We didn’t want to miss a bit of the Oregon coast, so we dipped down into California on our way here from southern Oregon to begin at the beginning of Oregon’s Pacific Coast Highway. Every visitor to Oregon should catch this pristine, quiet corner of the state.
Four words: Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor – 12 miles of beautatiousness
I had to visit Ashland, not only because it is an adorable little town smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, but also because my sister went to college here 50 years ago. I remember going to Ashland with my parents to drop her off. We were about to move to Bangkok, and it was sad to leave her behind. How hard that must have been for her to leave home for the first time with her family so far away. At least she had friends from high school with her in this beautiful town.
Here we are in cute little J’ville. The town is so perfect we felt like we were on a movie set. Lots of cute shops, restaurants, galleries, wine-tasting venues, and even an impressive Halloween-themed show by the local art league. It was fun wandering around pretending like we lived here.
We hiked Lower Table Rock today. Lower Table Rock and Upper Table Rock, across the valley, used to be one mesa, but over the millennia, wind and water have eroded the softer basalt between what is now the two mesas. They appear to be the same elevation to me, so I’m not really sure why one is Lower and the other Upper. Could be because of their orientation on the map. All I know is Lower Table Rock is VERY high, by my hiking standards, and considered a more challenging hike than Upper Table Rock. I was beginning to think we’d never reach the top, especially after the steep switchbacks toward the end of the climb. And then, once we reached the mesa top, we had another mile to go to the far side to get views of the Rogue River and Medford down below. Good hike!
The challenge–Lower Table Rock
into the brush
Yikes!
curly-boughed oaks
peeling madrona trees
What kind of tree is this? Love the red bark, but it doesn’t seem to be peeling like the madronas.
We made it to the top! Now just another mile to go….
The reward–views of the Rogue River.
We had a stunningly gorgeous day to explore Crater Lake National Park. Crater Lake is in the caldera of a volcano, Mount Mazama, that erupted 7700 years ago. Once the magma chamber inside the volcano was empty, the mountain top collapsed into the chamber creating the caldera. Rain and snow filled the caldera over the centuries to form the lake; there are no rivers, streams, or springs that flow into it. At 1943 feet deep, it is the deepest lake in the United States and the ninth deepest in the world. The extreme depth accounts for the sapphire-blue water.
Here’s a tip: When you enter the park, whether it’s from the north or southwest entrance, drive along the East Rim Drive first. For some reason, everyone wants to see West Rim Drive first, despite heavy traffic backups. We had the East Rim almost to ourselves.
Here’s a sampling of what we saw.
We hesitated to spend the $15 per person admission price for this museum just south of Bend. $15 is not much for a quality museum, but you never know how good a local museum is going in. (I’ve long ago given up trusting online ratings.) But there was this ominous note on my typed travel itinerary: “Do it!” In red font. With the exclamation point. Can’t remember what motivated me to add that, but you can’t argue with that kind of message, so we went. And it was worth every penny.
Here’s what we liked.
Outstanding exhibit on the history of Oregon’s High Desert, including the portion of the Oregon Trail that ran through it. This is where the oxen and mules started to die from exhaustion and lack of food and water. Families who brought more than one wagon had to consolidate their belongings into one. Out went the cast iron stoves, furniture that had been in the family for generations, and other large items they had hauled for thousands of miles. Some families had to dispense with even functional, daily items like pots and pans and clothing. The High Desert was where the Oregon Dream began to fall apart for many.
abandoned dreams
Rescued animal presentations. Tumbleweed, the porcupine, was happy to share his lunch hour with us, eschewing the non-seasonal apple to chew on the more autumnal choices of pumpkin and parsnip. Does he know something we don’t know?
Tumbleweed
The river otters were absolutely delightful! They began a dizzying game of Follow-the-Leader throughout their newly constructed habitat—under the water, into their den, out the back exit to their island, back into the water, rolling onto their backs, diving underwater, then heads back up to see if the wildlife presenter was ready to dispense with some of the smelt treats she had for them.
Is it time for lunch?
Roaming through the 135-acre property, we came across several High Desert habitats: desert (of course), cultivated farm, stream, pond, forest—each habitat diverse and beautiful in its own way.
pond habitat
Also loved the exhibit on prehistoric buzzsaw sharks (What???) Never heard of these guys before. Artistic renderings of these ancient fish, based on fossils of their buzzsaw-shaped jaws found in Idaho, Australia, and China, are incredible. The exhibit on the WPA art projects—architecture, paintings, sculpture, literature, and theater—was fascinating as well, especially to consider how deeply the people of Oregon were affected not only by the training and employment of artisans during the Depression, but also by the enjoyment derived from their works.
Dual sculptures, Blanket Stories, by artist Marie Watt emphasizes the importance of storytelling in past and current American cultures. First she stacked blankets donated by Oregon residents in a column almost reaching the ceiling, each with its own story written on a tag attached to the blanket. Fascinating to read about the people who created them or the mysterious circumstances by which they came to be in the possession of the donors. Then she carved a rendering of her blanket column in pine, reminiscent of a Native American talking stick used in council meetings.
Overall, a very rewarding experience. Do it!
Blanket Stories
a blanket story
My son and daughter-in-law told us about this beautiful river fifteen miles northwest of Sisters, Oregon, which is 22 miles northwest of Bend. It was fun driving out into the middle of nowhere—not your typical tourist destination, for sure, which is what we like.
First we hiked to Sugar Springs, water bubbling out of a basalt bank into the river about five miles downstream of the headwaters. The water in that area is swift, deep, and an incredible shade of teal blue. Rainbow trout are large and plentiful, grown fat and confident in the comfort of their catch-and-release world.
Then we went in search of the headwaters. The headwaters, also known as Metolius Springs, is actually two sets of springs that surface at the base of Black Butte. They erupt with such force that they quickly broaden to form a wide, swiftly flowing river—one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the United States—that eventually flows into the mighty Deschutes River. Beautiful country, this.
Sugar Springs on the Metolius River
the headwaters of the Metolius
a rock stuck in tree roots
on the banks of the river
Camp Sherman store near the headwaters
cool metal sculpture just east of Sisters
You can’t visit the Cascade Mountains without paying homage to the volcanoes, active and inactive, that make up the mountain chain from British Columbia south to northern California. Newberry Volcano is only one of many, but the national park is so well done that it’s worth your while to stop in here to learn a bit about the entire mountain range. Not only does the Lava Lands Visitor Center have an incredible display describing the Cascadia Subduction Zone that causes all this volcanic activity, but the grounds, which cover 50,000 acres, encompass the volcano, two volcanic alpine lakes, cinder cones, both obsidian and basaltic lava flows, and the longest lava tube (one mile) in Oregon, and miles of hiking trails to explore. Love this park! Just wish we hadn’t arrived so late in the day. It’s worth a full day of hiking and exploration.
Lava Butte cinder cone in the distance
basaltic lava flow with the Three Sisters mountains on the horizon
Love the sagebrush mixed in with the lava!
lava cairns
ground squirrels have a field day in the lava flows – lots of nooks and crannies to hide in
You’ve got to love a town named Bend. There’s just something about the name that sounds so, well, flexible. Everyone we’ve talked to who has been here says they love it. We had high expectations, and were not disappointed. Here’s a slideshow that attempts to show why.
Just before we arrived in Bend, we stopped at Peter Skene Ogden State Park to take in the views of the Crooked River gorge. I suppose anywhere you have a scenic canyon with a bridge over it in Oregon, you’re going to find bungee jumpers. I had never witnessed bungee jumping before. It made my knees weak just watching.
The railroad bridge over the Crooked River
Check out the bungee jumping platform on the old bridge (green bridge in foreground).
Watch the jumper, if you dare!
