Crater Lake

The Summer I moved to California my girlfriend and I made a trip to Seattle. Her cousin got married and she was part of the wedding party.

I had spent the earlier part of the summer diving with a couple of guys that ran a dive shop in Santa Maria. The group of us decided to meet up at Crater Lake on our drive up and go diving there.

We arrived and checked in with the Park Ranger. He told us that only a handful of people had dived there that he knew about. It was a hot, sunny day and we lugged our tanks, full wetsuits, and 40 pounds of weights a mile or so down a trail to the water. The trip back up was worse 🤣.

The water was a brisk 36F and you could see forever! There were large, volcanic boulders strewed around that you could move relatively easily. The only living things I saw were freshwater snails and sparse plant life.

It was an interesting dive to be sure. I am glad we did it because it is prohibited now! They are concerned, probably rightly, that invasive species could be introduced. Being from Florida I know how that can damage an established ecosystem.

Some 48 years later, Jake and I headed out from Crescent City for a relatively short drive to Crater Lake. We mostly backtracked our route, taking time to see the sights on our way.

⁨Six Rivers National Forest⁩ on the Redwood Highway

I stopped for gas along the way and was surprised to see a guy with a gas station attendant’s uniform standing by my window. I figured I got caught in a time warp back to the 60s before he reminded me that in Oregon you can’t pump your own gas! He even cleaned my windshield! I was flummoxed!

We made it to the RV park early. We got some great tips from the staff there for things to see nearby. After lunch and a nap, we headed back out again.

Natural Bridge

I would have named this site Underground River instead. It features a very cool section of the Rogue River that flows underground in an old lava tube.

It was an easy walk down to see the river. You could see where the water comes out and has carved out a cave downstream. It was an interesting, and different, sight.

Mill Creek Falls

The RV park sits across the highway from the small town of Prospect. One of the hikes at the south end of the town took us to Mill Creek Falls. Here, Mill Creek hooks up with the Rogue.

I wondered about the name of the town. I didn’t think there was any precious metal mining in this area. Turns out the residents changed the name in the late 1800s when a railroad was planned to run up the Rogue River. The residents thought it would improve the town’s prospects! Go figure 🤩.

We left at a more reasonable hour to get to the park at 8 AM. We kept waiting to turn the corner (after corner) for the money shot. You pretty much had to park and find a place where the trees didn’t obscure the view – but the combination of blue sky & stunning clouds, really blue water, and the mountain & forest scenery were breathtaking.

Crater Lake & Wizard Island. We took a boat out to Wizard Island when we dove here 48 years ago. There were boulders in the water you could easily move they were so light due to the volcanic nature. And you could see forever…

We arrived early in the season so the drive around the crater rim was not open due to all the snow. There were two spots open at this point, the main area with the Lodge and Discovery Point about a mile counterclockwise.

We spent about two hours taking in the view and shopping for some tasty merch at the Visitor Center. On the way out around 10:30 AM a line was forming to get in. It would be pretty crowded with so little open at this point. I wish we could have seen more, but the memory of my previous encounter was intact! Simply stunning – nothing like it I have ever seen 🤩.

PS – Jake got his first taste of snow. He looked at it funny for a few seconds then it was pretty much like what he was already used to – the beach – just colder!

Rogue River Gorge

On the way back we stopped at the final spot suggested by the camp hosts. Right outside the entrance to Crater Lake is an excellent view of a deep gorge the Rogue River goes through.

The access that was given to see the gorge was about the best I have ever experienced.

That plus the strong flow of the river made for both beautiful sights as well as sounds. An amazing place and I would highly recommend it.

Crater Lake RV Park

We really enjoyed this campground – It was a mix of seasonal residents and folks like Jake and me. They have a beautiful setting with some nearby walks to the Rogue River. One leads you to a large reservoir with warning signs about water being released at any time. That would have been a sight to see!