Crater Lake
Oregon's National Park
Crater Lake
oregon's national park
OREGON'S NATURAL HERITAGE has a superstar
In the 20th century, our west coast experienced two major volcanic eruptions, at Mt. Lassen in 1915 and at Mt. St. Helens in 1980. Both are dwarfed by THE ERUPTION OF MT. MAZAMA, approximately 7,700 years ago. The result of that eruption is the postcard-perfect Crater Lake, the deepest in the United States, with the bluest waters these eyes have ever beheld. THE NATIONAL PARK IS THE INVITATION that brings you to Central Oregon’s high desert, a region rich with VOLCANOES, LAKES, AND ALPINE SCENERY. It’s no easy jaunt from a major city though, as the Park lies 200 miles south of Portland and 400 miles north of San Francisco, so don’t rush unless you must. Whether your pace is a chairlift ride and a local brew or paddleboarding after a hike through a field of glassy obsidian, the Central Cascades around the city of Bend have got you covered.
ITINERARY SNAPSHOTS - where we go, what we do
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- An intensive trip to Crater Lake takes in gems including Mt. Hood and Smith Rock on the way out, and Willamette Valley wine country on the return. This timeline packs lots of punch and is recommended for Road Warriors only.
- The hub of Central Oregon, Bend is a brewery boomtown with a cozy downtown core and just a stone’s throw away from the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. With extra time, you’ll fall in love with morning walks on the Deschutes River Trail.
- Before getting high and dry in Central Oregon, spend your first day in the lush forests of the Columbia Gorge, and stay overnight in Hood River or on the slopes of Mt. Hood.
If time is of the essence, or you’d prefer to limit your time on the road, consider flights into or out of Central Oregon (RDM) or Southern Oregon (MFD). This can speed you on your way, or open up a whole new realm of exploration in the theater mecca of Ashland with an underappreciated wine region in its beautiful backyard.
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