Trip #54
The focus of this trip was to visit Crater Lake and kayak in the surrounding area. At times the sky was almost clear, but the majority of the time the air quality index was in the ‘unhealthy’ to ‘very unhealthy’ range.
We did get to visit with a couple granddaughters and their mother. Kayaked Spring Creek and the Deschutes (click here for details). Added 40 miles on our e-bikes.
For the first part of our trip we stayed at Collier State Park.
Pros:
* full hookups
* is on a small river
*miles of hiking and biking trails
*easy access to Crater Lake (about 30 miles from the entrance)
Cons:
*lack of privacy between sites
*road noise
*in the heart of wild fire prone area
*limited services nearby
Crater Lake was not as smoky as we had anticipated. It was crowded, so parking was not easy. I recommend visiting the Lodge for drinks and food then hiking The Pinnacles (a short drive from the rim). To see what it is like in the Spring see Crater Lake May 2023
LaPine State Park is about 90 miles to the north and was just far enough away from the fires to make the air easier to breath.
Pros:
* full hookups
* is on the Deschutes River
*miles of hiking and biking trails
*easy access to Bend/Sunriver
*close to services
Cons:
*lack of privacy between sites
*Crowded during peak season
*is near wild fire prone area
Rob and Shawna 