My wife and I recently paid a visit to Powells Wood Garden in Federal Way, Washington, just north of Tacoma. We had seen a set of photos taken at Powells Wood that were quite beautiful, so we decided to take a side trip on our recent weekend visit to Gig Harbor and check it out in person.
What we found was a beautiful three acre botanical garden containing eight “rooms” separated by manicured hedges, and an adjacent 35 acre natural area preserve. We spent several very pleasant hours exploring the botanical garden and the nature preserve. It was a nice way to unwind after the drive up from Portland.
The botanical garden is small, but it’s a nicely constructed set of gardens and a place that any flower lover will enjoy.
The adjacent natural area is a maturing second growth forest with many large conifers, a small stream, and the typical temperate rainforest understory of native shrubs and ferns. Several trails loop through the preserve. We hiked most of the trails that afternoon and saw only a few other people.
Powells Wood Garden is located at 430 S. Dash Point Road in Federal Way. The garden is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Admission is $7 per person (children 12 and under are free). Tickets can be purchased online on the Garden’s website . Reservations are not required and tickets can also be purchased on site.
If you visit Powells Wood Garden, you might also want to stop in at Dash Point State Park, a few miles west of Powells Wood. The main attraction at Dash Point is the 3000 feet of Puget Sound shoreline. But there are also miles of hiking and mountain biking trails and a campground with 141 campsites.
While Powells Wood Garden is probably not worth a trip to Tacoma on its own, the Tacoma area has a lot of other attractions, not the least of which are the Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Art Museum, both part of the Tacoma Museum District.
And across the Tacoma Narrows from the city of Tacoma, the charming small town of Gig Harbor is well worth a visit, as well. Gig Harbor has a beautiful waterfront and the community has done a good job of preserving its history as it has grown from a small fishing village into a bedroom community of Tacoma. It’s one of our favorite towns in the Northwest and one we return to often.
If you find yourself in the Tacoma area and you’re interested in flowers, gardens, or natural areas, pay a visit to Powells Wood Garden. It’s definitely worth seeking out.
I visit Tryon Creek State Park in southwest Portland often, as it is only a few miles from my home. I go to connect with nature and escape the noise and hustle and bustle of the city. The park is an urban oasis where it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a major metropolitan area. That is a major draw and the park is a much beloved, and much used, place. But the park is big enough (658 acres) that it seldom feels overly crowded.
Bigleaf maples cover a large part of the park and, as a photographer, I appreciate the extraordinary quality of light under their canopy. The light can change dramatically from season to season, day to day, and sometimes moment to moment. I find the interplay of light and shadow always beautiful, endlessly fascinating, and often challenging to capture with the camera. It is one of the things that continues to draw me back to the park.
The park, now officially called Tryon Creek State Natural Area, is a transitional second growth forest. What is now the park was logged at least once between 1870 and 1960 to provide fuel for the iron smelter that once operated nearby and to produce ties for the railroad industry.
Today, the forest has regrown. While still not a mature old growth forest, the new forest contains many large Douglas firs, western hemlocks, western red cedars, bigleaf and vine maples, and red alders.
Nearly 300 different forest plants and flowers grow in the park. Blacktail deer, raccoons, coyotes, red foxes, beaver, and more than two dozen other mammals roam the park. More than 70 species of birds have been seen in the park. And cutthroat trout, coho and chinook salmon, and steelhead can be found in Tryon Creek.
The area was saved from development in the late 1960s and early 1970s by a combination of dedicated citizens, the Friends of Tryon Creek, Multnomah County, and the State of Oregon. Tryon Creek State Park was officially dedicated on July 1, 1975.
Many, if not most, of the park’s visitors come to hike the nearly fifteen miles of hiking and mixed use trails. Some bring their horses to ride the three and a half miles of equestrian trails. There is also a three mile paved bike path running through the park and a paved all abilities trail. The Nature Center, with a friendly staff, interpretive exhibits, a small store, and public restrooms, is a popular starting point for many visitors.
The park is jointly managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Tryon Creek. The park’s mission has always included adult and youth environmental education programs, including day camps, a junior ranger program, school field trips, guided tours of the park, and special events. It is not uncommon to encounter large groups of children, and sometimes adults, in the park.
Many of the events and programs sponsored by the park were cancelled or available only online during the majority of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Nature Center was closed and entrance to the park was limited at times. While we’re still living with Covid, most, if not all, of the park’s programs have been restored, and the Nature Center is open again.
The main parking area and the Nature Center are located at 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd in Portland. The park is currently open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. (closing times vary with the season). For more information, check the park’s website or call 1-800-551-6949.
And finally, this reminder from the Friends of Tryon Creek:
“It is important to ground ourselves and acknowledge the people whose land we are utilizing; the Clackamas Chinook, the Wasco-Wishram, the Willamette Tumwater, the Multnomah, and other Chinookan peoples, as well as the Tualatin Kalapuya, the Cayuse, the Molalla and other tribes and bands of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. It is important to acknowledge the original inhabitants of the land now known as Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and to recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices that were forced upon them. We also remember that we are guests of this land and must do our best to honor the original peoples, through authentic cultural narratives and continued stewardship of the water, the land, and plants that make up this forest community.”
Originally posted July 29, 2020. Updated and re-posted May 25, 2022.
Hoyt Arboretum, in Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1928 to conserve endangered tree species and help educate the community about the value and wonder of trees and the natural environment.
Today, the arboretum features more than 100 collections of trees and plants, organized by taxonomy and geography, spread over 189 acres in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills. There are more than 2300 species native to six continents represented in the arboretum collections.
The arboretum features a small visitor center, a covered picnic structure, and 12 miles of hiking trails, including a portion of the 30 mile long Wildwood Trail that connects Washington Park to the Pittock Mansion, the Portland Audubon Society sanctuary, and Forest Park, the nation’s largest forested city park. The arboretum also makes a number of outdoor areas available to rent for weddings or other private events.
The visitor center is a good place to begin your visit to the arboretum, especially if it is your first visit. It is open daily from 10:00 to 3:00. You can pick up a free map there, which I have found to be very useful. You can also download a map from the arboretum’s website. The arboretum’s trails are well signed, but there are many intersecting trails and an almost limitless number of possible loops to hike, so having a good map is definitely a plus. The visitor center staff are also friendly and can answer any questions that you may have. The center also includes restrooms and a small gift shop.
Many of the trees and plants throughout the arboretum are labeled and there are interpretive signs describing the featured collections. And, if you want information on specific trees and plants, you can access the arboretum’s online plant directory.
As an educational institution as well as a conservatory, arboretum staff regularly conduct public tours, sponsor educational events, and offer a variety of classes to the public.
Hoyt Arboretum is just one of a number of attractions in Washington Park, making it one of the true centerpieces of what makes Portland such an attractive place to live. Besides the arboretum, Washington Park is also home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, the World Forestry Center, the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the International Rose Test Garden.
More information on the arboretum, directions, and parking and public transit information can be found on the arboretum’s website (linked above).
Hoyt Arboretum is one of my favorite places in the Portland area. Whether you want to learn more about the environment, are interested in the plants and trees in the arboretum’s collections, want to find a quiet and peaceful retreat, or just want to stretch your legs, Hoyt Arboretum is a great place to spend a few hours. Add in the other attractions in Washington Park and you can easily make a day of it.
Originally posted April 8, 2020. Updated July 15, 2020 and May 5, 2022.
Leach Botanical Garden in southeast Portland may not leap to mind when you think of Portland area gardens, but pay it a visit and you will find that it truly belongs in the top tier of Portland botanical gardens. The beautiful and serene set of gardens feature more than 2000 varieties of plants, including 125 species of ferns.
What is now Leach Botanical Garden was once the home of John and Lilla Leach. They purchased the property in the early 1930s and built a cottage on the south shore of Johnson Creek in 1932. Four years later they built a larger house on the north shore.
Both the Stone Cabin and the Manor House still stand. The Manor House now houses the garden’s gift shop and is a popular wedding venue and event space. (The part of the garden south of Johnson Creek, including the Stone Cabin, is currently closed to the public).
Lilla Leach was an amateur botanist and discovered five plants previously unknown to science. One, Kalmiopsis leachiana, is named after her, and the southwest Oregon wilderness where she discovered it is now known as the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Over the years she planted many native plant species, some of them rare, on the estate they called Sleepy Hollow.
John and Lilla lived in Sleepy Hollow until John’s death in 1972. The Leaches willed the property to the City of Portland, and the city created Leach Botanical Garden after Lilla’s death in 1980 to preserve her botanical garden.
Originally four acres in size, the botanical garden has been expanded, most recently in 2021, and now covers some 17 acres and includes an aerial tree walk (part of the 2021 expansion) that extends out over the slope leading down to Johnson Creek and the Manor House.
The garden is located at 6704 SE 122nd Avenue and is open to the public Tue-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. The garden is closed on Monday. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. Walk up tickets are available, but may be limited during busy periods. Reserved tickets can be obtained on the garden’s website.
There is currently no admission charge, but donations are encouraged and go to support operation of the garden and the garden’s educational programs. You can also register for a garden tour on the website, which is currently the only way to visit the Stone Cabin and the historic Outdoor Kitchen on the south side of Johnson Creek..
If you’re visiting Portland, consider paying Leach Botanical Garden a visit. Pair it with a visit to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in inner southeast Portland, and to the International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and the Portland Japanese Garden, all in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, for an immersive experience in the Rose City’s garden culture. If you enjoy the peace and beauty of botanical gardens, you won’t regret it.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in southeast Portland, Oregon is an internationally recognized garden containing many rare rhododendrons, azaleas, and related species. It’s a beautiful and (sometimes) quiet island of serenity in the midst of the city, and it’s one of my favorite places in Portland..
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is spectacularly beautiful in the spring blooming season, but its attractions are not limited to that season, and not just to rhododendrons and azaleas. The garden is beautiful the year round. And it’s nearly surrounded by Crystal Springs Lake, making it a haven for waterfowl and other birds. More than 90 species of birds can be found in the garden, including Bald Eagles, which can often be seen flying over the lake in search of fish or unwary waterfowl.
The garden covers 9.5 acres, divided into two areas, called The Island and The Peninsula. Originally owned by William S. Ladd (1826-1893), twice Mayor of Portland in the 1850s, and called Crystal Springs Farm, the City of Portland acquired the the Island portion of the Garden in the 1920s.
In the first half of the 20th Century, The Island was the site of Shakespearean plays produced by Reed College, which adjoins the garden. But by 1950 the site was largely abandoned and overgrown. In that year the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society established a display and test garden on The Island. The area now known as The Peninsula was donated to the garden in 1977 by Portland landscape architect Wallace K. Huntington. Volunteers from the Friends of Crystal Springs (the Portland Chapter of The American Rhododendron Society) and the Master Gardeners program now maintain the Garden.
The garden is open year round from 10:00-4:00, except Wednesdays, when it opens at 1:00. Admission is $5.00 Tuesday through Sunday. No admission is charged on Mondays, and children 10 and under are always free. (Covid-19 update: There are no Covid-related restrictions as of April 2022. Face masks are recommended, but not required).
In the (pre-pandemic) past the Friends of Crystal Springs have hosted rhododendron shows and plant sales at the garden. Check the garden website for current information and event schedules. The garden also hosts weddings and other private events, so a potion of the garden may be closed to the public on spring and summer weekends.
The garden is located at 5801 SE 28th Avenue. The small parking lot fills up early in spring and summer, and there is no on street parking on 28th or other nearby streets, so come early if you’re coming by car (and do not park in the Reed College lot across 28th from the garden). Or take the bus (Tri-Met bus #19 Woodstock).
The garden is often crowded on weekends and Mondays, especially in the spring and summer. Visiting from Tuesday through Friday will avoid the worst of the crowds. But even during peak visitation the garden is well worth visiting. The colorful foliage makes fall a good time to visit, also. And on a winter morning you might have the Garden all to yourself.
Whether you are a garden lover, birder, photographer, artist, or just looking for a beautiful place to spend some time in, Crystal Springs is a place you’ll love. For my money, only the Portland Japanese Garden tops Crystal Springs among Portland area gardens.
Originally posted July 16, 2019. Updated and re-posted April 14, 2022.
The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival near Woodburn, Oregon is a great way for the whole family to get out, get some sun, and enjoy the riot of color that the spring flowers bring to our lives.
Each year Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm opens their property to the public from late March through early May for their annual Tulip Festival. This year’s festival runs through May 1. (The photos here are from the 2018 festival.)
Festival hours are 9am-6pm Mon-Fri and 8am-7pm Sat & Sun. Individual adult admission ranges from $10 for a weekday senior pass to $20 for a weekend day pass. (A small processing fee is added to each ticket). Children 12 and under are free. Family car passes that allow entry to everyone in a single vehicle are $40 for weekdays and $55 on weekends. Individual season passes are $60.
Photographers and early risers can purchase sunrise passes for $25 that allows entry to the farm at 5am. Drone operators can purchase a drone pass for $10 (sunrise day pass or season pass required) that allows drone flights from 5-8am. All tickets must be purchased online. Tickets can be purchased through the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm website.
Tickets include parking, and transportation from the parking lot to the fields is available for those with mobility issues. And there are tram and hay wagon rides that run from the main building through the fields. There is also a tulip tour train ($10 per person) that runs from the main building around the fields, with photo stops, that runs from noon to 5pm daily.
There are several food vendors and a coffee cart at the festival each day, and there is a Wooden Shoe Vineyards tasting room on site, with beer and cider also available. Picnic tables are available and festival goers are encouraged to bring their own food if they so desire.
There are a variety of daily festival activities. Weekend events include wooden shoe making demonstrations, steam tractor demonstrations, a craft marketplace, and wine wagon tours that include estate grown wine tastings and a tour of the farm and tulip fields ($60-$90). Kids activities include a play area and carnival rides.
Tethered hot air balloon flights are also available on weekends (adults 12+ $20, children 5-11 $10). Untethered early morning flights flights are also available starting at $229 per person with a two person minimum. All balloon flights are weather dependent. Check the Wooden Shoe webpage for details on balloon flights and other events and activities.
Cut flowers and potted bulbs are available for purchase at the farm, and flower bulbs can be ordered for fall delivery.
This is just a great event, fun for the whole family. In previous years it has been a very popular event. There will be a limited number of tickets available each day again this year due to Covid protocols, so it may be less crowded than in years past. But having to purchase tickets in advance means that you have to take your chances with the weather, and weekend tickets may sell out quickly. But even so, this is a really worthwhile outing, especially if you’re a photographer or just a flower lover. And who doesn’t love flowers?
And if you live in the Seattle area, or are planning a visit, check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Mount Vernon. It runs through the end of April.
Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park can be an otherworldly experience. Hiking through the eroded limestone hoodoos, you might imagine yourself on another planet – Mars, maybe, or Tatooine. I lack that kind of imagination for the most part, but Bryce Canyon is still a magical place for me. I’ve never seen another place quite like it.
The term “canyon” is a bit of a misnomer here. The park’s main features are the eroded amphitheaters of the slopes of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The hoodoos were formed through wind erosion and the freeze-thaw cycle, rather than being eroded by running water, so they aren’t true canyons. The park’s namesake canyon is actually just the largest of more than a dozen of those natural amphitheaters. (It’s now called Bryce Amphitheater, not Bryce Canyon, on park maps.)
Before you visit Bryce Canyon, there are a few things that you should know about the park. The first is the altitude. The top of the plateau varies from just under 8000 feet to just over 9000 feet in elevation. The air is noticeably thinner than you’re probably used to. Factor that into any hiking plans that you make.
The altitude also means that nights can be cold there even in the middle of summer. And in spring and fall, it’s not uncommon to encounter cold weather even in the middle of the day. (The photos here were taken in early May and, as you can see, there was still snow in places). Winters are cold, sometimes very, and can be snowy. Many of the trails are closed in winter. But winter also has its charms. Most of the best photos I’ve seen of Bryce Canyon have been taken when the hoodoos were covered in snow.
The second thing you should know is that Bryce Canyon is a very popular place in the summer. The park gets more than two million visitors each year, the vast majority of them between the middle of June and the middle of September. The area around Bryce Canyon Lodge can be very crowded at times, as can the various viewpoints along the 18 mile rim drive.
The good news is that you don’t have to hike very far into the hoodoos to get away from the crowds. There are a number of loop and out-and-back trails that will get you away from the crowds, some of them fairly easy hikes. The rim trail along the edge of the Bryce Amphitheater can also get you away from the worst of the crowds without actually descending into the hoodoos. And if you don’t want to (or can’t) hike into the amphitheaters, there are mule rides available. Check at the visitor center when you arrive. Some of the trails in the park are also paved and wheelchair accessible.
The only road in the park (other than a section of Utah Hwy 12 that cuts across the far northern end of the park) runs north to south along the top of the Paunsaugunt Plateau from the park entrance to Yovimpa Point and Rainbow Point at the southern end of the plateau. Because the park receives so many visitors in the summer, traffic congestion can be a problem. Consider parking your car at the visitor center or the lodge and taking the free shuttle that runs the length of the park. The buses run frequently and you can hop off at any of the viewpoints and catch a later shuttle if you want to do some hiking or just sit and enjoy the scenery for awhile. Taking the shuttle also makes point to point hikes possible without having two cars.
Besides being a spectacularly beautiful place during the day, Bryce Canyon is also great place to star gaze. It’s far from any light polluting urban areas, and the night skies in the park can be incredible. The park offers both astronomy programs and guided full moon hikes. Check the Bryce Canyon National Park website for more information.
The park website is a good place to begin when planning a trip to Bryce. The Utah.com website also has a lot of good info. The Travel Awaits what to know and best places to stay web pages are also full of very useful information.
The Covid-19 pandemic is still with us as I write this (Feb. 2022), but the park is open with only a few restrictions. Masks are still required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in all NPS buildings, crowded outdoor spaces, and all forms of enclosed public transportation. But there are no other restrictions and all facilities are open. Additional details are available on the park website and at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
If you’re not ready to begin traveling again, though, here are links to a short video by National Geographic, a ten minute video by Amazing Places On Your Planet, and an hour and fifteen minute documentary from the 4K Relaxation Channel. There is also a six minute video on the park website.
The videos don’t give you the full experience of actually being there, of course, but they will give you a taste of what the park offers, and maybe help to tide you over until you can safely travel there in person once the pandemic has run its course.
Bryce Canyon is one of southern Utah’s five national parks (the “Big Five” ): Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. Throw in the sprawling Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Lake Powell, and you have the makings of a truly epic road trip.
Originally posted March 20, 2020. Updated and re-posted February 19, 2022.
Canyon de Chelly is a strikingly beautiful canyon located on the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of Arizona. The canyon walls rise vertically from the flat bottom of the canyon as much as 1000 feet to the canyon rim, and everywhere you look there are spectacular rock formations, like the 750 foot spire known as Spider Rock (pictured below).
The name Chelly comes from the Spanish spelling of the Navajo name for canyon, tseyi, which translates literally as “within the rock.” Over time the Spanish pronunciation, “chay-ee”, has evolved into the current pronunciation, “shay”.
Located a couple of miles east of Chinle, Arizona, the monument’s Welcome Center is a good place to start your visit. Pick up a free map of the monument and watch a short film about the monument to orient yourself. The park rangers can answer any questions you have about tours of the canyon, accommodations, the canyon’s history or geology, what plants and animals you’ll find in the park, or any other questions you might have. There is also a gift shop where souvenirs of your visit can be purchased.
Canyon de Chelly is worth a visit just for the spectacular scenery it affords, but it is also an important cultural and historic site. The canyon is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in North America. The Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi) first settled in the area some 4,000 years ago. The canyon was later occupied by the Hopi, descendents of the Ancestral Puebloans, and more recently by the Navaho.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is actually owned by the Navaho Tribal Trust, not the federal government. It is jointly managed by the tribe and the National Park Service. Two main canyons, Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto, along with several smaller side canyons, make up the majority of the monument’s 83,000 acres.
About forty Navaho families live within the monument, some of whom still farm the canyon floor and raise livestock as their ancestors did. Access to the floor of the canyon is restricted to tours led by tribal guides or NPS rangers, except for the White House Ruin Trail, which descends more than 500 feet from south rim of Canyon de Chelly to the bottom of the canyon and across the floor of the canyon to the ruins.
Unless you take one of the guided trips through the canyon, hiking the White House Ruins Trail is the only way to get a close up view of any of Ancestral Puebloan ruins in the canyon. And walking the same ground that the ancestral people walked thousands of years ago and seeing where and how they lived can bring a profound feeling of connection to those people across all those centuries. It is really well worth the effort if you can make the hike.
(February 2022 update: The White House Overlook and Trail are currently closed because of safety and law enforcement concerns. Check the park website Alerts page for current information.)
Although access to the canyon floor is restricted, the South Rim Drive along Canyon de Chelly and the North Rim Drive along Canyon del Muerto provide a total of ten overlooks into the canyons. Plan to spend at least half a day touring the rim drives. Add another two hours or more if you plan to hike to the White House Ruins. And if you want to tour the canyon floor, there are half and full day jeep, horseback, and hiking options available. A list of tour operators can be found here. There are also free ranger led hikes. Ask at the Welcome Center about availability and schedules.
My wife and I have taken many trips to Arizona over the years. We have been fortunate enough to have visited many of the parks and other natural and culturally significant sites in the state. Canyon de Chelly stands out as one of the best, both scenically and culturally. The photos here are from a trip we took that also included a visit to Chiricahua National Monument. That was a number of years ago, but the memories remain fresh in mind. And once the corona virus pandemic ends and we can all travel safely again, I hope to go back and revisit the canyon.
Pandemic update: As of February 2022, the park is open. Masks are required in all indoor areas and outdoors where social distancing is not possible. There are no other requirements.
Originally posted May 14, 2020. Updated and re-posted February 14, 2022.
Chiricahua National Monument in the southeastern corner of Arizona is geological wonderland of rocks – hoodoos, balanced rocks, stacked rocks, rocks of all shapes and sizes.
The Chiricahua Mountains are one of a number of mountain ranges known as “sky islands” that run from the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico to the Rocky Mountains. The rock that is the central feature of Chiricahua originated as pyroclastic flows from a massive volcano just south of the monument that erupted about 27 million years ago. It is estimated that amount of material ejected in that eruption was more than 100 times that of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
As with Bryce Canyon, the rock formations of the Chiricahua Mountains are more the result of wind erosion and the freeze-thaw cycle than erosion by running water.
Chiricahua National Monument was created in 1924 to protect the fantastic rhyolitic tuff rock formations. The original monument was a little over 4200 acres in size. Additions in 1938, 1978, and 1984 brought the size of the monument to its current 11,985 acres. Most of the park (10,340 acres) is designated wilderness.
Although the altitude at Chiricahua (from 5100 to 7300 feet) makes it cooler than many parts of Arizona, this is still Arizona after all, and it can get dangerously hot. Triple digit temperatures are possible from May through September. And despite this being part of the Chihuahua Desert, thunderstorms are an almost daily occurrences from early July into early September. Almost half of the monument’s annual rainfall of 19.3″ falls in the months of July and August.
April and May and are the driest months, with daily high temperatures varying from the low 70s to the mid 80s, and spring is probably the best time to visit. The days are also pleasant from mid-September to mid-November, but rain is more common than in the spring. Winters are much cooler, with snowfall and sub-freezing temperatures common from December through March.
Hiking is a popular activity at Chiricahua. There are 17 miles of trails in the park, with hikes of various lengths, from 0.2 to 9.5 miles. Trails range in difficulty from easy saunters to strenuous hikes with elevation gains of up to 1000 feet. Horses are also permitted (with restrictions) on many of the trails. As elsewhere in Arizona, carrying enough water is essential. The park staff recommend hikers carry at least one quart for each hour they plan to be out during the summer months. Sunscreen and a hat are also essential, even in spring and fall.
A free hiker shuttle runs from the visitor center to two of the more popular trailheads. Check in at the visitor center the day before or the morning of your hike to reserve a seat. The shuttle is limited to 14 people and reservations cannot be made on line or by phone.
Bird watching is another popular activity at the monument. More than 170 species have been recorded within the monument boundaries, and the American Bird Conservancy has designated Chiricahua National Monument an Important Bird Area. (And the San Pedro Valley, an internationally known birding hot spot, is only about 75 miles to the west). The monument also is home to 71 species of mammals, 46 species of reptiles, 8 amphibian species, and uncounted numbers of insect species.
People interested in the history of the area should check out the historic Faraway Ranch, just off the main road near the park entrance.
Chiricahua has never been a particularly popular place, owing mostly, I think, to its remote location and relatively small size. Even at the peak of its popularity, in 1993, it saw an average of only 350 visitations per day. In recent years the average has been about 150 per day. This is a place where it’s still possible to find some solitude, and it doesn’t take hours of hiking to find a quiet place to yourself.
There is a 26 unit campground in the park, but no other accommodations. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 29 feet (several reviews suggested that 20 feet is a more realistic max, though). The campground has running water and flush toilets, there are no RV hookups. Wilcox, 35 miles to the northwest, has a number of RV parks with full hookups, and has a variety of other accommodations for those that do not want to camp.
Chiricahua National Monument is not on a lot of people’s bucket lists, but it should be in my humble opinion. The scenery is outstanding, it’s a geologically interesting area, the biological mix of plant and animal species is interesting, and it’s unique. There’s no place else like it. It is well worth the 35 mile detour off of I-10 if you are traveling through the area, and is an end-point destination on its own that is worth considering. Combine a visit to Chiricahua with the many attractions in the Tucson area (only a two hour drive away), Karchner Caverns State Park, the old copper mining town of Bisbee, and the famous wild west town of Tombstone, to make a vacation the whole family will enjoy.
February 2022 update:
The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 to 4:30, but the museum exhibits are closed due to Covid-19. The hiker shuttle service is not operating, also due to Covid-19 protocols. Masks are required in all buildings and outdoor areas where social distancing is not possible. The historic ranch house at Faraway Ranch is closed for renovations. The campground is open. The park has experienced some storm damage and some of the roads may be closed temporarily, but the main road is open.
Originally posted April 28, 2020. Edited, updated, and re-posted February 5, 2022
Santa Fe bills itself as “The City Different,” and the Santa Fe Tourism website calls it “a city unlike any other.” A few years ago my wife and I stopped in Santa Fe for a few days on a trip through the Southwest, and I found that Santa Fe largely lives up to those descriptions. The unique blend of Spanish, American, and Puebloan history, culture, and arts make Santa Fe and Taos interesting and unique destinations for the traveler.
Santa Fe’s history dates back more than 1000 years, to when a Tanoan Pueblo village was established on the Santa Fe River at a location that is now downtown Santa Fe. Descendants of those early settlers continue to live in six Tewa-speaking Pueblos in the Santa Fe area.
Spanish colonization of the area dates to 1598, when the first European settlements were built in what became the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico, part of New Spain. What is now New Mexico became part of the U.S. in 1848 as a result of the peace treaty that ended the Mexican-American War. New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912, with Santa Fe as its capital.
Native American culture and arts have survived in the Southwest to a degree not found elsewhere in the United States. Evidence of that is everywhere in modern day Santa Fe, Taos, and the Pueblo settlements remaining in the area. Native influenced art works can be found in the many art galleries and the numerous public art installations that are found throughout Santa Fe and Taos. The Puebloan culture is also represented in the architecture of the city, and the local cuisine.
Santa Fe’s Spanish roots also remain a significant influence on Santa Fe’s modern culture. You can explore the city’s history at the many museums that dot downtown Santa Fe, such as the New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of the Governors, both adjacent to the Santa Fe Plaza, the cultural and social heart of the city.
The Plaza is an ideal place to begin your exploration of Santa Fe, particularly if you are an art lover, as my wife and I are. The New Mexico Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Native American Arts are both within a block of the Plaza. For fans of Georgia O’Keefe, the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and Museum Annex are both within a few blocks of the Plaza. The Gib Singleton Museum of Fine Art is also only a couple of blocks off the Plaza. Pop art fans should check out the Pop Gallery Santa Fe, two blocks north of the Plaza.
Southeast of the Plaza, within easy walking distance, the Canyon Road Arts District is a must see destination for the art lover. More than fifty galleries and studios line what had once been a residential street. It was impossible for us to visit more than just a fraction of the galleries in the district in the short time we had, but just walking the street and viewing the outdoor art installations was memorable, one of the highlights of our visit.
Of course there are plenty of things to see and do in Santa Fe beyond just the visual arts and local history. The Tourism Santa Fe website offers dozens of suggestions including outdoor recreation, dining, shopping, performing arts, activities for kids, and other attractions. The site also has tips on visiting, information on accommodations, and a calendar of events.
There are also a lot of places outside of Santa Fe itself that are worth visiting. Taos, about 65 miles north of Santa Fe, is another arts oriented community. The Taos Society of Artists has been in existence for more than a century. Many of the early artists’ galleries have been preserved and are open to visitors.
Puebloan history and culture is an even more pronounced component of modern day Taos than it is in Santa Fe. The nearby Taos Pueblo is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. The Pueblo has been occupied continuously for over 1000 years and continues to be an active Native American community. Unfortunately, Taos Pueblo is currently (as of February 2, 2022) closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Check their website for current information. There are also a number of other pueblos in the Santa Fe and Taos area that may be open to visitors. Each pueblo is independent and makes its own decisions concerning rules for public visitation, so check the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website for more information.
Another site near Santa Fe that is well worth visiting is Bandelier National Monument. While it is not as well known as many of the other Native American historical sites, the park features impressive ruins of cliff dwellings that can be easily explored, plus one high up the cliff that can only be reached by climbing several long ladders. Bandelier is about 30 mile northwest of Santa Fe, near the town White Rock.
While some sites may be closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Mexico is largely open at present. There is a statewide mask mandate in force, but no other restrictions.
Santa Fe and Taos are high on our list of places to revisit and we’re looking forward to another, and hopefully longer, visit. And I’d encourage everyone to visit Santa Fe at least once. It truly is The City Different.
Originally posted June 29, 2020. Updated and re-posted February 2, 2022
During our exploration of southwest Idaho, my wife and I used Boise as our base and did day trips to Thousand Springs, Balanced Rock, Bruneau Dunes, and the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, as I’ve documented in the past few posts.
Boise is Idaho’s capital and largest city, with a metropolitan area population of around 750,000. It’s large enough to have many of the amenities of a big city, but small enough to still retain something of a small town feel. And it’s a surprisingly modern and cosmopolitan city, blending elements of both West Coast and Rocky Mountain cultures.
My wife and I are both art lovers, and Boise has a vibrant arts community featuring both visual and performing arts. The Velma V. Morrison Performing Arts Center on the Boise State University campus is home to the Boise Philharmonic, Ballet Idaho, the Trey McIntyre Project (modern dance company), and the Boise Shakespeare Festival. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival is held each spring, also on the Boise State campus.
The Boise Art Museum in Julia Davis Park, just south of the downtown center, features permanent American, Northwest, Native American, and Asian Art collections, and rotating temporary exhibits. In addition to the Boise Art Museum, there are a number of notable art galleries in the downtown area, including the Art Source Gallery, Capitol Contemporary Gallery, the Delia Dante Gallery and FireFusion Studio, and MING Studios.
There is also an interesting street art scene in Boise, featured prominently in the building murals of the outdoor gallery known as Freak Alley in the downtown center.
Many fine Victorian houses and architecturally interesting buildings can also be found in the downtown area.
Other points of interest in the downtown area include the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial and the Wassmuth Center For Human Rights, the Idaho Black History Museum, the Idaho State Museum, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, and the Idaho Discovery Center, a hands-on, interactive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational center.
If you want to take a break, grab a bite to eat, and have a glass of wine or a pint of beer, there are plenty of places in downtown Boise to do just that. Moon’s Kitchen Cafe, Wild Root Cafe, and the vegan High Note Cafe are all within a few blocks of the capitol building. Goldy’s Corner is a small cafe and bakery that features a take-a-book/leave-a-book free library. Also near the capitol are Ten Barrel Brewing Boise, Prost German Pub, Edge Brewing, and Bavarian Brewing. Near Julia Davis Park you’ll find Boise Brewing, White Dog Brewing, and the Double Tap Pub. Downtown wine bars include Coiled Wine Bar and Bodovino. I’m sure Boise has an interesting night life scene, but we didn’t explore that aspect of the city on this trip.
We did explore a number of Boise’s many parks and natural areas. The nearly 25-mile long Boise River Greenbelt has many miles of trails along both banks of the river.
Anne Morrison Memorial Park on the south bank of the river, and the Julia Davis Park, just south of the downtown area on the north bank, are large urban parks with a variety of open spaces and tree lined paths along the river.
Julia Davis Park is also home to the Boise Rose Garden and Zoo Boise. Idaho Botanical Garden, a mile or so southeast of downtown, is also definitely worth a visit.
Kathryn Albertson Park , across Americana Blvd from Anne Morrison Park, is a nature park with several large ponds that is home to a variety of wildlife and provides the visitor with more intimate natural areas to explore.
I hadn’t been in Boise for quite a few years. The last time had been for an environmental conference and I didn’t see much of the city on that trip. And, honestly, we didn’t come to Idaho to explore Boise on this trip. But I found it surprisingly beautiful and interesting on a number of different levels. It’s definitely not the cowboy town I remember visiting in my younger days. Boise has grown up a lot (and maybe it was never as much of a cow town as I remember it being).
We had a great time exploring Boise, but there is far too much there to experience it all in in the short time we had on this trip. We’ll almost certainly be visiting Idaho again in the near future, and I’m sure we’ll spend another few days exploring more of what Boise has to offer. We may even see what Boise nightlife is like on our next visit.
Boise is definitely worth visiting, and southwest Idaho has many truly unique, beautiful, and enjoyable places to visit, all within a short drive of each other. For more on those, check out my other Exploring Southwest Idaho posts:
The roughly 100 mile (as the crow flies) stretch of the Snake River, from south of Boise to just west of Twin Falls, is a geologically interesting area, wildlife is abundant, the scenery is outstanding, and there’s plenty there for those interested in the history of the American West, as well. Thousand Springs, Balanced Rock, Bruneau Dunes, and the Snake River Canyon are all beautiful, unique, and well worth visiting.
Snake River Birds of Prey
People from all over the world come to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area to view, photograph, and study the hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons that make the Snake River Canyon home. And Boise is home to the World Center For Birds of Prey, the home base of the Peregrine Fund, a non-profit environmental organization that played a key role in bringing the Peregrine Falcon back from the brink of extinction. The Peregrine Fund now runs raptor recovery and protection programs around the world. The canyon is not just for hardcore birders, though. It is spectacularly beautiful for one thing. And there are cultural and historic attractions as well.
There are two primary access points to the Snake River Canyon in the Birds Of Prey NCA – Swan Falls and Celebration Park. Our first stop was the Dedication Point Overlook on the rim of the canyon above the Swan Falls area. The canyon here is about 600 feet deep, with sheer vertical walls several hundred feet high below the rim. There was a group of photographers there attempting to get photos of raptors. We saw a few hawks soaring overhead, but too high to get decent photos. It’s a scenic spot, though, and we hung around for awhile, before heading down to Swan Falls.
The falls are long gone, flooded by construction of Swan Falls Dam in the early 1900s. Swan Falls was the first hydroelectric project on the Snake River. A fish ladder was constructed, but was largely ineffective, and the dam effectively blocked salmon and steelhead passage. That was a different era, and the fish ladder was never made functional. Newer dams were built both upstream and downstream with no fish ladders at all. Electricity was the point. The fish didn’t matter. But it’s a historically interesting and beautiful area, so it’s worth a visit even if, like me, you’d rather see the dam gone.
A new power generation facility was constructed at Swan Falls Dam in the 1990s. The dam’s original power plant is now open to the public, with some of the century-old generators and other equipment still in place. There are also displays depicting the history of the area, and the construction and operation of the dam. We walked across the dam after visiting the power house museum, then drove down the canyon a ways. The road was too rough for the car, though, and we turned around and drove back up to Dedication Point, and then on to Celebration Park.
Celebration Park is Idaho’s only archaeological park. Petroglyphs dating back as far as 10,000 years can be found there. Visitors can learn about the Native American “lifeways” at the visitor center, try their hand at throwing a spear with an atlatl, and explore the petroglyph area on a self-guided walk. There is a picnic ground, and a small tent campground. The visitor center is open from 10:00 to 2:00 daily, except holidays. Check the park website for more information and possible Covid-19 closures and restrictions.
A short ways downstream, the Guffey Railroad Bridge provides pedestrian and equestrian access to the south bank of the Snake River and the Guffey Butte area. The bridge was built in the late 19th century and carried rail traffic until the 1940s. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Guided tours of the area highlighting the area’s early mining and railroad history are conducted periodically.
Hikers will find trails on both sides of the river. On the north side a trail follows the river upstream for about five miles to the end of the road from Swan Falls Dam. A side trail leads to Halverson Lake, nestled against the cliffs of the canyon wall.
We didn’t have time to do any hiking at Celebration Park, but the trail to Swan Falls would be an interesting outing, and a good place to do some serious raptor watching, if you’re so inclined, away from most of the human influences in the Conservation Area.
Back in Boise, we toured the World Center For Birds of Prey the following morning. The staff there are friendly and knowledgeable, and dedicated to the mission of educating the public about birds of prey and protecting the vulnerable populations of raptors around the world. We sat in on a talk given by two of the staff that was fascinating, informative, and entertaining.
There are a number of raptors from around the world on display there, birds that for one reason or another could not be returned to the wild. Being able to see these magnificent birds up close was a highlight of our trip. The center is also home to a pair of California Condors, North America’s largest bird, that are part of the captive breeding program that has helped save the species from extinction.
For more on Boise, a lively, surprisingly cosmopolitan city that still has a small town vibe, look for my next post, coming soon.
Originally posted June 20, 2019. Updated and re-posted January xx, 2022
Southwest Idaho is full of interesting and unusual places, Balanced Rock and Bruneau Dunes prominent among them. They’re a couple of the most unique places you’ll find anywhere, and stunningly beautiful, as well.
Balanced Rock
After touring the Thousand Springs area (see my previous post ) at the beginning of an extended Memorial Day weekend trip to Southwest Idaho, my wife and I took a short side trip to Balanced Rock, a rock formation sculpted by wind and the freeze/thaw cycle of countless millennia.
Balanced Rock is located about twenty miles west of Twin Falls and ten miles from Buhl, the nearest town. The area around Buhl is flat, featureless farm land that looks more like Kansas than the pictures I had seen of Balanced Rock, which had more the look of the Arizona or Utah deserts. But after a few miles, the road began to drop into a canyon and the view and landscape changed radically.
Balanced Rock is nearly fifty feet tall, weighs forty tons, and is supported precariously by a stem of rock less than three feet in diameter. It is, to say the least, a striking sight. We climbed up to the rock and hiked along the hillside above the rock formations (there’s quite a lot more than just Balanced Rock). It’s not a large area, and the trail is short and not difficult. It’s easy to explore in an hour or so, and I found it definitely worth the time and effort. But you can still get a good view of Balanced Rock and the other rock formations from the parking area if you don’t want to, or are unable to, climb up to them.
Bruneau Dunes
The second day of our Idaho trip took us to Bruneau Dunes State Park, about fifteen miles south of Mountain Home, and about forty miles northwest of Balanced Rock. The 470 foot tall Big Dune at Bruneau Dunes is the tallest free standing dune in North America.
The dunes are impressive and certainly the main attraction here, but the park also has two small lakes, marshes and wetland areas, and open desert areas to explore. The marshes and lakes are full of waterfowl, and coyotes, jackrabbits, lizards, and gopher snakes can be found in the drier areas of the park. In the spring, desert wildflowers are abundant.
For hikers, there’s a six mile loop trail that takes you over the top of the dunes. There is also an equestrian camp and a ten mile long horse trail, two campgrounds, a picnic area, and a visitor center. We didn’t do the six mile hike, but did climb the Small Dune, hiked around the smaller lake, checked out the picnic area on the Big Lake, and, of course, spent a lot of time photographing the area.
Bruneau Dunes is also an outstanding “dark skies” area, and the Boise Astronomical Society has constructed an observatory at the park. On weekends, visitors can view the depths of space through the observatory’s 25 inch telescope.
The weather was better than it was for our Thousand Springs and Balanced Rock visits on the previous day, and the sunshine made for some good photo ops. But it got a little warm on the dunes after awhile, and there were swarms of mosquitoes by the water where it was cooler. Still, it was a nice morning’s outing. The dunes and the small lakes between them are incredibly beautiful, and climbing the dunes was a fun adventure.
Bruneau Dunes definitely exceeded my expectations. The dunes are huge, much bigger than I expected, and the area around them is interesting and very beautiful. The park is small enough that it can be explored in half a day, which is what we did, but there’s enough there to keep you occupied for a few days, at least. It’s also a place where you can slow down, relax, and spend some time just enjoying the views and the peace and quiet, which won’t be marred by the presence of dune buggies and trail bikes. They’re prohibited in the park to protect the dunes.
We returned to Boise that afternoon and spent some time exploring the downtown area and the parks and paths along the Boise River Greenway. The next day it was on to the Snake River Canyon, the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, and the World Center for Birds of Prey. I’ll cover those areas in the next couple of posts.
Originally posted June 20, 2019. Edited and re-posted January 2, 2022
In eastern Idaho, northwest of Idaho Falls, the Big Lost River, Little Lost River, and other smaller streams sink into the lava fields and disappear. That water re-emerges a hundred miles to the southwest, from springs on the north side of the Snake River west of Twin Falls – the Thousand Springs.
I can remember seeing part of the Thousand Springs somewhere along US Hwy 30 on a family vacation when I was a kid, back in the late 1950s. We didn’t stop back then, but seeing all that water gushing out of the canyon wall obviously made a big impression on me, as I have retained that memory for more than fifty years. And I had a chance to chase down that memory a couple of years ago when my wife and I spent five days exploring southwest Idaho. We spent the first day at Thousand Springs State Park, which consists of seven separate units spread out along the Snake River.
The Malad Gorge unit was our first stop. It’s the most accessible of the seven sections of the park, just off I-84. In what the signs still call Malad Gorge State Park, there is a short trail from a parking area near the park entrance to a viewpoint on the rim of the canyon overlooking the narrow gorge and the 60-foot waterfall and plunge pool known as the Devil’s Washbowl.
The trail continues across a foot bridge 250 feet above the river to another viewpoint a short ways downstream. The road through the park continues from the first parking area to other viewpoints, a large picnic area, and a campground.
Near the campground is another canyon called Woody’s Cove. Although not as impressive as Malad Gorge, the springs at the head of Woody’s Cove were the first of the Thousand Springs that we had a chance to see. (The source of the Malad River is in the Sawtooth Mountains to the north, near Sun Valley, not the Thousand Springs).
There are no trails to the bottom of either Malad Gorge or Woody’s Cove, but the views from the rims of both make the park well worth the five dollar entrance fee. On the other side of I-84 from Malad Gorge is the Kelton Trail section of the park. Here there is a section of the historic Oregon Trail where the wagon wheel ruts can still be seen.
Two of the park’s units are along Billingsley Creek. The lower unit, Billingsley Creek Wildlife Management Area, just north of the town of Hagerman, is an area of marsh and open water that is prime waterfowl and wildlife habitat. Upstream, a few miles east of Hagerman, the Vardis Fisher Day Use Area runs along Billingsley Creek in a narrow valley. The unit is named for the Idaho author of the novel Mountain Man, which was the basis for the 1972 movie Jeremiah Johnson. The ruins of the Fisher home are located in the park unit.
A few miles to the south is the Ritter Island unit of the park. The island was once home to the historic Thousand Springs Dairy Farm run by a locally famous woman named Minnie Miller in the first half of the 20th Century. Ritter Island was also the site of the Payne Lewis Ferry Crossing on the Kelton Road from Boise to Utah. This was an important transportation route in the 19th Century prior to the coming of the railroad.
Some of the structures from the farm and ferry crossing are still standing. There are several miles of hiking trails on the island and, according to the park literature, an abundance of wildlife and wonderful views of the Hagerman Valley. It’s also a good place to kayak, according to the reviews I read. Unfortunately, the island is only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and we were there a few days before the island’s opening. It was disappointing that we couldn’t get onto the island, but the springs here made the area worth visiting, regardless.
There are literally hundreds of springs midway up the canyon wall above Ritter Island, and Sand Spring Creek emerges full blown from the cliff face. Much of the water from the springs and the creek have been diverted to a hydroelectric generating plant, and some of the spring water is also diverted to the Ten Springs Fish Hatchery. But there is still lots of water pouring down the canyon walls to a side channel of the Snake River.
The outfall from the fish hatchery tumbles over the cliff face in an impressive waterfall. And below the hatchery there is a Nature Conservancy preserve that has a nice trail along the river below the canyon walls.
Our next stop was the Box Canyon unit of the park (officially the Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Preserve), a couple of miles south of Ritter Island. The springs at the head of the canyon flow at an impressive 180,000 gallons per minute.
Like at Malad Gorge, there is no trail to the bottom of the canyon here. There is a trail to a viewing platform that overlooks a small waterfall, but that trail was closed when we were there. But the views from the canyon rim, here too, were impressive enough.
The final stop on our tour of the Thousand Springs was Niagara Springs, eight miles southeast of Box Canyon. The springs are on the left side of the access road just beyond a fish hatchery. If you have your windows rolled down, you’ll probably hear them before you see them. The roar the springs make is no doubt the inspiration for their name.
There is a short trail to a viewing platform directly below the springs, which flow out of a 150 foot wide section of the canyon wall at a rate of almost 2,000 gallons per second. Just beyond the springs there’s a picnic area and a small tent campground on the right side of the road adjacent to the fish hatchery.
About a mile beyond Niagara Springs you’ll find Crystal Springs and Crystal Lake, which is a popular swimming and fishing spot. But we were there on a Thursday and it was quiet and peaceful, almost deserted. The only swimmers were a pair of white pelicans.
After leaving Niagara Springs and getting a bite to eat in Buhl, we took a short side trip to the rock formation known as Balanced Rock. After climbing up to the base of the rock, we resumed our journey back to Boise, where we were staying. The road from Balanced Rock took us back to Hwy 30 and the Snake River, not far from the Ritter Island area..
I was curious if I could find the spot along the highway that had made such an impression on me on that family vacation so long ago, and I think I did. I’m pretty sure what I saw back then was the springs above Ritter Island. The highway is on the opposite side of the river, but if the hydroelectric plant had not yet been built and none of the spring water was being diverted, there must have been an incredible amount of water pouring out of the canyon wall and tumbling down to the river. No wonder it made such an lasting impression on me. Even with the water diversions, the springs there are still quite a sight from the highway. That was the end off our first day’s outing. Not a bad start, to say the least.
Our trip continued in the following days with visits to Bruneau Dunes State Park, the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, and the World Center For Birds of Prey in Boise. We also spent time exploring downtown Boise and the parks and trails of the Boise River Greenbelt. Look for more on our trip in the coming weeks.
Originally posted June 16, 2019. Edited and re-posted December 26, 2021
Oxbow Park is a popular picnicking and camping area located on the Sandy River just east of Portland, Oregon at the base of the Cascade foothills. The photos here were taken a few years ago when my wife and I visited on a beautiful fall day.
Oxbow Regional Park is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Service District (Metro for short), the regional government agency covering Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas. The park covers 1000 acres on both sides of the river. There are twelve miles of hiking trails, five group picnic areas that can accommodate groups as large as 300 people, many smaller picnicking areas, a public campground with 74 tent sites, 12 RV sites, and four ADA accessible sites, and two group campgrounds available to non-profit youth organizations.
In past years, Metro has conducted a variety of nature education programs and activities at Oxbow, including school and group field trips, nature programs for families and individuals, and custom programs for groups. Most of those activities have been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the park still sees plenty of use.
The park can be very crowded on summer weekends, but gets much less use after Labor Day. Even on a sunny October day there were just a few people fishing from the river bank and some out for a hike or just enjoying the sunshine. This section of the river is popular with kayakers and rafters in the summer, but we didn’t see anyone on the river other than one family that floated by on stand up paddle boards.
The Sandy River flows from its headwaters on Mount Hood to the Columbia River at Troutdale. Two sections of the river totaling 25 miles are designated Wild and Scenic, including the section of the river that runs through Oxbow Park.
In 2007 the Marmot Dam on the Sandy River was demolished, making the river free flowing for its entire 57 mile course for the first time in nearly a century, and opening up miles of restored spawning grounds for salmon and steelhead. A smaller dam on the Little Sandy River was also demolished.
One of the more popular events at Oxbow is the annual Salmon Homecoming weekend held in mid-October when you can watch salmon spawning in the gravel beds of the river.
Most of the visitor activity at the park takes place along the banks of the river. The upland trails through the mixed conifer and hardwood forest get much less use. But the forest is beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. If you’re looking for tranquility, head away from the river. On our visit when these photos were taken, we hiked some of the forest trails and saw almost no one.
To get to the park, take I-84 east from Portland to Exit 17 at Troutdale. Turn right onto Graham Road, then left onto the Historic Columbia River Highway. In two blocks, turn right onto Buxton Road. Follow Buxton (which becomes South Troutdale Road) to Division Street. Turn left on Division and follow the signs to the park.
One of the great things about the Pacific Northwest is that there are so many beautiful places like this that are within a half hour drive of even the biggest cities. Just one of the reasons that I think this is one of the best places in the world to live.
Originally posted 10/31/18. Updated and re-posted 12/6/21.
Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington is a 760 acre urban oasis located on a peninsula jutting into Puget Sound. The park has something for almost everyone – a variety of botanical gardens, old growth temperate rain forest areas, a large salt water beach, an off-leash dog park, 15 miles of hiking and biking trails, an ADA accessible waterfront path, a recreation of Fort Nisqually, a marina, and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. All together, the park’s attractions draw more than three million visitors every year.
Near the main entrance to the park, there is a Visitor Center that would normally be a good place to begin your visit. But, unfortunately, it is currently closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Instead, our first stop on our most recent visit was the Rhododendron Garden. Resembling a natural old growth forest more than a formal garden, the trails through the garden are quiet and peaceful, and in the spring and early summer, when the rhodies are in full bloom, this is probably the most beautiful of the park’s gardens.
Owen Beach is currently closed for reconstruction, but it is normally a popular area of the park. And judging by the size of the parking lot, it’s likely to be a very popular spot on summer weekends. The beach is wide (at least at low tide) and extends for quite a ways along the shore, so it can probably absorb the crowds. On our visit in 2019 it was almost completely deserted, though.
There is a wide, paved, ADA accessible path (the Promenade) connecting the beach with the marina area of the park, and an on-going construction project will further connect the park’s trail system with the Point Ruston Waterwalk, giving unhindered pedestrian and bicycle access to the park from the Tacoma waterfront.
The outer loop of the Five Mile Drive provides numerous waterfront access points with views across Dalco Passage to Vashon Island and across The Narrows to the Gig Harbor area of the Kitsap Peninsula.
The outer loop is closed to vehicular traffic part of the day to give cyclists, runners, and pedestrians access to the northern half of the park free from conflicts with motor vehicles. On our most recent visit it was closed after 2:00 pm, but on our previous visit it was, I believe, closed in the morning. Check the Point Defiance Park website for the current schedule if you plan to visit the park.
Most of the outer loop section of the park is heavily forested. There are miles of trails winding through the forest. It’s beautiful, serene, and it’s not hard to forget that you’re only a few miles from the second largest city in Washington.
The Fort Nisqually reconstruction is a living history museum where volunteers and staff, dressed in period clothing, demonstrate the crafts of the 19th century. This Hudson’s Bay Company trading post was the first non-Native settlement on Puget Sound. The original fort was located in what is now DuPont, Washington. The recreation here was built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.
The Northwest Native Garden’s emphasis is, as the name suggests, on plants native to the Northwest’s temperate rain forest. There’s a small pond, small streams and waterfalls, a meadow, and rock formations. It’s a relatively small area, and the trails can be walked in fifteen minutes or so, but you’ll want to linger.
On both of our recent visits our final, and longest, stop was at the botanical gardens area near the entrance to the park. Here there is a large pond with a waterfall, an herb garden, a large rose garden, a dahlia garden, and a Japanese garden. We could easily have spent even more time here than we did on either visit. And if you visit the zoo and aquarium, you could spend most of the day just in this section of the park.
Point Defiance Park is one of the largest, and best, city parks in the Pacific Northwest. It is, without question, one of Tacoma’s top attractions.
Originally posted May 19, 2019. Updated and re-posted November 16, 2021
My wife and I recently had the pleasure of a week-long visit to Lake Chelan and the small community of Stehekin in central Washington.
Lake Chelan is a fjord-like body of water, fifty miles long and no more than two miles wide at any point. It is also one of the deepest lakes in the United States, with a maximum depth of 1486 feet. Only Crater Lake and Lake Tahoe in the U.S.are deeper. The upper end of the lake is part of Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, which borders North Cascades National Park.
The Lake Chelan Basin was formed by two glaciers during the last ice age, an alpine glacier that came down the valley from the North Cascades, and a lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet that later came up the valley from the east. The terminal morraine of the Cordilleran glacier, at what is known as The Narrows, forms the narrowest and shallowest part of the lake.
The town of Chelan, 170 miles east of Seattle and 160 miles west of Spokane, lies at the lower, eastern end of the lake, and is the jumping off spot for exploring the lake. While Chelan offers a lot for the visitor to enjoy, we spent only one night there before heading up the lake. We stayed at the Riverwalk Inn, a 13 room hotel across the street from Riverwalk Park that has been in operation since 1918. There is also a café on the property, but, unfortunately, it was closed when we were there.
While I can recommend the Riverwalk Inn, Chelan has a wide variety of other lodging options, from rustic cabins to full service hotels. Chelan also has a variety of places to eat and drink. If you’re a fan of craft beers, you’ll want to check out Stormy Mountain Brewery. While the service was somewhat lacking, the beer selection and quality were both good and the pulled pork nachos we had were superb.
The lower end of the Lake Chelan is easily accessible and can be explored by car. From Chelan, the South Lakeshore Road goes as far as Twenty-five Mile Creek State Park, twenty miles from Chelan. On the north shore, you can drive as far as Green Point, about ten miles from Chelan. Beyond those two points, though, there are no roads along either shore of the lake, and no access to the lake by road. The only way to explore the majority of the lake is by boat.
Between Twenty-five Mile Creek State Park and Stehekin the surrounding mountains drop steeply to the shore. The only structures you will see are a few isolated cabins along the shore and a small group of cabins at Lucerne.
Stehekin lies near the upper end of the lake, surrounded by the peaks of the North Cascades. It is a strikingly beautiful and totally unique place. What sets Stehekin apart from almost all other communities in the Pacific Northwest is that you cannot get there by car. The only road out of Stehekin dead ends in North Cascades National Park. You have to come by boat, float plane, or on foot. The Stehekin area has fewer than 100 year round residents, but, despite its isolation, bustles with tourists, summer residents, Pacific Crest Trail through-hikers, and seasonal workers from spring through fall.
Getting to Stehekin from Chelan requires some advance planning. If you don’t have a boat of your own, you can rent one in Chelan, but most visitors to Stehekin come by passenger ferry. Lake Chelan Boat Company (better known as Lady of the Lake) operates three ferries that run from Chelan to Stehekin. Another option is the Stehekin Ferry, which runs from Fields Point Landing (about 17 miles from Chelan on the south shore of the lake) to Stehekin. In the summer months, demand is high and tickets sell out well in advance. Reservations need to be several months before your planned visit.
You can do a day tour from Chelan to Stehekin and back via ferry, and many visitors to Stehekin are day trippers. But the length of the ferry ride (from an hour and a half to four hours each way, depending on which ferry) limits the amount of time you have to explore the area. Many people, my wife and I included, prefer to spend multiple days in Stehekin, but lodging options are limited and also require some advance planning.
North Cascades Lodge in Stehekin is located at the ferry landing. It’s the most convenient and has by far the most rooms available. The only other lodging options are private cabin rentals, the Stehekin Valley Ranch, ten miles up the valley from the ferry landing, and a few primitive campgrounds. Lodging reservations must also be made well in advance, and must be coordinated with your ferry reservations.
We have stayed at North Cascades Lodge several times. You can rent a room (some with fireplaces) with a private bath, a cabin with a small kitchen, or an entire lakefront house that sleeps as many as 12. Our room was fairly basic, but comfortable and large enough to serve our needs well. The lodge also has a store and a full service restaurant, one of the few dining options in Stehekin. Stehekin Valley Ranch also has a dining room (reservations required), and you can get breakfasts and lunches at Stehekin Valley Pastry Company (aka The Bakery), located a couple of miles from the ferry landing. The only other dining option is renting a cabin with a kitchen and cooking your own meals.
A few people arrive in Stehekin by float plane. A surprising number arrive on foot, many of them Pacific Crest Trail through-hikers. The PCT crosses the Stehekin River at High Bridge about ten miles up the valley from the head of the lake. The National Park Service operates a shuttle bus (called the Red Bus for obvious reasons) between Stehekin and High Bridge. There is also a post office in Stehekin where through-hikers can send supplies for the final leg of their hike to the Canadian border and the end of their journey. And a few backpackers make it to Stehekin via the 23 mile hike over Cascade Pass from the west side of the Cascades.
Stehekin is one of the most isolated communities in the country. Not only is there no road access, there’s no cell phone service and only very limited wi-fi. But that’s part of its appeal. Turn off your phone. Forget about TV. The sheer beauty of the place and its proximity to North Cascades National Park and Glacier Peak Wilderness, as well as the PCT, make it an ideal destination for the outdoor oriented traveler. And there are plenty of things to keep you entertained while there.
A National Park visitor center is located near the ferry terminal and would be a good starting point for your exploration of the area. However, when we were there in August it was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Just uphill from the North Cascades Lodge, adjacent to the visitor center, there is a craft shop, The House That Jack Built, that displays and sells souvenirs, hand crafted gifts, and artwork created by local artisans. It’s small, but worth checking out.
You can rent bikes (or bring your own) and ride the road up the valley to The Bakery (a must stop), 320 foot high Rainbow Falls, The Garden, an organic produce farm, the Old Stehekin School (now a free museum), or all the way to High Bridge. The Red Bus also makes daily runs to the bakery, Rainbow Falls, and High Bridge. You can even rent ATVs and explore the valley that way (no off-roading, though).
You can rent kayaks or an electric boat at Stehekin to explore the lake, and there are a number of hiking options, from short loop trails in the Stehekin area to longer outings along the shore of the lake or from the Rainbow Falls and High Bridge areas. Or you can just relax in Stehekin and enjoy the view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
On our recent outing we rented bikes and rode to the Bakery and Rainbow Falls one morning. That is a very easy ride on a paved road. We also stopped at The Garden and the Old Stehekin School. Above Harlequin Bridge the road is gravel and a little more challenging, although on a previous visit we rode all the way to High Bridge and back.
The next day we rode the Red Bus to High Bridge in the morning to hike and photograph the upper end of the valley, and returned on the Red Bus that afternoon. There are several worthwhile hikes starting at High Bridge. The 5.5 mile out and back Agnes Gorge Trail leads to a 200 foot deep canyon and a very scenic section of Agnes Creek in Glacier Peak Wilderness. You can also do the 3.3 mile out and back hike from High Bridge to Howard Lake on the PCT. It’s also possible to do a longer loop that takes you past Howard Lake and returns to High Bridge along the Stehekin River. Or you can hike a portion of the PCT that follows Agnes Creek. High Bridge is also the starting point for the 16 mile roundtrip to the summit of McGregor Mountain, more than 6500 vertical feet above High Bridge – more than a bit beyond my capabilities at this point, I’m afraid.
We had planned to get out on the lake on our final day in Stehekin, but it was very windy that day, so we spent the day reading and relaxing at the lodge instead. No problem, though. The beauty and uniqueness of the Stehekin area make it a wonderful place even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. It’s one of my favorite places in the Northwest to visit despite (or maybe because of) the isolation and the difficulty in getting there. The only reason that we haven’t visited more often is that there are so many other wonderful places in the Pacific Northwest (and beyond) to explore.
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 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.
My wife and I have been to Hawai’i many times, but only once to Kaua’i. But that was a memorable trip, and I’ve been contemplating a return to Kaua’i lately.
Kaua’i is called the Garden Isle, and for good reason. Abundant rainfall and the tropical climate make the island a botanical paradise. Think of the jungle depicted in the movie Jurassic Park. Much of the original movie and sequels were filmed on Kaua’i.
No trip to Kaua’i is complete without visiting at least one of the island’s famed botanical gardens. Three of the five National Tropical Botanical Gardens are located on Kaua’i. Other notable botanical gardens on Kaua’i include Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Garden and Princeville Botanical Garden on the north shore, and Smith’s Tropical Paradise on the east shore in Wailua River State Park. Check the park websites for ticket prices, open dates, and details. Na ‘Aina Kai and Princeville require advanced purchase of tickets. Tickets to Smith’s are available only at the park entrance.
National Tropical Botanical Garden is a non-profit corporation chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964, dedicated to “discovering, saving, and studying the world’s tropical plants and sharing what is learned.” The three NTBG gardens on Kaua’i are Limahuli Garden and Preserve on the north shore, and Allerton Garden and McBryde Garden on the south shore in the Lawa’i Valley.
We toured McBryde Garden on our visit and it was one of the highlights of our trip. Advanced purchase of tickets is not required, but is strongly advised. Tickets are limited and are likely to be sold out. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children, and stays are limited to 2.75 hours. Open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in 2025. The adjacent Allerton Garden also requires you to buy timed entry tickets ($65 for adults, $32.50 for children under 13). All Allerton Garden tours are 2.5 hour guided tours. McBryde Garden tours are self-guided. Combined McBryde and Allerton guided tours are available for the same price as Allerton Garden guided tours and are available for Tuesday and Saturday tours.
Limahuli Garden self-guided tours are $30 for adults and free for children under 13. Timed entry tickets are required if arriving by car and parking must be reserved at the time of purchase. Timed entry tickets are not required if arriving by North Shore Shuttle and there is a $5 discount off ticket prices. Limahuli guided tours are available for $60 (adults only, no children allowed) and parking is included. Tours are 2.5 hours long and are available at 9 a.m. only on Tuesday and Thursday. Advance reservations are required.
If you tour McBryde or Allerton Garden, also stop at the nearby Spouting Horn Park, especially if the surf is up. Spouting Horn is a blowhole that shoots water fifty to a hundred feet into the air every ten seconds or so when it is most active, an impressive sight to say the least.
There’s more to do on Kaua’i than touring botanical gardens, of course. Relaxing on a tropical beach has to be high on every visitor’s priority list, and Kaua’i has many, many fine beaches. One of the best beaches on the island, and listed in one article I’ve read as one of the best beaches in the world, is Polihale Beach on the west end of the island.
The last few miles of the road to Polihale is a rough, pothole filled sand, gravel and dirt track that is best tackled with an SUV or pickup. We managed it in a compact rental car, though, so it can be done if you take your time. But the road was clearly not being maintained, and it may have gotten worse in the decade since we were there. But if you can manage to get there, you’ll be rewarded with three miles of uninterrupted and uncrowded beach ending at the spectacular cliffs of the NaPali Coast.
Polihale State Park has no lifeguards and there are strong currents, so it’s not a good swimming beach. Best to stay out of the water. And there is no drinking water available (or any services), so if you go, plan on bringing everything you’ll need. But despite all that, the scenery and the solitude that you can find there make it well worth it.
A more accessible beach on the west end of the island is Kekaha Beach Park. Located at the southern end of a nearly five mile long stretch of sand, Kekaha Beach is one of the best places on the island to view the sunset, but lacks Polihale’s scenery and seclusion. Glass Beach is also a worthwhile stop.
Poipu Beach on the south shore is all things Polihale is not. It’s a very popular and always crowded tourist destination. You won’t find anything resembling solitude there and the scenery doesn’t compare to Polihale. But it’s easy to get to, a good swimming beach, and one of the best places on the island to snorkel. And all of the amenities you could ask for are close at hand.
Many of the best beaches on Kaua’i are on the north shore. Moloa’a is a nice uncrowded beach on the north shore where you’re likely to find more locals than tourists. Kauapea Beach (aka Secret Beach) is a not so secret beach just west of the town of Kilauea. The trailhead is at the end of Secret Beach Road. Anini Beach is another place where you might find more locals than tourists. Kalihikai Park at Anini Beach has picnic tables, restrooms, and outdoor showers. Hanalei, farther east, also has a nice beach and the town is an interesting place that would be worth a visit on its own, even without the beach.
Tunnels Beach is another popular north shore beach. It’s best to park at Ha’ena Beach Park, although there are now entrance and parking fees for non-residents ($5 per person and $10 per vehicle) which must be purchased in advance. Tunnels is about a third of a mile east of Ha’ena Beach. There is a shorter trail to the beach from the highway, but parking is very limited and I don’t believe it is signed, so it may be easy to miss. There are restrooms, showers and lifeguards at Ha’ena Beach, but not at Tunnels.
Ke’e Beach, at the end of the road, is protected by a reef, making it good for swimming and snorkeling, except in the winter months when all of the north shore beaches can be subject to high surf and strong currents. Even when we were there around the first of April there were warnings of dangerous conditions. Ke’e is part of Ha’ena Beach Park and the same entry and parking fees apply. The parking lot at the end of the road fills up early, partly because it is also the trailhead for the famed Kalalau Trail. There is an overflow parking area about a quarter mile from the end of the road that might be a better option. There are restrooms and showers at Ke’e, and lifeguards on duty.
These are only a few of the dozens of beaches on Kaua’i. For a more comprehensive list, check out the beaches page of the Kauai.com website.
A good way to see the whole island is by helicopter. Most one hour helicopter tours run from $220 to $320 per adult. We opted for a “doors off” tour because we wanted to get better photos than you can get by shooting through a helicopter window. I had never flown in a helicopter before and I have to admit to being a bit nervous before the flight, and not just because we were going doorless. But the whole thing was a blast and I never felt in any danger. And we both got some great photos.
The only disappointment was that the NaPali Coast had some low clouds obscuring the tops of the cliffs. But I highly recommend the experience. There is no other way to see the whole island the way you can by helicopter. And the only way to view the 400 foot high Manawaiopuna Falls (aka Jurassic Park Falls) is from the air.
Kaua’i’s abundant rain and mountainous terrain result in many spectacular waterfalls. One of the prettiest is the twin cascades of Wailua Falls, about five miles west of Lihue. The falls are at the end of Maalo Road (Hwy 583). You can get a decent view of the falls from the observation area adjacent to the road. There is a very steep unmaintained trail down to the base of the falls where you probably can get better photos, but there are prominent danger signs that are probably there for a reason, so I wouldn’t risk the trail, especially if it is wet. (If you opt for a helicopter tour you will get a very good view of the falls from the air.)
Another beautiful waterfall in the same area is Opaeka’a Falls. Again, no trail to the falls, but a good view from the highway. Opaeka’a Falls is two miles west of Wailua on Kuamo’o Road (Hwy 580).
An interesting waterfall, this one at the end of a hike through a Jurassic Park-like tropical rain forest, is Ho’opi’i Falls (actually two separate falls). These are a little harder to find, and they’re not big falls, but the trail to them is absolutely awesome. If its raining or has rained recently, the trail will likely be muddy and slippery, but I think it would still be worth the effort. We were lucky enough to do this hike when it was dry, so it was an easy and thoroughly enjoyable outing for us.
The trailhead is on Kapahi Road west of Kapa’a. Please note that Kapahi Road is a residential area and not all of the residents welcome tourists, so be respectful of the locals. Park in the gravel area provided, not in front of any of their homes, please be quiet (especially early in the day), and don’t leave any trash behind when you depart.
One more interesting falls is Red Dirt Falls on Waimea Canyon Drive, north of the town of Waimea. This is a seasonal falls, so it may not be flowing when you’re there, and it’s a very small waterfall that would be totally unremarkable if it weren’t carved out of the striking red dirt that gives it its name. It’s located at about the 23 mile marker on Hwy 550.
There are more waterfalls to be seen farther up Waimea Canyon, which is one of the must see destination on Kaua’i. It’s often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The red dirt that makes Red Dirt Falls so compelling also gives the canyon a much different look than most of the other scenic attractions on the island. The canyon is 14 miles long, a mile wide, and as much as 3500 feet deep – not as big or as deep as the real Grand Canyon, but still pretty impressive.
There are two state parks, Waimea Canyon and Koke’e in the canyon. For non-residents there is the same $5 per person entrance fee and $10 per vehicle parking fee as at Haena Beach State Park. The fees get you into both parks. You don’t have to pay twice.
There are numerous viewpoints along the highway in the two parks that give you expansive views of the canyon and its waterfalls. And the highway takes you to the top of the NaPali Coast cliffs. Two truly spectacular viewpoints in Koke’e Park give you views down to the NaPali Coast and the ocean more than 4000 feet below you.
For hikers, there are more than 45 miles of trails in the canyon. You could easily spend days in the canyon and not hike all of the trails. For those that do want to spend multiple days hiking or sightseeing, Koke’e Lodge offers rustic cabins with kitchens. There is also a campground in Koke’e State Park and there are other cabins available nearby. And Waimea town at the base of the canyon has many lodging options.
Updating this post brought back a lot of memories and stoked my desire to go back to Kaua’i and revisit some of the places we explored in 2012.