Bucket List Day Trips From The Crooked River Ranch Cabins
Spring break is just around the corner and we are all ready to get out and enjoy the sun and fun that Central Oregon is famous for. No matter your taste for adventure, you are sure to find activities that will have you and your whole crew smiling from ear to ear. Adventure is calling!
This Month you will get two blogs, one about day trips from The Cabins and one with Local Activities. Make sure to sign-up for our newsletter distribution to get this inspiration delivered right to your inbox!
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK – 2.5-3 hours from the Cabins
Crater Lake National Park is Oregon’s only National Park and it is also the United States deepest lake. It was formed 7,700 years ago with the violent eruption of Mount Mazama, a 12,000 ft composite volcano, which literally blew its top. The eruption was so violent that the top of the magma chamber that held the lava 3 miles below the surface collapsed in on itself and formed what we see today, the caldera known as Crater Lake.
Following this seismic eruption, which spread ash as far as Geenland, it took about 250 years of rain and snow melt for the caldera to fill with water to its present day levels. There are no streams or rivers which flow into or out of the lake. It is 100% filled by atmospheric precipitation. Mind bending, right? Remember – it’s the deepest lake in the United States, and one of the deepest in the world – that’s a lot of snow and rain. This natural phenomenon is also what makes the water so blue! There is no sediment floating around in the water and little algae that forms, allowing for the water molecules to fully refract the blue light that our eyes perceive as the deepest and brightest blue lake you have probably ever seen.
But what about the fish you ask? There are fish in Crater Lake, but how did they get there? There is no evidence that fish were ever native to the caldera. The lake was stocked with seven different species of fish between 1888 and 1941. Today, only two of these species remain, but they are thriving. The lake supports about 60,000 Kokanee Salmon and Rainbow Trout.
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So now that you have learned all about the amazing geological history of Crater Lake, what’s the best itinerary to take it all in?
Get an early-ish start from the Cabins and head south on highway 97. If you didn’t rustle up grub at the cabins before leaving, stop at Christie’s Kitchen in Redmond or The Sparrow Bakery in Bend for two of the best breakfast options around!
After getting fully caffeinated, continue to the park taking in the breathtaking scenery along the way. Once you arrive at the park, check out the Rim Village (please check status of Rim Village on park headquarters website) before donning a pair of hiking boots, snowshoes or cross country skis and hitting up the trails to explore the rim of the Caldera! Normally you can rent both skis and snowshoes and take guided tours provided by the Park Rangers. Sadly, they are not being offered this winter due to the ongoing global pandemic. However, there are excellently marked trails if you bring your own gear with you.
As you traverse along the sparkling white snow, your ears listening to the soft crunch of ice and snow and your nose sipping on the crisp fresh air, take in the splendid beauty that is created by the, on average, 42 feet of snow that Crater Lake gets each winter. Also, for a little extra fun see if you can spot the Old Man Of The Lake bobbing whimsically across the mirrored surface. The Old Man of the Lake is a 30-foot tall tree stump, most likely a hemlock, that has been bobbing vertically in the lake since at least 1896. For a second, you might say “so what” but think about it….when you see a tree that is floating in water, what is it’s normal orientation? Hint: It isn’t vertical! Carbon dating has shown that The Old Man is at least 450 years old, and has been bobbing vertically in the lake for much of that time. When boat tours are running, the tour operators commonly pass by the Old Man on their journey to view the sights around Crater Lake. Due to the lake\’s water clarity, the entire submerged section of the tree\’s trunk can be seen below the waterline. The Old Man is considered by many to be a symbol of perfect balance in the world. Scientists are not really sure why the tree is able to balance the way it does and why it has been bobbing around the water for over 100 years and has not sunk to the depths of the lake floor, 1943ft below it. Do you have any theories?
After you are done spending time exploring this fabulous National Treasure, depart the park and head for Beckie’s Cafe on the west side of the park. Beckie’s is a rustic mainstay in the area since 1926 and offers homestyle American staples, homemade pies and regional microbrews. You will feel like you have stepped back in time 100 years amongst the towering pines of the Rogue Gorge.
And finally, everyone loves a good magic trick, and for your last magical moment of your trip, take a quick and very easy 2 mile round trip hike to the Natural Bridge! No smoke and mirrors to this magic trick, just good old mother nature\’s splendor. At the Natural Bridge the water of the Rogue River seemingly disappears from sight for 250 feet and disappears underground, only to reappear further down river. I won’t spoil all the fun…take the hike and see if you can figure out the magic trick! Hint: Ancient lava is involved.
After this, head back north on Highway 230, over to Highway 97 and back to the property which will be waiting to welcome you to a relaxing evening and restful nights sleep.
FORT ROCK STATE NATURAL AREA – 1.5 hours from the Cabins
This little known National Natural Landmark rises out of the barren desert of Central Oregon like a mirage. The towering jagged walls, which form a near perfect circle seem to come out of nowhere and dazzle those who come to hike its fort-like battlements. Fort Rock is an old Tuff Ring that would have been surrounded by a shallow sea in prehistoric times.
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As you head out for the day, pack a nice picnic lunch to share at the park while you take in the immense rock walls shooting out of the desert floor. Once you arrive, take a hike into the ring and you will soon discover that it is even larger than it originally appears. Try to imagine the immense flatness surrounding the towering walls covered in a shallow sea that American Indians would have had to use a boat to go back and forth between what, at that time, would have been an island. Sandals were discovered in a nearby cave dating back 9,000-13,000 years, the oldest ever discovered. Fort Rock Cave is the location where these sandals were found, however tours are currently closed.
After completing your hike, stop by the picnic area to enjoy a lovely lunch before heading to the ghost town! You have never seen a ghost town like this before. The Fort Rock Valley Homestead Museum is a one-of-a-kind ghost town made up of historic abandoned buildings from all over the area. The buildings were relocated to the area and formed into a unique, populationless village where visitors can get a glimpse of what Oregon looked like in bygone times. While there, see if you can track down a spirit or two peering out from the mercantile building or the church.
After completing your haunted tour, head back towards town, maybe grab dinner and a beer at one of Bend’s 30+ microbreweries along the way or prepare dinner for yourself and relax sipping wine on the deck back at the Cabins.
THE JOHN DAY FOSSIL BED NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PAINTED HILLS – 1.5 hours from the Cabins
This national monument, considered one of Oregon’s 7 Wonders, and the beautiful hills surrounding the area get their name from the intricately colored striations in the soil: the yellows, golds, blacks and reds of the Painted Hills are history in color. Once you see them for yourself, it’s pretty easy to understand why people are drawn to the area.
The Painted Hills are one of the three areas that comprise the John Day Fossil Beds. Take time to visit all three! The Clarno area has Mars-like pillars formed by waterfalls and volcanic ash, and the Sheep Rock area is where fossils of plants and animals like saber-toothed cats are on display at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center. Scientists study 50 million years of plant and animal evolution and a huge collection of 40,000 fossils here!
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To get to the park connect up via Highway 26 to the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway through the ghost town of Shaniko, then on to the town of Fossil. In the town of Fossil, named after the Mammoth bone found there, you can dig for your own fossilized souvenir. And make a plan to stop at the Kam Wah Chung and Co. Museum, a centuries old drugstore, perfectly preserved in time. Once you arrive at the park, hike or bike through the area and take in each of the different units that make up this spectacular park. None of the units are all that large, so it will only take a few hours to explore all the areas.
Once you are done exploring the beautiful park stop at the little town of Mitchell, the gateway to the Painted hills, which looks much like a set from an old John Wayne movie. Grab a bite to eat and drink at Tiger Town Brewing Company, your tastebuds will be just as delighted as your eyes were at the park. Once you are back in the car, your belly will have just long enough to settle before you will hit the town of Prineville, the home of Tastee Treets – shakes, floats and other delicious desserts await! Sated and excited from a day of exploration, it’s time to head home to the relaxing oasis of the Crooked River Ranch Cabins.
See you soon, at the Crooked River Ranch Cabins – A Great Place to Kick Off Your Boots and Stay Awhile.
Peacefully,
Meghan – Crooked River Ranch Cabins
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