DAY 3

Bend→Crater lake→oregon coast

We started off Day 3 having a very relaxing morning hanging out with our friends at the cabin. We brought home breakfast from The Sparrow Bakery. We waited in a 30 minute line, but totally worth it for the croissant breakfast sandwich and famous ocean roll. We also drove by the last remaining Blockbuster (this is before it turned into some cool PR stunt) and it was boring, the same way it had looked in the 90’s. Day 3 we didn’t have much of an itinerary but it was even more enjoyable finding stops along the way we never thought about!

Stop 1: Deschutes national forest

This stop was completely spontaneous. On our way out of Bend I saw signs for “Lava Land” and wanted to see what it was all about. Driving through Oregon, you’ll notice several massive lava fields, but I wanted to get more context of how they got there. We walked the “Trail of Lava Land,” which had several signs throughout the walk giving context of when and how the Volcano exploded. It’s all part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. I thought it was really interesting to see the lava rocks up close and you can still see the original formation of the volcano. We also had clear skies and could see view of the Sisters and Mount Washington. There are also caves you can go to usually in the park but they were closed due to Covid.

stop 2: crater lake National park

The drive to the North entrance of Crater Lake from Bend was only one hour 30 minutes. We passed so many small towns and national forests on the way. The East drive was closed due to Covid, but the West drive was open. When we first got to the entrance, the Park Ranger handed us a map and recommended we spend at least 3 hours in the park. We thought, eh, maybe? Its just a lake you see right? We were so so sooo wrong. We ended up spending almost 5 hours inside the park. First off, I was silly and didn’t do my research on how massive the lake actually is. I guess it’s easier to understand once you see it in person. You climb to 8,000 ft of elevation gain before you hit the first lookout point of the massive crater. The water is the most royal blue color I’ve ever seen a body of water look. We stopped at four different view points, just gazing in awe of how beautiful it is. We had several hikes saved in our maps to do, but majority were still covered in snow and ice so we decided not to this trip. I definitely recommend hiking around if you have the right equipment. The main visitor walk ways for tourists just walking around the scenic areas were fine so we stuck to those taking a million pictures. Crater Lake had a great visitor center and also a Lodge you could stay at with some rooms having views overlooking the lake itself. We sat in rocking chairs outside the lodge just admiring the views and relaxing.

fun facts I learned visiting Crater Lake:

• Its snowy at Crater Lake 8 months of the year

• Wizard Island it the land you see in the middle of Crater Lake. It is an active volcano!

• The water level never changes, it stays the same no matter what time of year

• The deepest park of the lake is 1943 ft

stop 3: southern oregon coast

Leaving Crater Lake, we headed for the Oregon Coast. We wanted to go as far South as we could (for us to drive in 2 days) to see as much as possible. If you can do the whole coast line I highly recommend it. You can go about 2 hours further South than we did before you hit California. We decided to start our coastal drive at the city of Bandon. Drive time way 3 1/2 hours of very windy roads and not much to see aside from a river running parallel to us majority of the drive and farm land. Honorable mention, we did try to find Tolemtie Falls but it didn’t come up on Google Maps correctly.

When we got to Bandon the first place we went was Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint. Called Face Rock because one of the rock formations on the beach literally looks like a rock. We then decided to drive 5 minutes South and stop at Devils Kitchen beach. We walked along the beach here for sunset and it was perfect. Lastly, for the evening before the sun completely faded away, we went to Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge next to Bandon Beach. There we could see Puffins flying over the rock formations, surfers catching their final waves of the day, and many people admiring the last minutes of the sunset. We then drove to downtown Bandon, stopped at a local bar and got dinner to go, and headed to our Airbnb in Coos Bay for the night.

day 2

salem→Tamolitch→smith rock→painted hills→bend

Day 2 of our road trip! If you can’t tell from the route of this day, we really packed it all in! We took off from Salem at 7am and headed to Tamolitch Blue Pool 2 hours away. Along the drive there are several beautiful camp spots on Detroit Lake as well as several trails that will lead you to views of Mount Jefferson. We joke that we always had 1 fail a day, and our fail was trying to find a trail that was unfortunately blocked by an active logging road. We laughed it off and headed to Tamolitch Blue Pool only 45 minutes away from our failed hiking attempt.

Stop 1: tamolitch blue pool

We arrived at Tamolitch Blue Pool trailhead at 9:30am, the parking lot was empty when we arrived. On the way out however, there was limited parking remaining since its all parallel parking on the side of the road. The hike itself was very easy, 4 miles round trip with only 300 ft of elevation, so very flat. Along your 2 mile walk to the Blue Pool you’ll see a blue river, mossy trees, and some volcanic rocks. When you arrive to the pool, there are multiple viewpoints. The water is so clear you can see every outline of the rocky bottom. The pool’s reflection is so clear mirroring the trees surrounding. We sat on some cliff rocks and had a snack as we admired the color and reflection. On the way out, the trail was very crowded so make sure to bring a mask.

cool pit stops

From Tamolitch we headed to Smith Rock State Park only 1 hour and 15 minutes away. Our drive views included several lava fields, gorgeous mountain views, several massive forests, and lakes. On the way we took 2 pit stops, one at Black Butte Ranch and another at the town of Sisters. Black Butte is a gorgeous ranch that offers places to stay, dining, and several recreational activities. We stopped because they have an amazing view of Three Finger Jack, Three Sisters, and Mount Washington across their lake. Our next stop was in the cute town of Sisters. We got sandwiches from Sisters Meat and Smokehouse that were absolutely delicious, especially their homemade cookies! On the road again we passed several farms with cattle, lambs, goats, and alpacas, and then arrived to Smith Rock.

stop 2: smith rock state park

Arriving to Smith Rock State Park feels like you’ve left the state of Oregon and landed in Arizona. The climate is hotter, drier, and you’ll notice really cool rock formations. The park has multiple trails for all experience levels. We started out doing the Rim Rock walk that goes 1 mile around the park to see the views from above. We then went into the canyon and did the 2.5 mile River Walk trail. Both are easy walks where you get great views of the canyon, river, wildflowers, and rock climbers. There are harder trails available, but given our time constraint, we enjoyed the 3.5 miles of easy walking. We still feel like we got the full experience. After our mini hikes we did the 1.5 hour drive to Painted Hills. There’s not much to see along this drive aside from Ochoco National Forest where you’ll go up and down mountain ranges until you hit Painted Hills.

Stop 3: painted hills

Painted Hills is part of John Day Fossil Beds National Park. When you get there, you’ll feel like you’ve entered outer space and landed on Mars. Absolutely incredible to see how millions of years of fossils have turned these hill sides into beautiful banded colors.If you go in the evening, the sun makes the colors pop. There are no major trails, so it’s an easy visit. We walked along the Painted Cove Trail (0.25 miles) where you can read more about how the colors of the hills formed. Make sure you always stay on the trail as the dirt is fragile. Painted Hills Overlook gives you the best view point for pictures. After we gazed at the hillside for a bit, we started our two hour drive to Bend. Also, random but fun fact I learned on this drive, if you see a tumbleweed go around it!

stop 4: bend

When we got to Bend we did the first thing anyone should do, hit up the local taco joint. We decided to sample tacos from Sancho Taco Shop. Our favorites were the Carne Asada and the Chipotle Chicken, not to mention the chips and guac were delicious. Next stop, most important, we went to get beer from Deschutes Brewery. We got the Da Shootz Pilsner and Hazy IPA. Luckily, we had friends staying in Bend the same weekend and they let us crash at their cabin for the night. We sat in the dining room watching the sunset through massive windows overlooking the Deschutes river. It was the perfect ending to our day 2 adventures!

DAY 1

SEATTLE→MOUNT HOOD→SALEM

the beginning of my roomie and i’s adventure!

As everyone knows, 2020 has been quite the year. Basically everything that can go wrong does. I had some big changes hit me during June that made me feeling pretty lost. I tried spinning the events into a positive, how can I use my new free time to go on an adventure? Luckily, at the same time I was brainstorming, my roomie had PTO to take and we both decided to take a road trip! We decided to explore Oregon! Why did we choose there? Well, she and I have been to Portland many times (not our fav) and we wanted to get a better vibe of Oregon!

We started out on Monday, June 29th hitting the road at 7am from Seattle to Mount Hood National Forest. The drive was easy and basically a straight shot South taking us 3 hours and 45 minutes. We had sunshine the entire drive until we got to the very beginning of the forest (of course more 2020 luck.) We were literally driving through the clouds, I bet there is a gorgeous view going through the park, but all we could see was fog.

Stop 1: trillium lake

When we first got to Trillium Lake the clouds miraculously opened up around the lake so we could see it! Usually, you can see a view of Mount Hood too, unfortunately we didn’t see this, but still a very pretty walk around the lake. We did a mile, usually you can loop all the way around for 2 miles but part of the trail is under construction. Aside from the easy, flat walking trail, you can also kayak, fish, and swim in this lake. There is also a great camping section that I would definitely stay at next time we come back!

stop 2: mirror lake trail

Mirror Lake trailhead was only a 5 minute drive from Trillium Lake. The parking lot is small and we got one of the last spots at around 11:30am. When we got to the trailhead, it started raining and the fog rolled in again. The trail is very wooded until you reach the lake so we didn’t mind getting wet, plus we had come prepared with rain jackets. I’d also recommend hiking boots as the trail was very muddy from all the rain. The trail itself is 4 miles out and back with only 650 ft of elevation gain, you can add an additional mile if you want to walk the loop of the whole lake. On the way to the top you walk through a dense forest with beautiful flowers and a few bridges you use to cross streams. Once you get closer to the top there are a few switch backs that are doable, I would rank the trail as easy to moderate in difficulty.

When we got to the top and the trees cleared, the fog was so thick we couldn’t even see the lake. The only reason we even knew the lake was there was because I tossed a few pebbles to see if there would be a splash. We knew visibility was a risk when we started but we were hoping for a clearing. Usually on a clear day you can see the lake and a great view of Mount Hood with the reflection in the water. Even though we couldn’t see anything, there was something beautiful in the stillness. We had some fun taking pictures and hiked our way back down. PSA: Since this trail had quite a bit of foot traffic, make sure you have a mask handy :)

Stop 3: timberline lodge & Ski area

From the Mirror Lake parking lot, the Timberline Lodge was a 12 minute drive. It felt like it took double the time because it was so foggy I couldn’t even see the road. When we got to the Timberline Lodge parking lot it was so foggy we had no idea which way the lodge even was or Mount Hood lol! We heard something and looked to our right to see skiers coming down the hidden mountain! (Yes, that’s right, people are STILL SKIING in the middle of June!) As I was trying to read a map, my roomate screamed “LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!” When I whipped my head around I was in awe! There was Mount Hood in all her glory. It had taken us all day scouting out different view points and we finally had an amazing view! I literally sprinted up the hill to get a better view while the clouds kept rolling in. Once we had finished admiring the views, we went into the famous historic Timberline Lodge to explore.

The Timberline Lodge was built in 1937 and they’ve left many historic pieces around to view. You can do day visits of the Lodge or book a room for overnight stay. When we walked through the back entrance of the Lodge there are several cozy fire pits you can relax at. On the lower level of the hotel, there is a walking exhibit of the history of the Lodge and the textiles used to create the pieces in the Lodge. The Lodge is also where they filmed The Shining and you can ask the staff to hold a replica of the axe. In the lodge, there are several dining options if you’re hungry, at this time the dining halls across the street usually for skiers or mountain bikers is closed for the season due to Covid. There’s also a gift shop across the street if you’d like to purchase a souvenir.

Stop 4: willamette winery vineyards 

Willamette Valley is wine country of Oregon and is only a two hour drive from Mount Hood. On the way, you drive through Oregon City which I’m sure you could find more activities to do. We also passed by several yummy looking Taco food trucks, but we didn’t stop so we could make it to Willamette Winery Vineyards before close. Its one of my favorite spots in the valley because of their amazing wines, great views, and fantastic service. We bought several bottles, their best known for their reds but you can form your own opinions on your favorites! Their outdoor patio was perfect for social distancing.

stop 5: salem, or

We decided to stay in Salem, the capitol of Oregon, so I could visit with my Aunt and Uncle who live there. We had a great time catching up! We also drove to downtown to see the cute town, the Capitol building, and pick up some delicious burgers from Bo & Vine. I have been to Salem before, and if we had more time, or if you have more time on your adventure, I’d recommend going to Silver Falls State Park and visiting more wineries in the Willamette Valley!

I hope you enjoyed reading about Day 1 of our road trip! :)