Random Southern OR Grovel - Sat Night

Enjoy the scenic Beauty of Crater Lake.  It is really worth a whole Day or two;  try to stay at CL Lodge or camp out nearby,  maybe Diamond Lake or Lemolo Lake.
Took my Mom & Dad there once upon a Time.  We had never been any place quite like that.

You can go Fishing without a Fishing license,  so bring a lightweight pole and a few spinners 

After Crater Lake, if you're heading north and west towards Eugene, might as well check out McCredie hot springs as well as Salt Creek falls, right on HW 58 outside of Oakridge (there's Wall creek warm spring just north of Oakridge too).  If instead you head up to Bend / Redmond, check out Newberry Crater and Paulina Peak, can drive to the top of a nearly 8,000 foot mountain, great for pics on a clear day, can see several states, and the view of the Cascades, wowzer!   

So Mr. Salvador,

You've probably already researched the Crater Lake topic,  but I'll throw in my outdated perspective...

-- You've never seen anything quite like it.  Those crazy photos with that shade of Blue;  it's for Real.
-- One could spend most of the Day just driving around the perimeter Road and stopping at scenic viewpoints.
-- The hike from up top down to Lake level is somewhat arduous;  bring cold water and snacks.  In Summer, it gets pretty Warm.  Wear sturdy footwear.
-- There is a boat ride out to Wizard Island.  Absolutely do that.  Bring extra water & snacks.  Everybody tries to sneak out for the Overnight but,  no way.
-- Cash in some old stocks or bonds or itcoins and stay at Crater Lake Lodge for a night.  Those old WPA stone buildings are f'in Awesome !!!
-- They will tell you they are completely sold out of rooms.  Show up and bribe the desk staff,  and explain whatever it takes.

Anyway,  you all will have a Lovely time in that part of the world.   If you show up at the Ben Harper show,  no doubt you'll get in,  but if not there's more Fun stuff around the corner.

If you are set up for tent - camping or  back of Truck / SUV camping,  keep in mind that BLM land is Free & Legal.  You can camp out for about ten days.

Same with much of the USFS lands,  but if you're at USFS camp spots,  usually a Fee.  The topographic maps are a big help to discern BLM land from USFS or Private land.

The cushiest spots in OR are generally Oregon state Campgrounds and will have a Fee,  but have nice amenities.  For example you can stay in a Beach-side Yurt for not much $$ but you'll need a reservation,  or sweet-talk Campground Host.

If you stay at Crater Lake Lodge,  you'll have a Ball.  I look forward to seeing fotos you post here on VLZ in the near future.

Even if you don't get a room for the night,  you might check in for Breakfast or Dinner.  Those WPA - era stone buildings serve pretty decent Food.

14 day camping limit on BLM and FS land, but if I find you on my mining claims down there I'll make you work!  (Bwa ha ha ha)

If the CL Lodge is too rich for your blood there's also a campground there.

Hey Noodler- I was raised in Lowell, Oregon 

right across the banks of Hwy 58, over the white covered bridge...went to Oakridge a lot 

fun memories of learning to water ski on Dexter Lake 

Have fun, Vagrante!

Know that bridge well, I like collecting Carnelian at fall creek res, great rockhounding spot!   

I didn't know there is Carnelian around Fall Creek reservoir. I've spent a little time around the Fall Creeks, big and little. We drove down from the Aufderheide (forest service road 19) along the Creek and then down to the reservoir after the big fire. There was still beauty. By now I imagine it's starting to really fill in.

I've got 36 mining claims in 3 states, so always on the lookout for rocks of interest...   funny, started off as a musician and weatherman, now all I do is rock out, lol   

I have a coworker going to the innocent criminals show.

i asked her about extras but she didn't have any leads.

Sorry, can't say I didn't try...

I learned to swim in fall creek reservoir!

we still visit friends who live in banks of little fall creek!

my childhood memories:)

what is bottom pic of?

"Bottom pic" gold from one of our claims in SW Oregon....  

Love the Fall Creek area, aside from the carnelian and petrified wood around there, there is a little gold in them thar creeks too!   

More gold from our claims;  Luv nugget, Treble clef nugget, and a routine shiner 

Here's a few links to consider for your trip;

Oregon Hot Springs;  (many on your possible path, some right on the HW, some resorts, some rarely visited!)

http://soakoregon.com

Waterfalls are plentiful and spectacular in the NW, but Salt creek falls is next to the HW, and near 3 hot/warm springs in the Oakridge area too!

http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall/Salt-Creek-Falls-4153

Silver creek falls out of Salem is always a fun side trip, 10 falls to hike too!

http://www.oregon.com/recreation/hike-silver-falls-state-park

Crater lake is fun, but you may want to check out "Natural Bridges" just SW of the park, it's where the mighty Rogue River disappears into Lava Tubes!  There's many trails and piles of nice camping spots there, so a fun place to camp if not in Crater Lake proper (there's other campgrounds in the immediate area too, like Union Creek Campground, a short drive from the Lake)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/rogue-siskiyou/recreation/camping-cabins...

And of course, the Willamette valley is full of many possible day trips, as well as a little night life in our tiny little towns of Eugene, Corvallis, Salem, and Portlandia...  many fine wineries to check out, and the coast is always fun too!  The Yachats area has some great places to check out (Devil's churn, Thors well, etc), and all the capes on the coast are fabulous.  Shore Acres on the Southern Oregon coast is where all that spectacular wave footage is taken, even though my camera was wet, caught this wave last winter (right as the battery died, lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy7wiDKZnpg

Have fun on your trip, so many cool spots to check out, if you find yourself in a specific place, feel free to ask for ideas, be glad to provide a few!  Cheers!

The gold is gorgeous!

you have found so much!

great travel tips, you rock!(pun intended)

Droobs, cut the advertising. 'nuff people here already, so many most of those places are overrun in the summer. Spraying their spunk in our hotel rooms!

Haven't been to that specific place (don't live in Eugene, use to play music there a lot).

Here's some clues to Eugene nightlife while there (hasn't updated for this weekend yet);

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/content/music-listings

(oh, please don't spray your spunk should you find yourself in a Motel, Hotel, Bed and breakfast, or Inn)

I hear that that Agrarian Ales place is pretty cool.

There are marked mining claims on all of the rivers in the lower Cascades and I always have thought of them as gold claims. Nice to know there's gold in some of them, and other rocks, too. We spent a lot of time on back roads along rivers and it's beautiful country.

Little festy this weekend south of Bend, with Lukas Nelson & POTR, plus Edge of the West with Buddy Cage & Stefanie Keys:

http://www.newberryevent.com/

EotW also playing Sunday afternoon at Whirled Pies in Eugene.