for their lives. The bear passed within inches of some of the people, paying them no mind, and went on its way.

If Sunwapta Falls was impressive, and it was, the Athabasca River here is bigger, the volume of water is greater, and the noise of the falls is deafening. Awesome is the only word for it. Athabasca Falls is world famous for a reason. Many highly hyped tourist attractions turn out to be less than advertised, but Athabasca Falls is not one of them.

After leaving Athabasca Falls, we continued north on Hwy 93A instead of returning to the Icefields Parkway and followed it about ten miles north to the junction of the road leading to the Mount Edith Cavell Day Use Area. The road up has a half dozen very sharp switchbacks, and trailers and RVs over 25′ are not allowed. (There is a parking area at the base of the road where you can leave your trailer, if you want to unhitch.) The road is paved, though, and fine for passenger vehicles and smaller RVs. The day use area is at the end of the road, directly below the summit of Mount Edith Cavell.

Meltwater from the Cavell Glacier, Mount Edith Cavell

The mountain is named for a British nurse who helped hundreds of British, French, and Belgian soldiers escape German-occupied Belgium in World War I. She was arrested, tried, and executed by the Germans in 1915.

From the day use area, a short but steep trail leads to a viewpoint that looks down to Cavell Pond and up nearly 5000 vertical feet to the 11,047′ summit. The lake was still partially ice covered when we were there in the middle of August.

The Icefields Parkway ends at the town of Jasper, a smaller, less crowded, and lower key version of Banff. There are abundant restaurants, pubs, galleries, and shops there, but accommodations are limited, and hotels and motels are expensive. Book your stay well in advance. We opted for staying in a travel trailer at an RV park 30 miles (48 km) from Jasper, just outside the park boundary, because that was the only thing available through Airbnb when we were planning our trip. It was a little inconvenient, but in the end it worked fine.

No visit to Jasper National Park should go without a stop at Maligne Canyon, just a few miles northeast of town. Here the Maligne River flows through a narrow slot canyon. In some places the canyon is more than 150 feet deep and only 10 feet wide. It’s an amazingly place, not to be missed.

To get to Maligne Canyon from Jasper, take Hwy 16 toward Edmonton. Just outside of town, turn right onto Maligne Lake Road and cross the Athabasca River. A few miles down the road you will first come to Maligne Canyon Viewpoint, then the Maligne Canyon Trailhead parking area.

From the trailhead parking area, look to the southeast and you’ll see, strangely enough, a restaurant (Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen). The trail begins there. A short ways down the trail you will come to First Bridge. It spans the canyon immediately downstream of an impressive waterfall.

There are a total of five foot bridges that cross the Maligne River. The first four all give incredible views down into the canyon. The trail along the rim of the canyon also offers numerous viewpoints. Words simply cannot describe this place.

Because it is so spectacularly beautiful, Maligne Canyon can also be spectacularly crowded. Come early in the day (before 9:00) if possible to beat the tour bus crowd. The crowds thin out, though, below Second Bridge. Below Fourth Bridge the canyon opens up and becomes less spectacular, but still scenic. One way of avoiding some of the crowds, though a longer hike, is to start at the lower trailhead at Fifth Bridge and hike up the canyon.

After spending most of the morning at Maligne Canyon, we drove the 25 miles south to Maligne Lake. There we did a short hike along the east shore of the lake. The north end of the lake is less scenic than the fjord-like southern end, but there are no roads beyond the north end of the lake. Tour boats take visitors part way down the lake, but we weren’t there at the right time of day to get good photos, so we opted to skip the boat ride this time, one of the many things we left for our next visit to Jasper.

If you’re contemplating a visit to Jasper National Park, plan to spend at least five days. And you could easily spend longer. There’s a lot to see, as Jasper is a big place, larger than Yellowstone National Park. The two and a half days we had were not close to enough. If you want to see the Canadian Rockies and time is a constraint, my advice would be to skip Banff and focus on Jasper. Banff has it’s attractions, but Jasper is much less crowded and even more scenic. The Icefields Parkway website is a good starting point for planning your trip. Another good reference is the Jasper National Park website.

Originally posted September 19, 2019 as The Icefields Parkway. Edited, updated, and re-posted December 26, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Banff National Park

by Alan K. Lee

Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies is flat out gorgeous, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. My wife and I made our first visit a couple of decades ago and loved it. But it took us twenty years to get back. We finally made it back to Banff in August 2019 as part of a long road trip from our home in the Portland, Oregon area.

It was a long drive. It’s more than 700 miles from Portland to Banff by the shortest route, even farther by the route we took. We took our time, though, and stopped in a number of places in southern British Columbia on the way. (Banff is a long ways from pretty much everywhere. If you don’t want to make the long drive, another option is to fly to Calgary and rent a car. Banff is less than a two hour drive west of Calgary.)

Besides being incredibly scenic, Banff is also significant in that it is part of one of the largest protected areas in North America. The park borders three other Canadian national parks, Kootenay, Yoho, and Jasper. The four national parks in turn border more than half a dozen provincial parks and protected areas. Altogether, the contiguous protected area totals more than 12,000 square miles (31,500 square kilometers). That’s almost four times the size of Yellowstone National Park, for comparison.

Historic North West Mounted Police Barracks, Canmore

On our 2019 trip, we rented a house in Canmore, just outside the park, since it was more affordable than staying in the park itself. Canmore turned out to be a pretty interesting place in its own right. It has a compact and very walkable downtown area with plenty of cafes and restaurants, brew pubs (try Canmore Brewing), interesting art galleries (don’t miss the Jeff Walker Gallery), and some interesting historical sites. There’s also a nice walking trail along Policeman’s Creek. And Canmore is only about a five minute drive from the southern entrance to Banff National Park.

The town of Banff, although crowded and touristy, is charming enough to warrant at least a few hours of your time. The Banff Springs Hotel is also worth a visit, even if you’re not staying there. If you’re a hiker, try the Tunnel Mountain Trail. We didn’t hike all the way to the top, but still got some great views of the town and the surrounding mountains, and a good workout.

One of the best hikes you’ll find anywhere is the Johnston Canyon Trail, about 15 miles north of the town of Banff. Here Johnston Creek cascades through a narrow gorge with many small waterfalls and two larger ones.

Another must see destination in Banff National Park is Moraine Lake. The turquoise blue water and soaring peaks surrounding the lake make it one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It’s an easy walk up to a stunning viewpoint from the parking lot, and there is a trail along the shoreline that gives you more incredible views of this beautiful lake and the high peaks above it. You can also rent a canoe there and get out on the water for more spectacular views. And again, go early. Parking at the lake is limited and traffic on the road to the lake may be restricted if the parking lot is full.

You can avoid the parking hassles and the crowds, at least in the morning or evening, by booking a room at the Moraine Lake Lodge. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it, it might be worth it.

Lake Louise is justifiably famous, but fame brings people. Lots of people. There’s a lot more parking here than at Moraine Lake, but even though we were there early, we still had to park in one of the lower lots and walk up to the lake. And honestly, Moraine Lake is even prettier and less crowded. But if you’ve never been there, seeing Lake Louise is worth fighting the crowds. Rent a canoe and get out on the water, or take a hike along the shore to get away from the crowds. And, like the Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise is a destination in itself.

The portion of Banff National Park north of Lake Louise has a lot of attractions that many visitors never see. This part of the park was new to me. On our first trip we were among the many that didn’t venture north of Lake Louise. On this trip we did, though. Our journey took us on into Jasper National Park on the Icefields Parkway.

Drive a few miles north from Lake Louise on the Trans Canada Highway, turn onto the Icefields Parkway, and you’re in a different world. The crowds thin out and the country becomes wilder, more open, and more removed from civilization.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to really explore that part of the park. We made a quick stop at Hector Lake viewpoint, only a few miles from Lake Louise, and stopped for a little longer at Bow Lake before motoring on into Jasper National Park. (Click here to go to our post on Jasper.)

There’s much more to Banff than I have described here, of course. It’s a big park, and you could easily spend a couple of weeks there without running out of things to do, longer if you also visit some of the surrounding parks. But it’s worth the effort to get there at least once in your life, even if you can only spend a few days there.

“B’Air of Importance” by Shannon Ford, Banff Springs Hotel

Originally posted December 26, 2022. Most recently updated July 31, 2024.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Clear Lake

By Alan K. Lee

Clear Lake, in the central Oregon Cascades, is the source of the McKenzie River, and as its name suggests, it’s one of the clearest lakes you’ll find in the Cascade Range (or anywhere, for that matter). It’s also one of the cleanest, coldest, and most beautiful lakes in the Cascades.

Clear Lake is very young geologically, having been formed only about 3000 years ago when a lava flow from nearby Sand Mountain dammed the McKenzie River. One of the remarkable features of Clear Lake is the Underwater Forest, remnants of the forest that stood on the shore of the McKenzie prior to the eruption. The clean and very cold water of the lake preserved the trees, and some of them still stand upright on the lake bottom.

Clear Lake offers the outdoor enthusiast a number recreational options, including hiking, fishing, paddling, or just taking in the views and soaking up the beauty and peacefulness of nature.

My wife and I have taken short vacations at Clear Lake a couple of times in the past couple of years, most recently in August 2024. Both times, we stayed in one of the cabins at Clear Lake Resort on the northwest shore of the lake. Coldwater Cove Campground, on the southeast shore of the lake, is another option. The campground has 34 campsites, drinking water, and vault toilets, but no RV hookups. There are many other campgrounds and a few other resorts within a short drive of Clear Lake, as well. And the lake is also close enough to all of the communities in the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon to make it a day trip destination if you don’t want to spend the night.

Clear Lake Resort is a good option for those, like my wife and I, that prefer the warmth of a heated cabin to an unheated tent or cramped RV. The resort has 14 cabins and one yurt. Six of the cabins have two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a bathroom. The other cabins and the yurt have power but no indoor plumbing. (There is a heated central rest room with showers at the resort).

The resort also has a small cafe and a day use area with picnic tables, a large fire pit, and a boat ramp. And you can rent row boats or canoes there (motorized craft are prohibited on the lake).

For hikers, the Clear Lake Loop Trail is an easy 5.0 mile hike with almost no elevation gain. You can start the hike from either the resort or Coldwater Cove Campground. Note that the trail along the west side of the lake may be closed periodically to protect bald eagle nesting sites. Call the McKenzie River Ranger Station at 541-822-7254 for more information. (The Ranger District’s website wasn’t much help, and the link to their email didn’t work).

The Clear Lake and upper McKenzie area is one of the most scenic and most interesting parts of the Cascades, and offers a number of other hiking options besides the Clear Lake Loop. The 2.6-mile McKenzie Waterfalls Loop is another easy, family friendly hike that takes you to both Sahalie and Koosah Falls. The 3.9-mile out-and-back Blue Pool hike is another. Like the Clear Lake Loop, both of those also incorporate parts of the 22 mile long McKenzie River National Scenic Trail. And the nearby Santiam Pass and McKenzie Pass areas both give access to the Pacific Crest Trail and more expansive views of Mount Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mount Washington, and the Three Sisters.

Clear Lake also offers other recreational options besides hiking. Fishing is a popular activity at Clear Lake, as it is in most Cascade lakes. Brook and cutthroat trout reproduce naturally in the lake and rainbow trout are stocked annually. You’ll usually see at least a few people fishing from row boats on the lake in the morning and evening.

The lake is also a great place to paddle, and canoes and kayaks are a frequent sight on the lake. The clear water allows you to see deep into the lake and you get a perspective that you can’t get from the shore. My wife spent part of our stay exploring the lake in her kayak both times that we’ve there. Some of the photos here were taken by her from her kayak. Boats can be launched at either the day use area at the resort or at the campground’s boat ramp. Summer weekends can be very crowded with day trippers, though, as you can see from the photo above.

If you’re a scuba diver, the clear water and submerged forest make Clear Lake a great place to dive, even though the water is extremely cold (38° year round). Check the Scuba Bubbles website for more information about diving in Clear Lake.

From the Portland area, Clear Lake is about a 130 mile drive. Take I-5 south to Salem, then Ore Hwy 22 east past Detroit Lake to the junction with US Hwy 20. Go west on Hwy 20 for three miles to the junction with Ore Hwy 126. Clear Lake is a few miles south of the junction. From the Eugene area it’s a 75 mile drive on Hwy 126 to the lake. From Bend, the lake is a 50 mile drive west on Hwy 20, or about 65 miles via the very scenic McKenzie Pass Hwy (Ore 242).

You can take in Clear Lake and do the Waterfall Loop in a weekend. Make it a long weekend and add the Blue Pool hike or spend a day out on the lake. Better yet, make a week of it and check out Fish Lake, the Santiam Pass and McKenzie Pass areas, and the lower McKenzie River. You won’t run out of things to do.

Originally posted November 29, 2022. Updated September 6, 2024.

All photos ©Alan K. Lee, except as noted.

Lake Crescent and Vicinity

by Alan K. Lee

Lake Crescent, the nearby the Sol Duc Valley, and Hurricane Ridge are three of the prime attractions of Olympic National Park. My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Lake Crescent and vicinity on an “escape from the pandemic” tour of the Olympic Peninsula in September 2020.

After spending three days in the magnificent Quinault Rain Forest, we made stops at Ruby Beach and Rialto Beach before heading on to Lake Crescent.

After checking in at Lake Crescent Lodge, we did a short but scenic and relaxing loop hike along the lake shore and through the forest east of the lodge. Lake Crescent lies in a glacier carved valley in the northern portion of Olympic National Park. The lake’s depth (nearly 600 feet) and clarity give the lake a brilliant deep blue color. Lake Crescent and nearby Lake Sutherland were once a single body of water, but a huge landslide about 7000 years ago divided the original lake into the separate lakes found today.

Lake Crescent Lodge, like Lake Quinault Lodge where we stayed on the first part of our trip, is one of the iconic grand lodges of the American West. Built in 1915, Lake Crescent Lodge is perhaps a little less grand than the other grand lodges, but it is no less significant in terms of its history and its romantic appeal. The main lodge is smaller than Lake Quinault Lodge, and the lodge rooms do not have private bathrooms. But there are many individual one and two bedroom cabins on the lake shore – the Singer Tavern Cottages and the Roosevelt Fireplace Cabins – that Lake Quinault and the other comparable lodges lack. More modern additions – the Storm King Rooms, Marymere Rooms, and Pyramid Mountain Rooms – are tucked into the woods a ways back from the shore. Our Storm King Room still had a view of the lake, though, and a nice balcony. All of the cabins and modern additions have private bathrooms.

As at Lake Quinault Lodge, the restaurant at Lake Crescent Lodge served only take out meals when we were there because of the corona virus pandemic. The lodge dining room was open for seating, however, so after our hike that first afternoon we claimed a window table looking out over the lake. Our meals were both very good, but Joan’s salmon “catch of the day” was a small (maybe 4 oz.) portion, and probably not worth the $28 price tag. My fish and chips were cheaper and more substantial, but we chose to drive to nearby Port Angeles for dinner the next two nights.

The next morning we hiked from the lodge to Marymere Falls, a picturesque 90 foot waterfall on Falls Creek. The trail is an easy 1.5 mile hike through old growth forest with minimal elevation gain to the lower viewpoint. From there the trail climbs steeply to an upper viewpoint. Both viewpoints offer unobstructed views of the falls.

My wife took her kayak out for a paddle on the lake that afternoon while I relaxed on our room’s balcony with a good book (Graham Greene’s Travels With My Aunt).

That evening we drove into Port Angeles, about 20 miles to the east, and dined at Next Door Gastropub. They have a good selection of beers and the Cuban pork sandwich that I had was quite good. After dinner we wandered around a bit, searching out some of the many public artworks scattered around the downtown area, before returning to Lake Crescent.

The following morning, we drove to the Sol Duc Valley west of Lake Crescent and hiked to Sol Duc Falls. Originally called “Sole Duck,” the spelling was officially changed to Sol Duc in 1922 to more accurately reflect its derivation from a Quileute language word meaning sparkling waters. The family friendly trail (less than a mile long) takes you through a dense forest with minimal elevation gain to the 48 foot falls. There the Sol Duc River breaks into a number of channels before making a sideways drop into a deeper gorge. There are many bigger and more spectacular waterfalls in Olympic National Park, but certainly none more scenic.

The nearby Sol Duc Hot Springs was once the site of a five star hotel. Built in 1912, the hotel lasted only four years, though, before burning down in 1916. The resort was rebuilt on a less grand scale in the 1920s and operated for a half century before closing in the 1970s. After being vacant for a number of years, it was renovated and reopened in the 1980s. Today the resort includes a restaurant and a variety of cabins with private bathrooms and modern amenities. Those staying at the resort have free access to a swimming pool, soaking pools, and hot tubs, all heated by water from the hot springs. People not staying at the resort can also enjoy the hot springs for a small fee.

A 17 unit RV campground that will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet is located a quarter mile from the resort. The RV campground sites have water and electric hookups, and there is a sewer dump station. A separate 82 unit “dry” campground is located nearby. The campground has restrooms, but no showers. The camp sites will accommodate small RVs, but do not have water or electric hookups.

After our hike to Sol Duc Falls we drove to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center to do some more hiking and sightseeing. The visitor center is located 17 miles south of Port Angeles at an elevation of 5242 feet above sea level. Hurricane Ridge is the only alpine area in Olympic National Park accessible by car, which makes it very popular and means it can be very crowded, especially on summer weekends. We were there in the middle of the week in late September, though, so crowds weren’t much of an issue.

The Hurricane Ridge Road is paved, but winding with poor sight lines and several tunnels. It is also a popular challenge for cyclists because of the elevation gain, so go slow and watch for bicycles on the road.

The visitor center’s gift shop and restrooms were open, but the main part of the center was closed due to the corona virus pandemic. The rangers were manning an information desk outside on the sidewalk, though, where they were giving out maps and answering questions.

Several short loop and out and back hikes ranging from a half mile to a mile and a half take you from the visitor center to viewpoints with great views in all directions. Look for wildlife when you’re there. We’ve seen mountain goats there in the past, and on this visit a doe was grazing only a few feet off one of the trails, almost within arms reach. Past the visitor center, at the end of the road, you’ll find the trailhead for a longer 3.2 mile round trip hike to Hurricane Hill with even more spectacular panoramic views.

The following morning we somewhat reluctantly checked out of the lodge. Our six days in the Olympics were a much needed getaway from both the pandemic and the wildfires that had threatened many of the populated areas of western Oregon. We in the Pacific Northwest are lucky to have such a magnificent place so close at hand. Olympic National Park is a jewel worth visiting, no matter how far you have to come to experience it.

From Crescent Lake, we headed on to Port Townsend for the final part of our trip. Look for an upcoming post on Port Townsend, one of my favorite places in the Northwest, and home of the annual Wooden Boat Festival.

Originally posted November 7, 2020. Updated and re-posted November 9, 2022.

Quinault Rain Forest

Rainfall in the Quinault Rain Forest is measured in feet, not inches. Average annual rainfall is about 12 feet. Some years see 15 feet. All that rain combined with a mild climate results in a lot of vegetation. Ferns cover the ground. Moss hangs from tree limbs. There are trees everywhere. And the trees are big. The largest Sitka Spruce in the world grows on the shore of Lake Quinault. The world’s largest Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Mountain Hemlock are all found in the Quinault Valley. And the Quinault Rain Forest is also home to the largest Yellow Cedar and Western Hemlock trees in the United States.

The Quinault Rain Forest lies in the southwestern corner of Olympic National Park, the adjacent Olympic National Forest, and the Quinault Indian Reservation in western Washington. It’s less than a four hour drive from either Portland or Seattle, but it seems a world apart, and more than a little stuck in time. It looks much as I remember it from when I first visited as a child more than a half century ago. Cell phone service and wi-fi availability are spotty. There are no big resorts and no towns of any size. Urban America is nowhere to be found.

The pandemic has kept all of us from traveling as much as maybe we’d like. That certainly applies to my wife and I. Most of our vacation plans for 2020 had to be cancelled. And just when the parks and recreation areas were beginning to reopen, wildfires in western Oregon and Washington shut them down again. But the Olympic Peninsula was largely unaffected by the fires. So, my wife and I decided that the Olympics would be an ideal, and much needed, escape from Portland, and in September 2020 we headed to the Olympic Peninsula. Our first stop was Lake Quinault.

We treated ourselves to a stay at the historic Lake Quinault Lodge, one of the iconic grand lodges of the American West. The original Lake Quinault Lodge was built in 1904. The Boathouse annex was built in 1923. The original lodge burned down in 1924 and the current main lodge was constructed in 1926 on the site of the older lodge. Two additional annexes have been added since then. The existing lodge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Rooms at the lodge are a little pricey, but you’re paying for the history, charm, and iconic nature of the lodge more than for the amenities provided. There are no TVs in any of the main lodge rooms, no fridges, or microwaves, no phones and no cell phone service. But that’s all part of the charm. The Boathouse and the other two annexes offer a few more amenities. Some come with fireplaces, the Lakeside Rooms are billed as family friendly, and the Boathouse Rooms are pet friendly. Our room in the main lodge came with all we needed, a comfortable bed and a view of the lake.

Services at the lodge were limited by the pandemic during our stay. The swimming pool, sauna, and game room were closed. The restaurant served take out meals, but the dining room was closed (outside seating was available and you could eat in the main hall or in your room). However, all services have been restored to pre-pandemic levels.

Some people undoubtedly come to Lake Quinault Lodge just to relax and enjoy the lodge and the setting, which I fully understand. On our second day there my wife launched her folding kayak from the beach in front of the lodge and spent an afternoon paddling Lake Quinault. Canoe rentals are available at the lodge if you don’t bring your own. I spent that afternoon relaxing in an Adirondack chair on the beach with a good book.

A somewhat cheaper alternative to Lake Quinault Lodge is the nearby Rain Forest Resort, which has a 16 room lodge, cabins (some with hot tubs), an RV park, and a restaurant. The world’s largest Sitka Spruce grows a short walk from the resort. Other options are the Quinault River Inn on Hwy 101 in Amanda Park, and Lochaerie Resort on North Shore Road. And there are three campgrounds on the south shore of Lake Quinault, and two (one a walk-in) on the north shore.

Lake Quinault Lodge, the Rain Forest Resort, or any of the three south shore campgrounds make an ideal base for exploring the area. Hikers have a variety of options, from the half mile Rain Forest Nature Trail Loop to a loop of about seven miles that takes you to Gatton Creek Falls, Cascade Falls, the Cedar Bog, the Rain Forest Nature Trail, and along the lake shore. Cutoff trails make shorter loops of various distances possible. Other hiking trails are a short drive from the lodge.

Two stops along South Shore Road worth making are Merriman Falls and Bunch Falls. Both are just east of Lake Quinault and both are right by the road, so no hiking required.

One hike that everyone should do is the Maple Glade Trail at the Quinault River Ranger Station on North Shore Road. It is spectacularly beautiful, and like the Rain Forest Nature Trail, it’s an easy 0.5 mile loop. But, unlike the Rain Forest Nature Trail, which takes you through a coniferous forest of Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar, the Maple Glade Trail immerses you in a Bigleaf Maple forest. There the ground is covered in ferns and other low growing shrubs and the maples soar overhead, but in between is mostly open and airy. The effect is like being in a gigantic room carpeted with ferns and roofed with a canopy of maple leaves.

The Maple Glade Trail can be extended by taking the connecting trail to the Kestner Homestead. There you’ll find the Kestner house, barn, outbuildings, and a cool old rusted delivery truck.

There are also much longer hikes that can be taken into the Olympic National Park from the Quinault Valley. The most famous, and probably most hiked, is the Enchanted Valley Trail. It’s a 13 mile hike along the East Fork of the Quinault River to reach the Enchanted Valley, so it is not a casual outing. Most people do it as a 3-5 day backpacking trip. My backpacking days are behind me, but the Enchanted Valley is one of the hikes that I regret having never done.

Those of us that live in western Oregon and Washington can be a bit blasé about the rain forest. We live in the middle of one, after all. But we shouldn’t take it for granted. The Quinault Rain Forest is a beautiful and spectacular reminder of what once stretched uninterrupted from the Redwoods of Northern California to the vast forests of southeast Alaska. If you have never experienced the grandeur of the coastal rain forest of the Pacific Northwest, you owe it to yourself to visit at least once. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Originally posted October 26, 2020. Updated and re-posted August 11, 2022.

Juneau, Alaska

by Alan K. Lee

I’ve been to Juneau a couple of times, the latest being a few years ago. While it’s not my favorite destination in Alaska (that would be Sitka) or the culturally richest (Anchorage), it is a unique and very interesting place, and a well worth a visit.

Looking north across Auke Bay from Mount Roberts

Getting to Juneau can be a bit difficult. No roads lead to Juneau, so it’s either fly in or come by boat. On both of my trips to southeast Alaska I traveled to Juneau by way of Sitka. On the first trip, my wife and I traveled via the Alaska Ferry system from Ketchikan to Skagway and back, except for the segment from Sitka to Juneau. The ferry schedule and our itinerary didn’t match up, so we flew from Sitka to Juneau and resumed our journey by ferry from there. The ferry schedule didn’t work for us on our more recent visit, either, so we made the short flight from Sitka this time, also.

The Juneau airport is about 10 miles north of the city. You can get to the city by taxi, the municipal bus system, or rental car. Once downtown, you don’t really need a car to explore the city. The downtown is compact and easily walkable. The bus system is also free in the downtown area. But having a car makes getting to Mendenhall Glacier and other outlying areas much easier.

Mendenhall Glacier is a must see when visiting Juneau. It’s located near the airport and the ferry terminal dock. The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is a good place to start, but if you’re getting around by bus, the closest stop is a mile and a half away. You also have to buy a five dollar (per person) pass to enter. The pass is also required to access some of the area hiking trails. Check the visitor center website for more information. You can park and hike some of the trails, including the popular Nugget Falls Trail that takes you close to the glacier, without buying the pass, so many people skip the visitor center.

Nugget Falls is a short walk (less than a mile) from the parking area and visitor center. It’s more of a cascade down the steep slope of the mountain than a free fall, but the sheer volume and velocity of water crashing down into Mendenhall Lake is awesome. It’s one of my favorite waterfalls anywhere. It would be a great destination in itself, but being so close to the face of Mendenhall Glacier actually draws your attention away from the falls. There are a couple of other short interpretive trails starting from or near the visitor center, and the East Glacier Trail (3.5 mile loop rated moderate) offers great views of the glacier. Across the lake, the West Glacier Trail gets you closer to the glacier than the trails around the visitor center. It’s a four mile out and back hike rated moderate.

Another must see in the Juneau area is the view from Mount Roberts, just southeast of downtown Juneau. You can hike to the 3819 foot summit via a 4.5 mile trail, but a more practical alternative is to take the Mount Roberts Tramway to the 1800 foot level. The tram only takes you halfway to the summit, but the view from the top of the tram is still pretty spectacular. You’re looking down on the city directly below, the town of Douglas across Gastineau Channel, and across to the mountains of Douglas Island. You can also see for miles up and down Gastineau Channel.

But if that’s not good enough for you, you can access the Mount Roberts Trail from the top of the tram to get higher up the mountain. The top of the tramway is at about timberline, so the views from above are unimpeded. The tram is operated by a Native American corporation, and The Mountain House at the top of the tram features a 120 seat theater that shows a free 18 minute film depicting Tlingit history and culture. There is also a restaurant and gift store in the Mountain House. And Gastineau Guiding operates the Nature Store at the top of the tram where you can get information on area hiking trails and the mountain ecosystem. The tram costs $60 per person ($45 for kids), but it’s money well spent.

View across Fritz Cove from Douglas Island

Whale watching is another popular tourist activity in Juneau. A number of companies offer half and full day cruises in the waters around Juneau. Most tours are 3-5 hours long and cost $150-250 per person. Humpback Whales are common and sightings are generally guaranteed. Orcas also frequent the area. Sea kayaking tours are also popular. Five-hour tours in Auke Bay run about $200 per person. Experienced kayakers can rent single kayaks for about $60 per day. Double kayaks run slightly higher. Canoe and kayak tours of Mendenhall Lake are also available and are a great way to see both the glacier and Nugget Falls.

On our first trip to southeast Alaska back in 1995 we took a day-long small boat cruise up Tracy Arm, a glacial fjord about 45 miles south of Juneau. It’s stunningly beautiful, with dozens of waterfalls, some as high as 1000 feet, cascading down the sometimes vertical walls of the fjord. You’ll almost certainly see seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and many other marine birds. Orcas and humpback whales frequent the area. You may see black bears along the shore and mountain goats on the cliffs. You’ll navigate between small icebergs.

Seals often haul out on the bergs to rest and sleep. At the head of the inlet you’ll get a close up view of South Sawyer Glacier. How close you get will depend on the boat that you’re on and the amount of ice in the water, but you will get a spectacular look at the face of the glacier and there’s a chance that you’ll witness large blocks of ice calving off the face and crashing into the water below. The cruise was one of the highlights of our trip. We didn’t have time to repeat the cruise on latest visit, but if you can fit it into your itinerary, I highly recommend that you do so. Day trips start at about $275 per person.

Another highly rated outing is a helicopter tour of the Juneau Icefield. I haven’t done this one, but several of the reviews I read called it “the adventure of a lifetime,” and the photos I’ve seen are pretty awesome. A 2-3 hour tour of the 1500 square mile icefield that lands and lets you set foot on the ice starts at around $425 per person. Salmon and halibut fishing charters are another popular activity in Juneau (although Ketchikan is probably a more popular fishing destination). Costs vary by operator, but figure around $600 per person for a four hour trip.

The area around Juneau is so wild, unspoiled, and spectacularly beautiful that it is the main draw, but the city has plenty of appeal in itself. The downtown area is compact and easily walkable, and most attractions are close by each other.

If you’re interested in local history, you’ll find the Alaska State Museum of interest. It houses an extensive collection of Native Alaskan artifacts, including fragments of three baskets that are more than 5000 years old. The museum also has a collection of artifacts from the Russian colonial period and early American presence, as well as works by contemporary Native artists. The Juneau-Douglas City Museum, might also be of interest. It’s located across the street from the State Capitol, in the Veteran’s Memorial Building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Sealaska Heritage Institute, dedicated to the “study and sharing of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures” is another place that you can learn more about the history and culture of the area. The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church will also be of interest. All four are within easy walking distance of each other in downtown Juneau.

Juneau also has a number of outstanding art galleries, including the Juneau Artists Gallery, the Louise Miller Fine Art Studio, and Annie Kaill’s Fine Crafts Gallery.

Juneau has no shortage of places to get top notch seafood. You won’t find fresher fish anywhere. Try Tracy’s King Crab Shack, Twisted Fish Company, The Hangar On the Wharf, or Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos. There are other good places to eat (and drink), as well. We found a cool local hangout, The Island Pub, in Douglas where our B&B was located, that had both good food and good beer. We also stumbled onto a little hole-in-the-wall brewery (more like a home brew operation than a commercial brewery) in downtown Juneau, and visited the Alaskan Brewing Company brewery tasting room (definitely not a hobby scale brewery) in Lemon Creek, near the airport.

There are a number of quality hotels in the downtown area. Expect to pay $250 and up for any hotel in downtown Juneau during the summer. The Juneau Hotel has 72 suites, all with full kitchens and a washer and dryer. Summer rates start at around $400 per night. There are also many B&Bs and vacation rentals that are much more affordable. Our Airbnb rental in Douglas was more than adequate and was reasonably priced.

A note on the weather. Be prepared for rain and cold any time of the year. We were in Juneau the first week in June and saw the sun only briefly in the four days we spent there. High temperatures were in the mid 50s with some light rain. After leaving Juneau we spent three days in Ketchikan and it rained sideways for a good two days straight. Prior to arriving in Juneau, though, our stay in Sitka had been sunny and beautiful. On our 1995 trip, it was sunny in Ketchikan both on our arrival and our departure two weeks later, but those were the only times we saw the sun. The moral of the story is the weather you get is the weather you get. But regardless, Juneau and all of southeast Alaska is such an incredible place that experiencing bad weather there is almost inconsequential. Come prepared, but don’t worry about the weather. It’ll be worth it.

Originally posted Nov. 6, 2021. Most recent update Jan. 15, 2025.

Mount Rainier

By Alan K. Lee

One of the benefits of living in the Pacific Northwest is that you have incredible places like Mount Rainier National Park almost in your back yard. Mount Rainier is close enough to both Seattle and Portland that it’s possible to visit the mountain as a day trip, which many people do. But Rainier is so large, and there is so much to explore, that you can’t even begin to experience all it has to offer in a day, or even a week.

My wife and I have vacationed in Mount Rainier National Park a number of times over the years. Our favorite part of the park is the aptly named Paradise area, located on the south slope of the mountain at an elevation of 5400 feet, 9000 feet below the summit. The name Paradise was bestowed on the area by Martha Longmire, one of the early developers of tourist facilities in the area, more than a century ago. But appreciation for the beauty of this spot goes back much farther. Native Americans frequented the area long before it was discovered by white settlers, and they apparently appreciated its beauty just as much. Their name for the area, Saghalie Illahe, translates to Heavenly Place or Land of Peace.

Paradise is the most visited section of Mount Rainier National Park for good reason. Subalpine meadows abound with lupine, paintbrush, and dozens of other wildflowers. Small streams and waterfalls course down the mountain. There are many trails in the area that offer spectacular views of the Tatoosh Range to the south, and, of course, of Rainier itself.

Summer weekends are usually very, very crowded. There may be long lines at the Nisqually Entrance to the park, and you’re unlikely to find a parking spot anywhere close to the Jackson Visitor Center or Paradise Inn after mid-morning. Even if you get there early, you’ll still be elbow to elbow with other visitors. If you can visit during the week, I’d highly recommend doing so, and even then I would recommend getting there as early in the day as possible. But even if you can only visit on a summer weekend, Paradise is such an incredible place to see that it’s worth putting up with the crowds, provided that you can actually find a place to park. If you can’t, though, there are many other places in the park worth visiting.

The popularity of Paradise has certainly impacted the area. The meadows above Paradise Inn are crisscrossed with trails, many of them paved, and the sheer number of people using them can’t help but have a negative effect on the quality of the area in terms of wildlife habitat. But even close to Paradise Inn and the Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, you are almost certain to see wildlife such as hoary marmots and golden-mantled ground squirrels.

Yellow-pine chipmunks are also frequently seen in the meadows. Black-tailed deer are abundant in the area and may be seen even close to the visitor facilities. Gray Jays and Clark’s Nutcrackers are frequently seen in the area, and more than sixty other species of birds are known to inhabit the subalpine areas of Mount Rainier, almost fifty of which nest in the park.

On the trails above Paradise, you are likely to see other wildlife. Look for mountain goats on the slopes above you. Black bears, elk, coyotes, bobcats, and cougars also frequent the area. Look (and listen) for pikas on talus slopes.

Hiking opportunities are abundant in the Paradise area. The Falcon Guide, Hiking Mount Rainier National Park, is a good resource. On our most recent trip (in August 2021) we spent five days in Paradise and did at least one hike every day.

The highlights of the trip were the two hikes we did on the Skyline Trail. The first was the four mile out and back hike to Panorama Point. The second was the roughly four mile Skyline-Golden Gate loop. Both are listed as “moderate” hikes, but both have significant elevation gains (1700′ and 1400′ respectively). We did both hikes early in the day during the week, but we were far from the only ones on the trail, especially on the hike to Panorama Point. But the area above Paradise is so incredibly scenic that the crowds didn’t diminish the experience much.

There are also plenty of easy hikes in the Paradise area for people who don’t want to (or aren’t able to) hike to the higher areas on the mountain. Myrtle Falls, for example, is an easy one mile round trip hike from Paradise Inn.

On our last few visits, we have stayed at Paradise Inn. It is one of the grand lodges of the Northwest, on a par with Crater Lake Lodge, Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, and Lake Quinault Lodge in Olympic National Park. It’s worth visiting, even if you’re not staying there. It’s an amazing structure.

Paradise Inn was constructed in 1915-16 opened July 1, 1917. The attached Annex was completed three years later. The combined structures are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Close to Paradise Inn, the Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, named after long-time U.S. Senator Henry M. Jackson, offers general information, exhibits, a park film, guided ranger programs, a book/gift store and a cafeteria. Unfortunately, all visitor centers in the park are currently closed due to the ongoing pandemic.

Accommodations in the area are somewhat limited. Paradise Inn has 121 rooms, 42 in the main lodge and 79 in the attached Annex. The National Park Inn in Longmire has 25 rooms. Reservations for both can be made through Mount Rainier Guest Services, 360-569-2275. Information on accommodations outside of the park can be obtained from the Mount Rainier Visitor Association . All reservations should be made well in advance.

There are two large campgrounds in the southern part of Mount Rainier National Park. Cougar Rock Campground, between Longmire and Paradise, has 173 individual sites and five group camp areas. Ohanapecosh Campground, in the southeast part of the park near the Stevens Canyon Entrance, has 188 individual sites and two group camp areas. Both have RV sites that can accommodate up to 27 foot trailers and 32 foot motor homes (35 foot at Cougar Rock), but there are no hookups. Both do have dump stations. Reservations can be made through the Mount Rainier National Park website.

Both Paradise Inn and the National Park Inn have full service restaurants, but both were operating on a reduced scale due to the pandemic when we were there in August. The National Park Inn dining room was closed, but take out meals could be ordered and picked up at the reception desk in the lobby. The dining room at Paradise Inn was open for dinner only for most of our visit, but closed (unexpectedly) for the season on our last day there. Paradise Inn also has a limited service cafe, and there is a cafeteria at the Jackson Memorial Visitor Center that is open daily during the summer season and on most weekends and holidays in the winter (depending on road conditions). The National Park Inn restaurant is open year round.

There is far more to Mount Rainier National Park than just the Paradise, of course. Below Paradise, the Reflection Lakes along the highway offer beautiful views of Mount Rainier.

The nearby Snow Lake Trail is an easy and worthwhile hike. To the east, the Stevens Canyon area has a number of interesting areas, including Box Canyon, a 180 foot deep slot canyon, and a number of roadside waterfalls.

The Longmire area has some interesting history, a museum, nice hiking trails, and the National Park Inn offers both lodging and dining options for the visitor. The road to Longmire is also plowed in the winter, so it’s a year round destination. (The road from Longmire to Paradise is open in winter when the weather allows.)

In the Ohanapecosh area in the southeastern corner of the park, the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail is a good family friendly outing. And the nearby Silver Falls Trail is a must for waterfall lovers. In the northeastern section of the park, the Sunrise area offers beautiful views of the eastern side of the mountain and has an abundance of hiking trails.

You could probably spend an entire summer in Mount Rainier National Park and not see it all.

Originally posted July 10, 2018. Updated and re-posted September 18, 2021.

Crater Lake

By Alan K. Lee

The Lake

Crater Lake makes a tremendous first impression. The first time a person sees the lake with their own eyes will likely be a sight they will never forget, especially if it’s a sunny day with the lake at its deepest blue. There just is no way to describe the depth and intensity of the lake’s color, and photos don’t really do it justice. If there’s a more beautiful lake anywhere in the world, I haven’t laid eyes on it.

Crater Lake is 1943 feet deep, making it the deepest lake in the United States, second deepest in North America, and ninth deepest in the world. It is also one of the cleanest and clearest lakes in the world. It’s that combination of depth and clarity that results in its intense deep blue color.

The caldera that Crater Lake occupies was formed 7700 years ago when the summit of 12,000 foot tall Mount Mazama collapsed after a massive eruption. Over time rain and snow filled the caldera to its present level. The lake has no outlet. The level of the lake remains nearly the same because the amount of evaporation from the surface of the lake closely matches the amount of precipitation falling on it in any given year.

Wizard Island formed sometime after the eruption that formed the caldera. It rises 770 feet above the surface of the lake, 2713 feet above the deepest point in the lake. It last erupted about 5000 years ago, but it is considered dormant, not extinct. Conceivably, it could erupt again at any time. Merriam Cone also erupted after the caldera was formed, but never reached the lake surface. Its summit lies almost 500 feet below the average lake level.

Phantom Ship, a remnant of an eruption 400,000 ago, rises 170 feet above the lake surface. Its formation predates that of Mount Mazama itself.

The Park

Crater Lake is such a stunningly beautiful place that it should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s one of the few places I’ve ever been that seeing it for the first time could be a transformative, life changing experience. It was exactly that for William Gladstone Steel, an experience that ultimately led to the creation of Crater Lake National Park. Steel, known as “The Father of Crater Lake,” first laid eyes on the lake in 1885 after a journey by rail, stage coach, and on foot for the final 20 miles. That experience led to a 17 year quest to preserve, protect, and promote the lake. Largely through Steel’s efforts, Crater Lake was included in the Cascade Range Forest Reserve in 1893, and became the nation’s sixth national park on May 22, 1902. More information about the park can be found on the park website.

Crater Lake Lodge

Crater Lake Lodge sits on the rim of the caldera in the Rim Village. One of the grand lodges of the American West, the lodge has been welcoming guests since it opened in 1915, except during WWII and from 1989 to 1994 when the lodge underwent a complete restoration.

My wife and I recently spent three nights at the lodge. Although it lacks the amenities of a luxury hotel, our room was comfortable, with a private bathroom, and the location more than makes up any lack of luxuries.

The Rim Drive

Any visit to Crater Lake should include a drive around the lake on the 33 mile Rim Drive. The lake can be circumnavigated in little more than an hour, but plan to spend at least half a day.

You’ll want to stop at all of the viewpoints. Maybe combine the drive with a hike down to Cleetwood Cove and a boat tour of the lake. You can get off at Wizard Island and hike to the summit and then catch a later boat back.

For a more adventurous day, hike to the summit of Mount Scott, the highest point in the park. It’s a two mile hike to the summit with 1250 feet of elevation gain, so it’s not an easy hike (All Trails rates it “moderate”), but the view might just be worth the effort.

Hiking Trails

My wife and I are avid hikers, and Crater Lake offers the hiker a variety of options, from the very easy Pinnacles Trail to the more challenging Mount Scott Trail. Other trails of interest include The Watchman, Cleetwood Cove, Plaikni Falls, Garfield Peak, Pinnacles, and Annie Creek trails. All are very worthwhile outings. Check out the AllTrails website for detailed descriptions of the park’s many trails.

The Pacific Crest Trail passes through the park, but does not ascend to the rim of the caldera. Hikers on the PCT can take the Dutton Creek Trail that climbs up to the Rim Village, then hike the trail that parallels the West Rim Drive and reconnect with the PCT north of the lake.

The Pinnacles

Many visitors to Crater Lake don’t make the short side trip to the Pinnacles area, and even fewer hike the 1.4 mile out and back trail along the rim of the canyon, but it’s a worthwhile detour off the Rim Road.

Practical Info

Crater Lake is located in the southern Oregon Cascades, about 250 miles south of Portland, 140 miles southeast of Eugene, and 75 miles north of Medford. A number of private companies offer bus or van tours to Crater Lake from Medford, Bend, or Eugene, but there is no commercial bus or rail service to the park.

The south entrance to the park, the Mazama Village area, and the Rim Village are open year round. The north entrance and the Rim Drive are closed in winter.

There are two lodges in the park, Crater Lake Lodge in the Rim Village and The Cabins At Mazama Village that are open for the summer season. Crater Lake Lodge has 71 rooms, starting at $246/night. The Cabins At Mazama Village has 40 rooms, all at $160/night. Prices listed are for the 2024 season. Note that the concessionaire that operates both lodges is changing, so prices may also change. Check the park website (linked above) for current information.

There are two campgrounds in the park. Mazama Campground has 75 RV sites, 18 tent sites with electricity, and 121 tent sites without electricity. Tent sites start at $22. RV sites run from $32 to $44 per night. Mazama Campground is usually open from early June through late to September. Lost Creek Campground, located on Pinnacles Road, is a primitive tent only campground with 18 sites, operated by the park service. Lost Creek Campground is currently closed and will not be open for the 2024 season. Backcountry camping is allowed in the park by permit only.

Dining options in the park are somewhat limited. The dining room at Crater Lake Lodge is open to all visitors, but reservations can only be made by people staying in the park. The Rim Village Cafe offers “grab and go” sandwiches and salads (I had a pulled pork sandwich from there on our recent visit that was very good). It is open from 9am to 8pm in the summer and 10am to 5pm in the winter. The Annie Creek Restaurant in Mazama Village is open from 7am until 9pm. The Mazama Village Store sells packaged sandwiches and snacks.

Summer park entrance fees are $30 for private vehicles and $25 for motorcycles. Winter fees are $10 less. Snowmobilers, bicyclists, and pedestrians are charged $15 per individual. All entrance fees are good for seven days. Entry reservations do not need to be made.

Gasoline is available at the Mazama Village Store. There is a Tesla charging station just outside the Annie Spring entrance station near Mazama Village, but no other electric vehicle charging stations in the park.

Other lodging, dining, and services are available outside the park at Diamond Lake, Union Creek, and Fort Klamath.

Conclusion

if you’ve never been to Crater Lake, you’ve missed out on an experience available nowhere else in North America, and perhaps nowhere else in the world. The place is that unique and that fantastically beautiful.

Originally posted September 13, 2021. Most recently updated April 6, 2024.

Vancouver Island Revisited

by Alan K. Lee

Surrounded by the salt waters of the Pacific Ocean and Inside Passage, dotted with freshwater lakes and streams, recipient of abundant precipitation (more than 120″ per year along its west coast), Vancouver Island is a land defined by water.

The island’s relatively mild, wet climate makes it one of the most productive and diverse terrestrial ecosystems on the planet. And the cold, nutrient rich ocean waters make the marine environment equally productive.

Forest trail on the west coast of the island

Anyone planning a visit to Vancouver Island should note that it’s a big place.It’s 280 miles long by 60 miles wide. Look at a map of British Columbia and it looks small in comparison to the province as a whole. But British Columbia is huge – far bigger than the state of Texas – and Vancouver Island by itself is larger than nine U.S. states. It’s just too big to fully explore in a single trip.

Any trip to Vancouver Island should include a stay in Victoria, but beyond that it’s best to pick one or two areas and plan your visit around those. It’s also far too large and has far too many outstanding areas to cover in a single blog post. We’ll focus here on the area near the town Campbell River (including Quadra Island), Strathcona Provincial Park, and the west coast of the island near Tofino and Ucluelet.

Roughly midway up the east coast of the island, the town of Campbell River, the self-proclaimed “salmon capital of the world,” is a good base from which to explore the area. Fishermen have flocked to Campbell River since at least the 1880s. In the 1920s the Campbell River Tyee Club popularized the area with fishermen world-wide. Painter’s Lodge, opened in 1929, attracted Hollywood stars such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, which further popularized the area.

Painter’s Lodge recently reopened, and offers lodging, event space, helicopter tours, whale watching, grizzly bear tours, and wildlife tours, in addition to guided fishing trips. Campbell River has a variety of other accommodations, including a nice campground at Elk Falls Provincial Park on the outskirts of town. In 2015 a suspension bridge was built just downstream of Elk Falls. Check out the video on the park website.

Campbell River has a variety of dining options for any budget. Anglers Dining Room at Dolphins Resort gets consistently good reviews. Ideal Cafe, Locals, and Quay West also get good reviews. Check out Beach Fire Brewing and Cornerstone Taphouse for good craft beers.

Only a short 15 minute ferry ride across Discovery Passage from Campbell River, Quadra Island has a full range of tourist facilities, including a number of cafes and lodging options if you desire a quieter, more rural environment than you’ll find in Campbell River. Quadra, largest of the Discovery Islands, provides the outdoor enthusiast with a network of hiking and mountain biking trails, kayak and boat launching facilities, and beach access points. The northern end of the island has several lakes and parks, the largest being Main Lakes Provincial Park. Hike, bike, paddle, or just take in the scenery and enjoy the quiet, natural area.

Strathcona Provincial Park, established in 1911, is the oldest provincial park in British Columbia. With the highest peaks on Vancouver Island and the highest waterfall in Canada, Strathcona’s scenery is hard to beat. Located 15 miles west of Campbell River, the majority of the park is wilderness.

Fabulous hiking trails can be found throughout the park. Paddling and fishing can be had at Buttle Lake. There are two fairly large campgrounds – Buttle Lake Campground (85 sites) and Ralph River Campground (75 sites). There are also three group camp areas available by reservation only, and a variety of back country campsites not accessible by road.

Accommodations a bit more upscale than camping can be found at Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre on Buttle Lake a few miles outside of the park. You can rent small motor boats, canoes and kayaks, and stand up paddle boards there. For the more adventurous, there is a zip line and a high ropes course. And you can get information there about local hiking and mountain bike trails, and whitewater and sea kayaking opportunities.

On the west side of the island, the stretch of coastline from Ucluelet to Tofino is part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/pacificrim). The tamer sibling of the more remote and wild section of the park that includes the 47 mile West Coast Trail, the Long Beach unit of the park is easily accessible and has numerous small inlets, rocky coves, and beautiful sandy beaches.

Tofino has long been a popular tourist destination and can be crowded in the summer, but the other seasons also bring people to Tofino. Storm watchers flock to the area in the winter. Surfers come for Rip Curl Pro Tofino, the official Canadian surfing championship, in May, and the all-female Queen of the Peak competition in October. There are a variety of festivals throughout the year that bring people to Tofino, including ArtSplash in March, the Tofino Shorebird Festival in May, the Clayoquot Salmon Festival in August and September, and the Tofino Winterlights Festival in December.

Ucluelet, about 25 miles south of Tofino, is less touristy and more down to earth than its glitzier neighbor. The town is situated on a peninsula between Ucluth Inlet and the Pacific Ocean. It’s a popular fishing port and the rugged coastline has a number of secluded coves and beaches that, for my money, are about as pretty as it gets. Hike the easy 1.6 mile Wild Pacific Trail loop at the tip of the peninsula for some of the most spectacular scenery you’ll find anywhere on the island.

Shoreline near Ucluelet viewed from the Wild Pacific Trail

Ucluelet has fewer dining and lodging options than Tofino, but you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a place to stay, and you’ll find some of the freshest and best seafood anywhere.

There is, of course, way more to Vancouver Island than this post covers, and it’s hard to go wrong regardless what part of the island you choose to explore. My wife and I will be making another trip to the island soon, perhaps this fall if the covid-19 pandemic eases and the border reopens.

Originally posted February 1, 2019

Updated and re-posted June 21, 2021