Travelogue

Lolo Hiking the Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaWe had two days and 440 miles to cover to get to Seattle to scoop up Tommy from work on Friday to begin our Washington State adventure. That didn’t exactly give us time to do justice to the Oregon Coast Highway, so we would have to be quite selective in our stops.

I had picked up a copy of the Oregon Coast Mile-by-Mile Guide at a visitor center and was finding it very useful in efficiently plotting our day. It gave an excessively detailed milepost by milepost breakdown of sights along the Highway. After quickly flipping through its pages, I selected two must sees: the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Heceta Head Lighthouse.

Figuring out how to visit Oregon Dunes NRA was not as easy as it seemed, as there were only a few places where the dunes were accessible. These were serious dunes. In fact, they are the largest expanse of coastal dunes in all of North America, extending for more than 40 miles along the coast. However, the Milepost guide helped me find the Oregon Dunes Overlook at Milepost 200.8 – this guide was great! Its mileposts even went down to the decimal point.

A short walk from the parking lot brought us to a platform that looked out over the dunes and to the Pacific. Usually we are not easily satisfied with just looking, so Herb and I decided to hike the down through the dunes and out to the ocean and back – 2.3 miles in total. It was very definitely worth the time and effort invested.

Description

Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaThe Oregon Dunes Overlook is located at milepost 200.8, about 40 miles north of Coos Bay and 10 miles south of Florence. A short walk from the parking lot are viewing platforms high atop a forested sand dune that overlook a portion of the vast expanse of dunes that comprises the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

A 3 ½ mile loop trail leads from the Overlook through the dunes and out to the ocean.

These dunes, which were formed by millions of years of wind and rain erosion, are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America.

Travelogue

Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor Ocean ViewOregon is a state that we have neglected in our past travels – it was just too far to include in a 3 ½-week out and back trip from New Jersey. However, now that Tommy is living in Seattle, we will have many more opportunities to explore this beautiful state. On our last trip 2 months back, we visited Bend and Crater Lake, but this time we were going to drive the coastal route – all 363 breathtaking miles of it.

One great thing we have discovered about the Northern California and Oregon coast is that so much of it is publicly accessible through the state park systems. Along the Oregon Coast alone there are about 90 state parks, recreational areas, scenic viewpoints, etc., 18 of which have campgrounds. That is one for every four miles of road – not something you would find on the East Coast.

Arch RockKnowing the multitude of camping choices beforehand, I did my research and reserved Sunset Bay State Park, in Coos Bay (about 120 miles north of the California border) for two nights. We find that two nights is the minimum to really get to experience a place. There were so many good parks to choose from, but this one kept coming up in the guidebooks as pretty spectacular.

One of the most beautiful stretches of the coastline is the 12-mile Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a forested linear park with tremendous views of rugged cliffs, secluded cove beaches, and forested sea stacks. The park was named for the first Oregon Parks superintendent, and a monument in his honor told how it was mostly due to his foresight and efforts that so much of the Oregon coastline has been set aside for current and future generations to enjoy.

We stopped at the viewpoint for one more of the Corridor’s gems, Arch Rock, an offshore monolith carved into an arch by the relentless waves of the sea.

Shore Acres State Park Ocean ViewThere were so many beautiful viewpoints and parks along the Oregon Coast Highway, but we would never get to our campground if we stopped at all of them. You could literally spend days exploring this route. We would have to be discriminating in our choices.

Sunset Bay State Park certainly did not disappoint. The campground was located just across the road from a beautiful cove, surrounded by sandstone cliffs. I could already picture that evening's cocktail hour watching the sun dip below the horizon in this dramatic setting.

Lolo Running Through JungleBeing a bit too early for cocktailing, we decided to go for a run on the hiking trails that connect Sunset Bay with its sister parks, Shore Acres and Cape Arago. We figured we would take a nice 5-mile run first, and then get back to the campground to shower and prepare for sunset on the beach. We took a camera along on our run in anticipation of some pretty awesome views.

According to the trail map, the trail ran along the top of the bluffs through Shore Acres State Park (in 2 miles) and onto Cape Arago State Park (in 4 miles). Unfortunately, we probably didn’t have time to do the entire 8-mile run and still get back in time for sunset. We decided to just head out and play it by ear.

Cape Arago ViewpointThe trail left Sunset Beach and immediately climbed to the top of the bluffs, where the views were so good that we kept stopping to take pictures. At this rate, I figured we weren’t going to get in too much of a run. At about ¼ mile in, we must have made a wrong turn, because we wound up on a rocky cove beach that dead ended. A bit confused as to how we had missed the trail, we retraced our steps back up from the cove and continued on what we now thought to be the correct trail.

When we reached Shore Acres State Park, we began the negotiating phase of the run. I wanted to continue on and see Cape Arago, but Herb, seeing his sunset cocktail hour slipping away, wanted to turn back. I assured him that we could have it all, both the full run and making it back in time for sunset.

1st Night at Sunset Bay BeachA bit further on, we came to a trail junction and decided to follow the white chalked arrows pointing towards the left. These arrows must obviously be pointing us in the correct way, we thought. As we began an extremely steep descent through a jungle, followed by an equally steep ascent, we began questioning whether we were actually on the right trail. This was supposed to be a pleasant family stroll, not an eco-challenge. This ridiculous up and down went on for 2 ¼ miles. I admit I was getting very concerned that we might be lost, and it didn’t help that the thick jungle-like flora was making it very dark in here.

Finally, we came out on the road near South Cove in Cape Arago. We were both a bit cranky at this point, totally focused on figuring out who was to blame for this very dysfunctional trail run. We had already run 6 miles, so rather than attempt to find the trail that we should have taken to get here, we decided to take the most direct route back, which meant running on the road back to Sunset Bay State Park. We barely stopped to see the sea lions barking on Shell Island just offshore and continued on with the thought of returning here another day—by car.

Lolo in her Kayak at the South Slough National EstuaryI couldn’t believe how quickly we got from Cape Arago to Sunset Bay by road compared to what we had gone through in the other direction. Still, I didn’t regret it. It was an adventure, and we did get a much better workout in than originally planned.

Plus, we didn’t totally miss the sunset. With no time to shower, we hurried down to the beach just in time to chug down a glass of wine and take some photos. We would have to plan better for the next night.

The next day was our kayaking day, our first on the West Coast. When we moved the motorhome out west in June, we brought our kayaks, but had not as yet had the opportunity to use them. Now it was time for their maiden voyage into the Pacific—well not exactly the Pacific, but an estuary that connected to it.

South Cove Beach at Cape AragoWhen researching kayaking in the Coos Bay area, everything seemed to point to the South Slough National Estuary as a premier kayaking destination. We had also read that it was important to time our trip with the tides, in order to paddle the incoming tide south from the ocean and the outgoing tide back north, as the water receded back to the ocean. Also, if you stayed south too long, you could run out of water and get caught up in the mudflats. Fortunately for us, the tides allowed for a late morning launch and a mid-afternoon return.

We launched the kayaks at the Port of Coos Bay Industrial Annex Landing just south of the bridge and the fishing boat traffic. The water was extremely calm and we were able to leisurely paddle along with the current enjoying the wildlife, especially the herons and egrets.

Cape Arago LighthouseSince time and the tide were on our side, we decided to paddle into freshwater Elliot Creek where we ate out lunch. About this time, as always happens to us when kayaking, the wind began to pickup from the north, meaning that we would have to battle against it the whole way back, once again turning a leisurely event into a strenuous workout—just like yesterday’s run. The wind also made the water much rougher, very different from the glassy surface we cruised down in the morning.

After a total of 9 miles of paddling, we made it back to the boat launch, which I was very happy to see.

Back at the campground, we decided to drive the car to Shore Acre and Cape Arago State Parks to visit the places we didn’t have time to enjoy yesterday.

Boaters at Sunset BayOur first stop was the Botanical Gardens in Shore Acre State Park. This park was once the estate of a timber baron. Although the manor house is long gone, the gardener’s cottage and 5 acres of formal gardens remain for visitors to enjoy. We arrived too late for the visitor center, but we were able to enjoy a stroll through both an English garden and a Japanese garden with a lily pond.

Our next stop was the Simpson Reef Wildlife Viewpoint to watch and listen to the seals and sea lions that live on Shell Island, a short distance offshore. The day before on our run, I would occasionally hear the barking of seals and had no idea where the sound was coming from. Now we had discovered its source, and there was a whole colony of them.

Sunset Bay Beach AfterglowWhen we got to the end of the road in Cape Arago, we hiked down the South Cove Trail to the tide pools. Once again, the tides were in our favor, and we were able to see many starfish and anemones.

Satisfied with having seen what Shore Acre and Cape Arago State Parks had to offer, we headed back to Sunset Bay to enjoy a more leisurely sunset cocktail hour. It reminded me a bit of our sunset viewing on Caspar Beach in Mendocino, California on our earlier trip.

One thing the West Coast definitely has over the East is dramatic sunsets over the water. The East Coast does have its sunrises, but I sleep rather than cocktail through those—probably a good thing.

If this was just a taste of what the Oregon Coast has to offer, we would definitely be back to enjoy some of those 17 other state park campgrounds.

Description

Starfish at South Cove Beach, Cape AragoSunset Bay State Park, in Coos Bay, Oregon, is located in one of the most scenic areas on the Oregon Coast. Its campground is located just across the road from a beautiful cove surrounded by sandstone cliffs, an excellent place to watch a dramatic sunset. A network of hiking trails connects Sunset Bay with nearby Shore Acres and Cape Arago State Parks, which sit atop rugged sandstone cliffs and headlands.

Shore Acres State Park, once the estate of a timber baron, has a beautiful formal English garden and a Japanese garden with a lily pond.

Cape Arago State Park is located at the end of the Cape Arago Highway, just 2.5 miles south of Sunset Bay, is a scenic headland that juts out into the ocean. There are two main trails here. The North CoveTrail leads to a view of an off-shore colony of seals and sea lions on Shell Island. The South Cove Trail leads down to a sandy beach and tide pools.

Travelogue

Lolo on Klamath RiverOur next campground reservation was for a two night stay in Sunset Bay State Park along the Oregon Coast, about 10 hours from Petaluma. I had planned it so that we had an extra night in between, so we wouldn’t have to drive the whole way in one day. We toyed with driving the coastal route along Route 1 from Petaluma, but decided instead to make some time on US 101 to Eureka. I felt a little guilty just driving through Redwood National and State Parks without stopping, but we had just been there two months ago on our previous trip out West, so I didn’t feel too bad. Besides, we had a lot of driving to do.

At first I thought Crescent City might be a good stopping point, but then Herb reminded me that the town and the campground we stayed in last year were a bit sketchy, so perhaps it would be a better idea to find someplace new.

Klamath Riverside RV Park SunsetAs we drove along US 101 into the town of Klamath, about 20 miles south of Crescent City, we noticed several campgrounds right along the Klamath River that looked pretty nice. In fact, there were three right next to each other. We somewhat randomly chose Riverside RV Park, and selected a nice site along the river.

The owners of the campground told us that although the campground was quiet now, it had been hopping the week before during the steelhead salmon run up the river. That would have been exciting to see, but a bit of a Catch 22, because if they were running, we never would have been able to get a campsite . Now that we have a son living in the Pacific Northwest, we really have to learn more about where and when the salmon are running, because it really is a big deal out here.

We spent the remaining daylight enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sunset over the river.

Description

Lovely RV Park located near the mouth of the Klamath River on Highway 101 in Klamath, California.

Travelogue

Herb at Baker BeachThis flying stuff was great. After years of spending 5 grueling days crossing the country, it's still hard for us to get used to the novelty of waking up in New Jersey and going out to dinner in San Francisco that night.

Fortunately for us, Andrew was kind enough to take time off from work to pick us up from the airport, but the late afternoon traffic in the city was so bad that rather than go directly up to the Petaluma KOA to take the motorhome out of storage, we decided to go back to his apartment to visit while the traffic cleared. Also, he had plenty of chores for Herb to do, such as building an IKEA coffee table and TV stand. We (and by we, I mean Herb) were happy to do it. It was so fun seeing how nicely their apartment was coming along. Also, they live in a neighborhood with tons of really good and inexpensive Asian restaurants. They took us to one of their favorites.

Afterwards, Andrew drove us up to the Petaluma KOA to reunite with the motorhome and to move it out of storage and into a campsite. It felt good to be back.

Day 1 – Reorient and Errands

The next day was spent doing errands – food shopping, washing the car, etc. Petaluma was actually beginning to feel a little bit like home. The campground has a nice pool with lots of comfortable lounge chairs, so after getting resettled, we spent the greater part of the afternoon reading and swimming. Before dinner, however, we did go out on a run. Herb and I discovered a great 5-mile loop from the campground, along country roads through dairy farm country. Despite its proximity to US 101 and San Francisco (about 45 minutes), the Petaluma KOA is really quite rural. In fact, when the wind is right (or wrong, depending on your perspective), you can actually catch the occasional whiff of cattle from your campsite.

Day 2 – Coastal Trail, Planet Granite, and Toronados

Herb at Planet GraniteOn Friday, we drove down to San Francisco in the afternoon. We were planning to meet Andrew and Celeste at Planet Granite, their climbing gym, after work. Herb has been an avid rock climber for literally decades, and it was very exciting for him to have his sons take up a love for the sport as well. Not only have Andrew and Tommy become very competent climbers, but Andrew’s girlfriend Celeste is on track to surpass them all.

Since we were in the city a bit early, Herb and I took a walk along the Coastal Trail in the Presidio to Baker Beach. It was quite cold, and Herb did his fair share of complaining about freezing in California, but the views of the Golden Gate Bridge were stupendous.

Around 5:00 we headed over to Planet Granite to meet up with Andrew and Celeste. Before being allowed to climb in the gym, Herb and I had to pass a belay test to prove our competence – a good idea in view of the fact that when belaying someone you are really the only thing between them and the ground. Luckily, Herb had given me a brief refresher course before we entered, so I passed with flying colors.

Lolo and Herb Dining at Toronado PubPlanet Granite is an incredible climbing gym. Even if I wasn’t climbing, I would love it for its views alone. Floor to ceiling windows look out onto the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Mark di Suvero sculptures in Crissy Fields. It was hard to keep my eyes on the climbing wall.

I have spent time in our own climbing gym in New Jersey, but this gym has so many more climbs that I can do. It was the best climbing experience I had ever had. It was also fun to see how much Andrew and Celeste have improved.

After climbing, Andrew took us to Toronados, their favorite post-climbing sausage and beer place in the Haight section of San Francisco. The bar was really crowded and a bit noisy, but the sausages were delicious and the beer very refreshing after our climbing workout. Herb and I were stuffed, but Andrew and Celeste somehow still managed to fit in some ice cream at the Toy Boat Dessert Cafe, their favorite ice cream place. It’s great how they have really gotten to learn this city and have their favorite places for every type of food imaginable – eating is their second favorite sport after climbing.

Stuffed and content, Herb and I drove back up to Petaluma with the promise of returning early the next morning to explore the city with them by bike.

Day 3 – Bike Tour of San Francisco

Andrew, Celeste and Lolo at Arizmendi BakerySan Francisco is truly a very bicycle-friendly city, especially if you know your way around. Fortunately, Celeste did, so it was nice to not have to constantly stop and pull out a map and to let someone else be the tour guide for a change.

The first stop on what was to be a 26-mile hilly bike ride – after all it is San Francisco – was Arizmendi Bakery, Andrew and Celeste’s favorite bakery. I must say, they do know their food, because everywhere they take us is unbelievable. After a very large pastry and a cup of coffee, we remounted our bikes and rode into Golden Gate Park to see the buffalo herd that lives there. You could very easily spend an entire day in this amazing park, which is actually bigger than NYC’s Central Park. However, we had lots to see that day, so we kept on moving.

Andrew and Celeste in Pelting Sand at Ocean BeachOur next stop was Ocean Beach, where our walk was cut somewhat short by the sand pelting us in the face. It was a very windy day, which we really hadn’t noticed when we were inland in the park. This beach was definitely worth a revisit on a less windy day.

Continuing on, we began a very steep ascent up the Great Highway, past the Cliff House Restaurant and Sutro Baths. I think Andrew and Celeste were quite impressed that I made it all the way up without having to dismount and walk my bike. I wanted to die.

After a very brief rest, we continued up even more hills until we got to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. This very impressive building is part of the San Francisco Museum of Fine Arts. It was to this very museum that Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, where she was compulsively drawn each day to sit for hours staring at a painting of a woman named Carlotta. But I digress. Back on the bikes we go.

Sutro Baths OverlookFinally, our climbing was over and soon we were careening, probably much faster than I should have, down a steep hill to Crissy Field. I just love this part of San Francisco. The city of San Francisco is very progressive with their public space—a really good thing for residents, as there are so many beautiful places to enjoy on weekend day.

Crissy Field had undergone quite a transformation since the 1990s when it was taken over by the National Park Service. Prior to that, it had served as a U.S. Army airfield and was often used for the dumping of hazardous materials. In fact, when acquiring it, the NPS declared it to be, and I quote, “a derelict concrete wasteland.” Well, wasteland no more. As part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, it has been transformed into a very successful example of urban public space, with beaches, picnic areas, biking trails, historic buildings, and a restored tidal marsh. Today it is a premier recreation area for residents and visitors to San Francisco.

Biking to the Palace of Fine ArtsAlso, since May of this year, eight of Mark di Suvero’s giant modern art sculptures have been on display here. These were the sculptures that I had spent my time at the climbing gym gazing out at, with the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and Alcatraz as a backdrop. It seemed almost too perfect to be real.

Crissy Field is also very bicycle friendly and has a trail leading all the way through it from Fort Point to Marina Green. I was definitely enjoying the reprieve from the hills, as well as the incredible views.

About this time, I was developing a strong craving for an Iced Caffe Mocha, as I have found myself doing since the boys first introduced me to them, so we stopped at the Beach Hut Café to take a break. Afterwards, we walked over to the beach to watch the America’s Cup trials, but unfortunately the wind was so strong that all the races for the day were canceled. We pretended for awhile to enjoy having our faces pelted once more with sand before Herb suggested that we move on to someplace a bit more inland and away from the wind.

Beers at the Velo Rouge CafeWe found just what he was looking for a short distance away at the Palace of Fine Arts, probably one of the most beautiful settings in a very beautiful city. This Greek-style rotunda and colonnades with its surrounding lagoon were originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. While most of the other buildings in the exposition were demolished when it ended, thanks to the efforts of William Randolph Hearst’s wife Phoebe, this iconic structure has been saved and lovingly restored. Its reflection in the lagoon is probably one of the most photographed spots in the city. We took our fair share of shots as well and enjoyed lying on the grass, not being covered with sand.

We ended our 26-mile bike tour of the city with another one of Andrew and Celeste’s “favorite” stops – beers at the Velo Rouge Café. I can’t describe how wonderful it was to just sit at an outdoor table, sipping a refreshing and well-earned beer.

It had been an extremely satisfying day in so many ways, and Herb and I really appreciated Andrew and Celeste’s very successful effort at showing us the city from a non-tourist point of view.

Day 4 – Hiking Marin Headlands

Herb on Matt Davis TrailThe next day, and our last before heading north up the coast to Seattle, was spent hiking in Marin, probably one of the most beautiful counties in the U.S. Celeste’s mom Hilda, met us at the campground and we drove down to Stinson Beach together where we met up with Andrew and Celeste. Knowing the area very well, Hilda took us the scenic route rather than along U.S. 101. I have to say that I was very glad that we were driving a car rather than the motorhome, because the roads were incredibly steep and winding.

Andrew had spent a lot of time researching hikes in the area, of which there are so many wonderful ones to choose from. His choice, and a very good one indeed, was to link the Dipsea, Steep Ravine, and Matt Davis trails together for a spectacular 7-mile loop past waterfalls, through a redwood canyon, and up to expansive views of the coast, before descending once again to Stinson Beach. The 1,600 foot elevation gain made for a challenging and extremely satisfying hike.

Coffee at Stinson BeachPost-hike, we bought coffee at a beach café and sat sunning ourselves on the beach, in the very same spot we had sat and froze last year. September is definitely the San Francisco Bay Area’s season – sunny skies and warm temps. May, June, and July are so much colder and foggier. We will have to time our visits to the boys accordingly because June and July are absolutely beautiful in Seattle.

That evening we met up with Celeste’s father in San Francisco, who had just finished a week-long, 500-mile Cycle Oregon event, and had dinner together at Troya Mediterranean Kitchen, a Turkish restaurant near Andrew and Celeste’s apartment. I had absolutely no idea what I was ordering, but whatever it was, it was delicious. They really are lucky to have such an ethnically-diverse selection of high-quality restaurants in walking distance from their home.

After dinner, it was goodbye for now, because tomorrow we would begin our drive north along the Northern California and Oregon coast to Seattle and our visit with Tommy.

Description

Andrew and Lolo at Ocean BeachThe Petaluma KOA is an award winning camping resort located within an hour’s drive of San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma Valley Wineries, giant redwoods, and Sonoma County and California Coastal Beaches. It is considered to be the RV resort in the San Francisco Bay area.

On its 70 acres, there are 312 spacious RV sites, 32 camping cabins, and 10 Wine Country lodges.

Other amenities include:
• Guided tours of San Francisco (from May through October)
• Huge heated pool and spa
• Inflatable waterslide
• Rock climbing wall
• Huge playground
• Petting zoo
• Karaoke
• Hayrides and live weekend entertainment

The campground is open all year.

Travelogue

High-Speed Flying RVThe next morning we called Petaluma Taxi to take us to the Petaluma Fairgrounds where the Sonoma County Airport Express ran shuttles to the airport.

Haven driven back and forth across the country so many times, it was weird to think that we would be home sleeping in our very own beds that night -- no Nebraska, no Iowa, no Ohio, just 6 hours and we would be home. I think I am going to learn to love this flying thing.

Description

The Sonoma County Airport Express runs shuttles to the airport every hour from several locations: the Park and Ride in Santa Rosa, the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park, and the Petaluma Fairgrounds. Fares are $34 each way.

Travelogue

Bacon and ProsciuttoThe remainder of the trip was more of a settling of the RV into its new home, and Andrew into his. We were fortunate to discover the San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA to use as our base camp for the next 6 days. It is a really wonderful campground in so many ways.

It has a great location – 45 minutes to the Golden Gate Bridge, a half hour to Marin County, and about an hour to Napa Valley.

There is a huge, heated pool and hot tub with dozens of comfortable lounge chairs around it, and tons of activities for kids – although sadly we were long past that stage. They also run guided tours to San Francisco and the Wine Country.

Also, the campground was extremely well maintained and run, so much so that we decided to entrust our beloved motorhome to their care. For $75 a month, we could store the motorhome in their secured, fenced-in storage area, and our Subaru in the overflow field.

Hike at Annadel State ParkWe spent the next few days depressurizing from what had been a trip filled with so many emotions. Those lounge chairs at the pool certainly helped with the process.

Celeste’s (Andrew’s girlfriend) parents live about 20 minutes from Petaluma, so we had a chance to do a lot of fun, low-key activities with them and the kids. They are the most amazing hosts and chefs, so it was absolutely wonderful going over to their house for dinner a few times.

I spent one fun-filled day with Andrew at the California DMV, transferring the title for the Honda and getting a California driver’s license. We had no idea that California required a smog certification, so we lost time in the DMV line having to leave, get that done, and come back to wait on line again. It was quite a hoot.

Very appropriately after a day at the DMV, we met up with Celeste and her folks at the Lagunitas Brewery, right in Petaluma. The food choices were somewhat limited, but food is not the reason people come here. We sat at an outside table, ordered samplers of beer, and listened to live music. It was a very fun evening.

Lolo with Pier 39 TouristsHerb and I also took a few trips into San Francisco. The first time we drove down and parked near the waterfront and walked over to Fisherman’s Wharf. We knew it was touristy, but I had never seen it and I wanted to. It was a bit crowded, as we suspected, but fun nonetheless.

However, I did embarrassingly fall victim to the notorious “Bushman” of Fisherman’s Wharf, who for the last 30 years has been frightening unsuspecting tourists, such as myself. I think I was probably the only one in the crowd that didn’t know that the bush on the edge of the sidewalk was not in reality a bush, but rather a madman who has too much time on his hands. I almost had a heart attack when he jumped out at me.

After my heart stopped pounding, we continued our walk, keeping an eye out for incongruous objects. I would not be so easily fooled again.

I wanted to figure out some good biking San Francisco options for later in the week, so I stopped at various bike rental vendors along the way, pretended I was interested in renting a bike the next day, and asked them for suggestions as to where I should go. By the time I was done, I had pretty much settled on parking in Marin, biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, down to Fort Point, and over to Crissy Field.

Fisherman's Wharf Love LockAfter our brief tour of San Francisco, we met up with Andrew and Celeste to see the apartment they had just signed a lease on. It was located on Clement Street in the Inner Richmond. The place was amazing – three bedrooms (they would be sharing with friends from college), beautiful hardwood floors, a huge kitchen, living room, and dining room, and two bathrooms. It was in a nice, safe, Asian neighborhood with plenty of good restaurants and small grocery shops to walk to. It was the kind of place I knew they would be happy in, so I felt a tremendous sense of relief. Hunting for an apartment in San Francisco is not for the faint of heart. There is so much competition that apartment hunters practically bribe the realtors to get first dibs. They were very, very lucky to get this place.

A few days later we did take that bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. The main Vista Point parking lot for people walking or biking across the bridge is at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge and can only be reached coming from the south. Since we didn’t want to drive across the bridge, pay the southbound toll, and then just turn around and drive across again, we parked in the lesser known lot on the southbound side of 101, just north of the bridge. From there, we walked our bikes down a set of stairs and under the bridge to get to the Vista Point parking lot on the northbound side.

Crissy Field from Bike RideWe were definitely not the only ones with the idea of biking across the bridge. It was packed with cyclists, many of whom looked like they were riding a bike for the first time. You had to go pretty slow and be constantly on the defensive. Also, despite the fact that it was mid-July, it was frigid out. Now mind you, Herb hates the cold, and he couldn’t understand why he should be spending his summertime in California wearing a parka. He told me of a Mark Twain quote that I had never heard before: “The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco.” I suggested that he think more positively. I mean really, just look at the view!

After maneuvering our way across the Golden Gate, we rode down to Fort Point Historic Park, located right underneath the bridge. From there, we rode along the waterfront, past the giant outdoor sculptures, by such artists as Mark di Suvero, to the sandy beach at Crissy Field where we watched the America’s Cup boats practicing out in the Bay—and all this with Alcatraz and Sausolito in the background. What an amazing place! I definitely knew that Andrew and Celeste would be happy living here. I already knew Celeste would. She was from this area. It was my East Coast boy I was a bit more worried about.

Paul Composing a Photo at Lagunitas BrewerySince we had plans for dinner in San Francisco that evening with Andrew and Celeste and her parents and their friends, we biked back across the Golden Gate to our car and then drove back into the city to their apartment.

Their neighborhood has so many restaurants in walking distance. We walked over to an Italian place called Mescolanza. The food was great and the company even better, so we had a really good time.

We spent the last day at the KOA prepping the motorhome for storage. It was going to be very weird flying home and leaving it behind.

Things were coming together though. Tommy was happily settled in Seattle, Andrew and Celeste had found a beautiful apartment in San Francisco, Andrew had nabbed a job in Mill Valley, which he would be starting the week after we left, and the RV had a nice, new home in Petaluma. We should be so lucky.

Description

Petaluma KOA PoolThe Petaluma KOA is an award winning camping resort located within an hour’s drive of San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma Valley Wineries, giant redwoods, and Sonoma County and California Coastal Beaches. It is considered to be the RV resort in the San Francisco Bay area.

On its 70 acres, there are 312 spacious RV sites, 32 camping cabins, and 10 Wine Country lodges.

Other amenities include:
• Guided tours of San Francisco (from May through October)
• Huge heated pool and spa
• Inflatable waterslide
• Rock climbing wall
• Huge playground
• Petting zoo
• Karaoke
• Hayrides and live weekend entertainment

The campground is open all year.

Travelogue

Herb at Caspar BeachOn our first trip to Northern California in 2012, we had visited and fallen in love with Mendocino. We just felt so at home there. Normally we spend two weeks every summer on the island of Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, but because of the boys’ move west this summer, this would be the first time in 30 years that we wouldn’t be able to get there. Mendocino would have to give us our New England “fix,” with its saltbox houses, gingerbread mansions, white-picket fences, rose gardens, and water towers.

Although we had been to Mendocino before, this would be the first time with the motorhome, and after our harrowing drive down Route 1 from 101, I feared it might be our last. The steep switchbacks leading down to the coast were unbelievable, and there was no place to pull over. Herb could feel the brakes pressing a bit too far down to the floor, the same thing that had happened to us when our brakes failed coming out of Death Valley. Despite the lack of a spot to pullover, we just stopped as far right as we could on the road, took a deep breath, and waited for the brakes to cool off. We now knew that whenever there is a road sign warning “No King Pins,” we don’t want to be on that road. However, I don’t know if there is a better alternative. You have to get down to the coast somehow.

Caspar Beach SunsetHerb was toast by the time we reached Caspar Beach RV Park, where we would be spending the next two nights. Fortunately, I had made a reservation in advance, because it was the weekend, and the campground was absolutely packed. As far as RV parks go, this one was pretty bad. They packed you in so close to your neighbor that you could barely open the door. What it did have, however, is location location location. The campground is right across the street from beautiful Caspar Beach. For that, we were willing to put up with the close quarters. We could watch the sunset from the beach, and then just go inside and pull down the shades. And that is exactly what we did that first night.

The next morning we decided to get some exercise mountain biking the trail that runs along the Big River. The trail begins at the end of a dirt road just north of the Big River Bridge, and a short distance south of the village of Mendocino. Adjacent to the parking lot, there is a nice sandy beach that is a good place to swim or launch a kayak.

Lolo relaxing on the Big RiverA gate at the end of the parking lot marks the beginning of the Big River Trail, an old railroad right-of-way that now serves as a recreational trail for hikers, bikers, and joggers. Although the trail actually extends for over ten miles into the Mendocino Woodlands, most cyclists turn around at the fork at mile 6.5, making it a nice 13 mile ride.

The first 4 miles of so of the ride were quite level and scenic, with frequent views of the river. Since the river is tidal, this section is also great for kayaking, and if timed right, you can go up river on the rising tide and return on the ebb.

After about mile 4, the estuary ends at Dry Dock Gulch and the ride became a little hillier and the foliage along the river a bit thicker, obstructing the view of the river.

Around mile 5, we started looking for a way to get down to the river to have lunch and maybe even swim, hopefully on a sandy beach. It was a bit of a challenge, but we eventually found a nice spot to do just that, except the water was a bit too shallow at this point upstream to do much more than wet our ankles. Still, it was nice and peaceful.

Lolo at the Headlands sans Red CupAfter our break, we continued riding another mile and a half or so before the trail came to a fork, and like most other riders, we turned around and headed back out to the mouth of the river.

While the river ride was nice, the real draw of Mendocino is its beautiful coastline, so once again, as in our last visit, we picked up a bottle of wine and some delicious sandwiches at the Mendocino Market Deli and headed out to our favorite bench on the Mendocino Headlands for a picnic. It’s nice to feel so familiar with a place that you actually have a favorite bench.

The evening was perfect, or at least it would have been if I had remembered to pack the red cups, and we didn’t have to swig surreptitiously out of our wine bottle. Hopefully, no one saw.

Actually there was one thing that Herb felt was a little less than perfect – the temperature. Last year, we were here in late May and it was warm. Tonight, however, it was quite chilly, and we had to be pretty well bundled up to stay warm.

Hiking towards the Headlands SunsetWhile we sat on a bench enjoying the scenery, we noticed a young couple with a small child and a dog, romping playfully on the beach at the base of the bluff. It’s funny how two people (that have been married as long as Herb and I) can have such different perceptions of the same scene. While I thought the scene was idyllic – a happy, loving family enjoying each other’s company on a beautiful evening in a spectacular setting, Herb mumbled something about it being so sad. “What could you possibly mean?” I asked in surprise. My husband, who has learned to hate the cold and craves warmth and sunlight, responded, “That poor child is going to grow up thinking that it’s perfectly fine to be wearing a parka on the beach in mid-July.” I chose to ignore him and swig from my bottle of wine.

As if the scenery wasn’t beautiful enough, just after the sun set, we began to hear music off in the distance. This place was so magical. Last time we sat on this bench watching the sunset, we were serenaded by young woman who sat nearby playing a dulcimer. Now we were being treated to some lovely classical music.

Like moths drawn to a flame, we followed the sweet strains of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #2 to its source: a large white tent a bit further in on the headlands. Unbeknownst us, we had fortuitously stumbled upon opening night of the annual Mendocino Classical Music Festival. Never ones to pass up a free entertainment opportunity, we set up our Crazy Creek chairs on the edge of the bluff, right behind the tent, and spent the next hour happily gazing out over the water and listening to the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

It just doesn’t get much better than this.

Description

View from the Headlands BenchMendocino is a charming and picturesque hamlet of 1,100 residents along the Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1), about 170 miles north of San Francisco. Built by homesick New Englanders during the logging boom of the 1850s, the town resembles a New England village with Victorian gingerbread mansions, white picket fences, and rose gardens. The logging days are long gone, and today the town if full of upscale Bed and Breakfasts, shops, and restaurants.

The spectacular Mendocino Headlands State Park surrounds the village, with trails crisscrossing the bluffs and rocky coves.

Travelogue

Rogue River Gorge ViewpointAfter leaving Crater Lake, we made a short stop at the Rogue River Gorge Viewpoint, near the town of Union Creek, about 30 miles southwest of the park. We walked the short 1/4-mile interpretative trail past spectacular views of the wild and churning river as it cascaded through a narrow basalt lava cut canyon.

From there we continued southwest on Route 62 and eventually onto Route 199 into California. From the Oregon border to Crescent City on the coast, Route 199 (also known as the Smith River National Scenic Byway) winds its way for 33 highly scenic miles through spectacular mountain scenery.

The road also passes through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, which along with two other state parks and national park land, makes up Redwood National and State Parks system.

We decided to only go as far as Crescent City that day, so that we could spend the whole next day driving the Redwood Highway and exploring the National and State Parks. Also, we saw in the Woodall’s Guide that there were a few campgrounds located right on the beach, so even if it was too cold to swim, at least we could enjoy the view from the back of the RV. I called ahead and booked a site at Harbor RV Anchorage.

Lolo on Crescent BeachI must say that the campground and the surrounding area were much more rundown than I expected. Most of the occupants of the sites seemed to be permanent residents. When I told Andrew where we were, his girlfriend’s family, who are from California, said, “What the heck are you doing in Crescent City? That is where the Pelican Bay maximum security prison is.” Oops.

We did manage, however, to get a campsite along the outer perimeter with unobstructed views of the beach, and fortunately, no views of the rest of the campground. It was much too cold to sit out on the beach, so we took a brisk walk instead, and then spent the rest of the afternoon contentedly reading in the back of the motorhome.

The next morning, we headed south on US 101 (also known as the Redwood Highway) to see the giant California redwood trees. Technically, they are called Sequoia sempervirens, and they are the largest and tallest trees on earth, living thousands of years and growing as high as 379 feet tall.

Hiking Big Tree Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State ParkThere was a time when these beautiful coast redwood forests were in jeopardy of being lost forever. After the gold rush, many miners that failed to strike it rich turned to harvesting these giant redwoods. By the early 1900s, these priceless forests were badly threatened by years of unrestricted clear cut logging.

However, today, thanks to the foresight and work of the state of California and the Save the Redwoods League, hundreds of groves have been acquired and protected for our enjoyment. In 1968, Redwood National Park was created for the purpose of cooperative forest management with three other state parks: Jedediah Smith, Del Norte, and Prairie Creek. Today Redwood National and State Parks encompasses 133,000 acres and protects 45% of all remaining coast redwood old-growth forests.

Today visitors to the park can enjoy these majestic groves along the scenic Redwood Highway without ever leaving the comfort of their car. However, to really experience the majesty of these giant trees, you really have to get out of the car and walk among them.

After scanning the hiking options in my new book, Best Short Hikes in Redwood National and State Parks, I chose the Cathedral Trees – Big Tree Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park because it had two interesting features: a very large (but unimaginatively named) tree and several cathedral tree groupings.

The hike begins at the eastern edge of the Elk Prairie Visitor Center and passes under the Newton B. Drury Scenic Highway through the culvert for Boyes Creek. In .2 miles, we took a right at the Foothill Trail junction and passed several large redwoods. At .4 miles we turned left onto the Cathedral Trees Trail and soon came upon a pair of cathedral tree groupings. I am not exactly sure why they are called “cathedrals.” They look more like a circle of huge brown columns, with each column being an individual redwood tree. The reason that they are so closely clumped together is that they all sprouted from the same ancestral stump.

Hiking Big Tree Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State ParkAt about 1.1 miles, we cross Cal Barrel Road and continued for another ½ mile or so to the junction with the Circle Trail. A quick left brought us to the Big Fella, so big that he needed to be fenced in. It is really very difficult to photograph these trees as they just won’t easily fit in the frame, but Herb tried. We then continued on the trail which paralleled the Parkway, back to the Visitor Center. The hike, which was 2.6 miles in total, had provided us with a wonderful experience in an ancient California redwood forest.

There was so much more to see and do along the Redwood Highway, but once again we were running on a much too aggressive schedule and had to get to Mendocino that evening. Too bad, because there are lots of interesting stops between here and there. Just to name a few: Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees Grove, Humboldt Lagoons State Park, Trinidad State Beach, Azalea State Reserve, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Avenue of the Giants, and Richardson Grove State Park.

Description

Lolo at Harbor RV AnchorageIn the 1850s, old growth coastal redwoods covered more than 2 million acres along the northern California coast. These California redwoods, technically called Sequoia sempervirens, are the largest and tallest trees on earth, living thousands of years and growing as high as 379 feet tall.

Unfortunately, following the gold rush, many miners that failed to strike it rich turned to another source of riches – harvesting the giant redwoods. By the early 1900s, these priceless forests were badly threatened by years of unrestricted clear cut logging.

However, thanks to the work of the state of California and the Save the Redwoods League, hundreds of groves have been acquired and protected. The result was the creation of three redwoods state parks: Prairie Creek (1923), Del Norte (1925), and Jedediah Smith (1929). In 1968 Redwood National Park was created for the purpose of cooperative forest management. Its boundary encircled the three state parks to better protect these ancient redwood forests. The combined parks contain 133,000 acres and protect 45% of all remaining coast redwood old-growth forests.

Today visitors can enjoy these majestic groves along the scenic Redwood Highway. The drive (from north to south) starts at the California/Oregon border on US 199 and travels for 33 winding and scenic miles through spectacular mountain scenery until it joins US 101 in Crescent City and continues for another 42 miles to the town or Orick.

Jedediah Smith State Park, along US 199, is the northernmost and least visited of the parks in the National and State Parks system. The redwood stands in the park are so dense that few trails penetrate the park. However, the 11-mile Howland Hill scenic drive provides access to many of the park’s stately groves. Mostly unpaved and often one lane, the road is not recommended for RVs.

10 miles further along US 199 is the town of Crescent City and the junction with US 101. Crescent City had a bit of a rough past, being devastated by two tsunamis – one in 1964 and then again in 2011 after the Japan earthquake. Today the economy depends on shrimp and crab fishing, tourism, and the Pelican Bay maximum security prison. While a good northern base for exploring Redwood National and State Parks, the weather is damp and foggy and the town is a bit lacking in charm. The Park Headquarters is located in Crescent City at 2nd and K Streets.

South of Crescent City on US 101 is Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, the second of the state parks in the system. The 6,400 acres of this park stretch all the way to the coast. There are 15 miles of hiking trails both along the foggy coastline and through dense virgin redwood forests.

Continuing south on 101, the parkway crosses the Klamath River, famous for its autumn migrations of Chinook salmon. A short detour off of 101 onto Requa Road leads to the Klamath River Overlook, situated on a bluff above a driftwood-strewn beach. This is one of the best whale watching spots in California as well as one of the most spectacular viewpoint on the North Coast.

South of Klamath is the largest of the state parks, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This 14,000 acre park has over 70 miles of hiking trails and one of the most scenic drives in the park – the 8-mile Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, which runs parallel to 101, passing through pristine ancient redwood forests.

For the next 10 miles or so, US 101 passes through the National Park. Noteworthy stops in this section include the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, one of the park’s most spectacular, and the Tall Trees Grove, the location of several of the world’s tallest trees. A free permit is required to drive your car along the rough and unpaved 6 mile road to the Tall Trees Grove parking area. From there it is a 3.7 mile roundtrip hike down to the grove to see the Tall Tree, which stands over 362 feet tall. Permits can be obtained at the park visitor centers. There are only 50 issued per day, and they rarely run out.

The Kuchel Visitor Center is located in the small town of Orick, is located at the southern boundary of the park.

From this point south, you are no longer in Redwoods National & State Parks, but that does not make it any less beautiful. Other interesting places to visit along the Redwood Highway include: Humboldt Lagoons State Park, Trinidad State Beach, Azalea State Reserve, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Avenue of the Giants, and Richardson Grove State Park.

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Travelogue

Sunset Wine and Cheese at Crater Lake OverlookCrater Lake has been on our radar for a long time. We’ve been to most of the national parks in the West, but this one has always evaded us, mostly because it was just too far to get to when traveling back and forth across the country from NJ in under 4 weeks. But now that we have a son living in Seattle, and an RV living in Northern California, the time had finally arrived to visit this spectacular park.

After saying goodbye (for now) to Tommy, we drove the 3 hours south to Crater Lake National Park, entered the park through the North Entrance, and drove along the scenic western portion of the Rim Drive.

Our first views of Crater Lake definitely did not disappoint. I have never seen a lake so deep blue. We tried not to get hyper about pulling into every viewpoint, because we knew that tomorrow we would drive the entire 33-mile Rim Drive around the lake. Going clockwise was the recommended direction anyway, as all the viewpoints are on the lake side of the road.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center in Rim Village, where we purchased tickets at the kiosk for a boat tour the following day. The current day tours were already sold out.

View from Crater Lake Inn PorchThere are two types of boat cruises offered, but the Wizard Island Tour was the one we wanted. Anyone that has been to or seen pictures of Crater Lake has seen this little island rising 755 feet above the lake. In fact, it would be hard to find a photo of Crater Lake without it.

To better appreciate Wizard Island, you first have to know a little bit about the geological history of Crater Lake. Herb and I have been watching TTC (The Teaching Company) videos of various college courses, including two on Geology. I wish we had watched these years ago, because it is so much more interesting to visit a place where you understand how it came to be.

The first thing to realize is that Crater Lake is a misnomer, as it more accurately should be called Caldera Lake. For millions of years, there was a huge mountain here called. Then, around 7,500 years ago, the mountain erupted, spewing out so much pumice and ash that the summit collapsed, creating a giant caldera, measuring 4,000 feet deep and 6 miles across. That giant caldera was eventually filled in with rainwater and snowmelt, creating the lake, which is somewhat incorrectly called Crater Lake.

Herb at Crater Lake OverlookThe reason the lake is so clear and has such a deep blue hue is because of its depth and purity. It is the deepest lake in the U.S., measuring 1,943 feet at its deepest point. Because it is so deep, when sunlight hits the lake, the longer red waves are absorbed and the deeper violet and blue waves are reflected, causing its deep blue intensity.

Wizard Island is one of several cinder cones formed from a series of smaller eruptions that occurred after Mount Mazama blew. However, Wizard Island is the only one tall enough to be exposed. Today you can visit that island, or cinder cone, by boat and climb into the crater at the summit, which is 100 feet deep and 500 miles across.

But I digress. Wizard Island is tomorrow’s adventure.

We continued on to our reserved campsite in the Mazama Campground, located in Mazama Village, about 5 miles south of the lake. Even though we had a reservation, it wasn’t site specific, so we drove around the loops a bit and found a really nice one in the outermost loop with a great view out over Annie Creek Canyon—a perfect place to plant our beach chairs.

Cleetwood CoveIt was still relatively early in the day, so we detached the Subaru from the RV and drove back up to the lake to check out some of the viewpoints on the West Rim Drive. I must say, it was really nice having a tow vehicle for the first time. There is no way we would have come back up here again so quickly if we had to drive the motorhome. The only downside with not using the motorhome is that since you are not lugging your entire home along with you, you actually have to think about what you want to pack for on an outing. For now, this meant cheese and crackers and a bottle of wine.

At around mile 4 of the West Rim Drive, we parked in a pullout with an excellent view of Wizard Island. In fact, I think this is probably the place where the iconic photos of Crater Lake are taken, because Wizard Island stands out in such a way that you can see the lake all around it. From many of the other angles, the island blends into with the background, and you can’t really even tell that it is an island.

We planted ourselves on the stone wall at the edge of the parking lot and sipped a glass of wine while gazing out over the lake. It was really very beautiful.

Lolo enjoying the frigid waters of Cleetwood CoveThe wine and scenery must have gotten to Herb, because he suggested going to dinner at the Crater Lake Lodge rather than cooking back at the RV. I was definitely into not cooking in the RV.

It was such a beautiful evening, that rather than eating inside in the dining room (which was very lovely), we chose to eat out on the lakeside porch. Although it was very nice, and the food was actually quite good, we did have a few problems with it. First, the rocking chair that I sat in was so broken that I almost flipped over backwards every time I leaned back. Fortunately, the couple next to us finished before us and offered me their less aggressive rocker. Secondly, the stone wall in front of us had a wrought iron railing on top of it, with no possible functional purpose except to block what would have been a spectacular view of the lake. You had to stand up to take a photo. It would have really been so nice to just be able to sit back and look out over the lake. Thirdly, just as dusk approached, the mosquitoes arrived in droves and made it practically impossible to remain outside. Still, all that being said, it was a very pleasant evening, and much, much better than cooking in the RV. Maybe we should have eaten inside in the dining room after all.

We arrived back at the Mazama Campground, just as the Ranger Talk in the amphitheater was concluding. Too bad, because these national park ranger talks are usually very good.

Lolo hiking down the Wizard Island Summit CraterThe next morning, we set out for our boat tour to Wizard Island. Since the lake is situated in a deep caldera, it is only accessible from one point -- the very steep Cleetwood Cove Trail on the north side of the lake. Those not in good shape should think carefully before hiking down this 1 mile trail, as the way back up is quite strenuous.

Although our boat tour wasn’t until 12:30, I wanted to get down to the lake early enough to swim and watch people jump off the rock into the lake. Friends of ours had visited Crater Lake the previous year and shown us pictures of people jumping off a high rock into the chilly, crystal clear waters of the lake. It looked very cool (in more ways than one).

In person, the rock looked a lot higher than it had in the pictures, so I chickened out of jumping off of it. Herb hates cold water, so he never had any intention of doing it in the first place. I still felt compelled to do something daring, so I climbed down the rocks to water level, slid in, screeched, swam for 2 minutes, and quickly climbed back out again. It certainly was very, very cold.

Lolo and Herb at Summit of Wizard IslandIt was fun to watch other people approach the edge of the high rock and decide whether or not to jump. One couple was particularly entertaining. The boyfriend jumped in first and then waited patiently in the water for his girlfriend to follow. She stood on top of that rock for about 10 minutes, taking a step forward to jump, then hesitating and stepping back, on and on again until her boyfriend was turning blue. She never did make the leap, but her boyfriend never got mad. Chivalry is not dead, although a little longer and it might have been hypothermic.

Right on time, we boarded the boat for Wizard Island, and spent the next 20 minutes or so cruising to the island while an interpretive ranger from the National Park Service explained the geological history of the lake.

When we were dropped off on the island, I was surprised to learn that no park ranger would be staying with us. We would be left to explore on our own. That is one thing I love about the National Park Service. Everyone always says that the national government has too much regulation, but not the park service. They let you stand at the edge of the rim of the Grand Canyon with no fences, climb El Capitan in Yosemite, swim in Crater Lake without a lifeguard, and on and on. It’s great!

The island is not that large, so there are really only two things to do: hike to the crater on the summit and hike to Fumarole Bay. Hopefully, if we were quick, we could do them both.

Herb catching a Trout at Fumarole BayThe summit was definitely what we thought would be the more interesting thing to do, so we headed up the 0.9 mile (each way) Summit Trail, enjoying the views of the lake along the way. Herb and I were the first to reach the top, and I was the first to run madly down into and across the crater, which was about 100 feet deep and 500 feet across. To think that I was standing where hot lava had once spewed out was pretty exciting. Now, it was pretty much just an ordinary looking bowl-shaped hole.

We got back to the dock with plenty of time left to explore Fumarole Bay. The 0.7-mile hike to Fumarole Bay, although not steep like the Summit Trail was actually more difficult in that much of it is over rough volcanic rock.

Herb had brought his fishing rod along, because he had been told by a ranger that the lake is filled with rainbow trout and kokanee salmon, just ready for the taking. These fish are not indigenous to the lake. In fact, since the lake has no streams flowing in or out of it, there were no fish at all until 1888, when it was first stocked with these two species of fish. This practice was stopped in 1941, and now the park service wants to rid the lake of these non-indigenous species. As a result, unlike most parks, no fishing license is required, and there is no limitation of size, species, or number that you can take. In fact, the park encourages visitors to remove as many fish as they can from the lake.

"Phantom Ship" view from Boat TourIt wasn’t long before Herb caught three of them. Although we were supposed to do our part and remove them from the lake, we really didn’t feel like carrying them around for the rest of the day, so we quietly gave them a reprieve and slipped them back into the lake.

The boat ride back to Cleetwood Cove continued our natural history tour along the eastern shore of the lake, past Phantom Ship, the other noteworthy feature, besides Wizard Island, on the surface of the lake. It’s named for the fact that it resembles a two-masted sailing ship, and tends to emerge and disappear from visibility depending on the weather and lighting conditions. Like everything else at Crater Lake, this rock formation is the result of volcanic eruptions.

Once back onshore, we hiked up the fairly strenuous Cleetwood Cove Trail to our car and then continued our drive around the eastern shore of the lake, stopping at various viewpoints along the way.

That evening, rather than drive back up to the lake from the campground, we sat in our beach chairs on our very own campsite looking out over Annie Creek Canyon, sipping a glass of wine. We even managed to catch the Ranger Talk that evening on the impact of climate change on Crater Lake.

One more phenomenal national park of the West completed. Now on to Redwood.

Description

Lolo the VideographerCrater Lake is the only national park that is located within a dormant volcano. More than 7,500 years ago, Mount Mazama erupted, spewing out so much pumice and ash that the summit collapsed, creating a giant caldera, measuring 4,000 feet deep and 6 miles across. A series of smaller eruptions afterwards formed several cinder cones on the caldera floor, the largest of which is 2,700-foot high Wizard Island.

Over the next 700 years or so, rain and snowmelt filled the caldera creating what is now the deepest lake in the United States. It is 1,943 feet deep at its deepest point.

Wizard Island is the only cinder cone tall enough to be exposed, rising 755 feet above the current lake level. The top of the Wizard Island cone is capped by a crater about 100 feet deep and 500 feet wide. In fact, this is the only crater in Crater Lake National Park. The lake itself should more accurately be named Caldera Lake.

Lolo relaxing at Mazama CampgroundIt is Crater Lake’s extreme depth and purity that gives it its clarity and magnificent deep blue color. As sunlight penetrates the lake, the water molecules absorb the longer red waves in the spectrum and reflect the shorter violet and blue waves, giving its intense deep blue hue.

Crater Lake has no streams flowing into or out of it. It is refilled entirely from rain and snowmelt and is lost through evaporation and subsurface seepage. As a result, the lake had no fish in it until rainbow trout and kokanee salmon were introduced by humans from 1888 to 1941.

If you only have a day to visit the park, the best way to see it is to drive the 33-mile Rim Drive, which encircles the entire lake, stopping at its many overlooks. Because of heavy snowfalls, the Drive is generally open from July to October, and partially open in May, June, and November.

A good place to start the drive is at the Rim Village Visitor Center at the southern end of the lake, where you can stroll out to the Sinnott Memorial Overlook for a spectacular view of the lake and Wizard Island.

Wizard Island from Overlook in the MorningThe best way to do the Rim Drive is clockwise, so that you can most easily pull into the scenic viewpoints on the lake side of the road. There are 25 of them, so it is very easy to spend a half-day enjoying the drive. My favorites are the overlook at mile 4, which offers an excellent view of Wizard Island, rising 755 above the lake’s surface, and the Phantom Rock Overlook at mile 23.2.

If you have more time, a boat trip out on the lake is definitely worthwhile. Tours are offered from late July to mid-September and in 2013. There are two types of cruises offered. The Standard Tour leaves 6 times a day and costs $35 for an adult. It does not stop at Wizard Island. The Wizard Island Tour only leaves twice a day (9:30 and 12:30) and costs $45 for an adult. This tour drops people off and allows them to hike and explore the island for 3 hours before the boat returns to bring you back. Each tour has a park ranger aboard to discuss the geology and natural history of Crater Lake. Tickets sell out quickly, so be sure to buy them in advance at the kiosk in the Crater Lake Lodge. I definitely recommend the Wizard Lake Tour.

To get to the boat, park at the Cleetwood Cove Trailhead on the north side of the lake, and hike the steep 1 mile trail down to the lakeshore. This trail provides the only access to the lake. Before committing to the trek down, make sure you feel comfortable with the strenuous climb back up.

Grey FoxOnce you reach the lakeshore, you are sure to see dozens of people jumping from a high rock into the chilly waters of the lake.

Once on Wizard Island, there are two hiking options. The most popular is the relatively steep 0.9 mile trek (each way) up the steep Wizard Island Summit Trail. Besides the wonderful views of the lake along the way, once on top of the cinder cone, you can descend into 100-feet deep crater.

The other option is to hike along the rough volcanic rock along the shore to Fumarole Bay – about 0.7 miles each way. There is an excellent view from here of Watchman Peak, straight across the lake. The shallow, clear water in the bay is good for swimming (chilly) and fishing for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Unlicensed fishing is allowed in the park without any limitation of size, species, or number. In fact, the park encourages fishing to try to rid the lake of these non-indigenous fish.

In addition to the Cleetwood Cove and Wizard Island trails, there are several other hiking options in the park. These include:

• 3.5 mile (round trip) steep hike to Garfield Peak, with tremendous views after ½ mile of hiking. The trail starts from the parking lot of Crater Lake Lodge
• 1.7 mile (round trip) Annie Creek Canyon Trail, which begins behind the amphitheater at the Mazama Campground and loops down to the bottom of a deep, stream-cut canyon and back.
• 3.9 mile (round trip) hike to the summit of Mt. Scott, the highest point in the park, with panoramic views of the lake and Klamatch Basin.
• 0.7 mile (round trip) Pinnacles hike through dramatic tall pinnacles and spires. The trailhead is located on the Pinnacles Spur Road, 7 miles southeast of the Phantom Ship Overlook in the southeast corner of the park.

The park has two campgrounds:

• The Lost Creek campground is tent only and is open from mid-July to late September. This campground is located on the Pinnacles Spur Road in the southeast corner of the park.
• The Mazama Campground has 213 tent and RV sites (and some hookups) and is open from late June to mid October. This campground is located in Mazama Village, about 3 miles south of the Steel Visitor Center