Staying true to our pledge of discovering as many national parks as possible, this Spring, we once again chose an alternate destination – Crater Lake. Oregon. It is one of the top 100 places to see before you die :), but what makes it different is its surroundings. Usually, any national park or popular destination has small towns buzzing with activity and signs of commercialization are visible from far, but not near Crater Lake. We saw nothing but acres and acres of open spaces, lakes and mountains. The tiny towns with their abandoned shacks and buildings looked more like ghost towns and yet part of the lake is open all year round and welcomes visitors to experience the calm and humility of its magnificence.
DAY 1: We start our drive from CA to our destination, Running Y Resort, Klamath Falls, OR (www.runningy.com) It is approx a 6 hour drive filled with nature and beauty. Mt. Shasta welcomes you to the beauty and grandeur of this area.
- Mt. Shasta – It’s grandeur is humbling and a reminder to how little man is.
The drive to Crater lake was an experience in itself. We saw towns which were abandoned and yet there were acres and acres of lakes and open farmland around. It defied all logic. Man has historically found home in such areas and yet this part of the world stays isolated.
As we drove into the park, snow dusted evergreens welcomed us. Crater lake is a caldera that gets its water only from rain and melted snow. It also happens to be the deepest lake in the US and the s7th deepest in the world. There is no inlet or outlet to this lake, and maybe that’s why it is so pure and still.
Another conundrum of nature; OR a state with so few people and yet an abundant supply of water and here we are in CA, next door neighbors scrambling for water. Wonder why the world can’t just be a free place.
If the cost of living wasn’t so high, I think many of us would continue to be travellers. What do you think?
- CRATER LAKE. The water is still – not a single ripple, almost as if life takes a pause to marvel at its beauty.
DAY 2: We decided to drive to Lava Beds National Monument, CA (http://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm) Yes, this National Park is an undiscovered CA treasure that sits at the border of CA and OR. Once again it is one of those national parks that on paper will seem very blah, but when you go there, you will be amazed to see how Earth presents itself in the crudest form and yet looks so pretty. It is a volcanic and geological paradise. One of the few places (I think) where you can experience the magic of ice-caves, it was home to the Modoc’s until we the civilized man entered the area and gave rise to the famous Modoc War. It is 700 caves that are a testimony to half a million years of turmoil. It is approx an hour from Klamath Falls, OR.
We saw an ICE-CAVE. An ice-cave is usually formed in lava tubes, and has at least some portion of the cave that is below freezing temperatures and so there is ice all year around in that cave. In dry arid areas such as the lava bed national monument, these geological features play a critical role in keeping life alive. DO NOT go in here without flashlights. We DID NOT have any, so we only ventured in a little bit with the help of our trusted iPhones. There are steps that go deep down into the cave and if you are brave enough to do to those depths, you will be rewarded with Ice at the bottom.
Next we decided to explore the Petroglyph Rock. The park claims to have the largest collection of Native American drawings, unfortunately though a lot of it has been destroyed by the modern man graffiti. Believe it or not, about 4000 years ago, this area was submerged in water and what looks like a gigantic rock today was actually an island.
We walked around this and tried hard to find some remains of the Mordoc tribe. Below are the two clearest markings we could find.
We stayed in the area for 5 nights, and only saw two national parks. We could have driven to Bend and other places around, but we decided to honor the slow life of Klamath Falls and just took it easy. Sometimes that’s important too. Go with the pace of the place. The Running Y resort has plenty to keep the kids busy an the adults can enjoy the serenity of the area. BBQ dinners in snow courtesy a brave family that accompanied us, completed every evening perfectly.
As we drove back, the magnificence of Mt. Shasta made us pause in humility once again.
Crater lake was amazing, but the experience is incomplete till we hike to the Wizard Island. Until then, keep discovering.
looks like an awesome trip to me
Thankyou Kimblerly. It truly is a unique place to visit.
On paper may not seem as majestic but the beauty is breathtaking.
Thank you for visiting and keeping in touch.
Cheers!
Shilpa.