DavLou

Is it possible to do this in 4 full days in August? We’re arriving in Portland late in the evening of Day 0. We’d like to cover as much of this as possible on Days 1 – 4, as we’re departing Portland at 2PM on Day 5.

I’m typing the clockwise route but would consider the reverse if that makes more sense.

Here are the highlights we hope to experience.

Day 1:

Columbia River Gorge: Hwy 30, Multnomah, Vista House, some hikes.

Day 2:

Hood River/ Mt. Hood: Lost Lake, Timberline Lodge, some hiking. (Some of Day 2 activities may fit into Day 1)

Bend: Newberry Volcanic Monument and Crater

Day 3:

Crater Lake: Drive around Rim, couple of hikes (Watchman/Cleetwood), and Pinnacles. Pinnacles at Crater Lake sound a lot like Pinnacles National Monument in California – a must see but largely unknown.

Pacific Coast: (South to North) Dunes Hiking (Overlook and/or Dellenback), Cape Perpetua, Overnight someplace on the coast, then

Day 4: Three Capes Loop, Depoe, Visit two or three Lighthouses, Oswald West St Park, Cannon Beach, Ecola Bay St Park, Ft Stevens St Park, Astoria Include short hikes at the best spots.

On Day 5, drive into Portland and visit Powell’s in the morning, perhaps another Portland site before early afternoon departure.

We keep moving, don’t waste much time on food, and are hoping this is actually doable. Your opinions and advice are appreciated. Fit couple, no kids.

happytrailstoyou

Crater Lake is way off the beaten track. If you make the effort to go there, it would be wise to stay two nights so you have a full day to explore and savor the experience.

Two hikes in Crater Lake and a hike on the dunes on the coast is not reasonable. The drive Bend-Crater Lake-Oregon Dunes takes seven hours behind the wheel without a stop of any kind.

You are correct that some Day 2 activities may fit into Day 1, leaving you at least one night to spend at Crater Lake. You won't regret it. Because of its location, Crater Lake is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most who visit it.

HTTY

tomfuller

At the end of day 2 stay at the Best Western in La Pine.
http://bestwesternoregon.com/hotels/...berry-station/
If you go out to the Newberry Caldera about 15 miles east of US 97, take the road that switchbacks up to the top of Paulina Peak. Oregon's highest public outhouse is up there at 8000' above sea level. You can see some pinnacles from the viewpoint on Paulina. I am not sure you can get to the pinnacles in Crater Lake NP. There is still a good bit of snow in many parts of the park.

spirobulldog

Day 3 can't be done. And you really haven't included any driving times into the trip.

I don't really think Day 2 can be done either. Unless your hiking is super super short hikes.
Eagle Creek trail is good in the Columbia Gorge.

We did a similar trip to yours but were there 12 days a couple of years ago. And we are the type that cram a lot in to a day. Our trips aren't slow paced at all. Oregon is my favorite trip I have ever taken with my wife and daughter or even as a child with my parents.

The Rose Garden is another "not to be missed" in Portland IMOP. Powells is awesome. Try Stumptown Roasters for coffee.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWEb
above is to our photos and also includes 1 day in the Redwoods and also includes Oregon Caves National Monument

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWEo
If you are adventurous we did this on one of our days there
it is with cascade-canyoning guides based in Moab, Utah.

spirobulldog

oops, try this link for the canyoning.
http://spirobulldog.shutterfly.com/pictures/1055

DavLou

Thank you for the comments. The drive time between some of the sites is indeed a major factor, and I haven't yet considered overnight lodging availability.

Would my itinerary be more palatable if I skipped the half-day in Portland and did the loop counter-clockwise? In that scenario, I'd see something like this:

Day 1 - Head out of Portland to Astoria and wander down the coast for two days, overnighting somewhere around Newport, spending Day 2 in points south to the Dunes, then overnight in Eugene.

Day 3 - An early morning drive to Crater Lake, departing with enough time remaining to see Newberry in the late afternoon.

Day 4 - Drive to Mt Hood area, see sights and hike there, then on to Hood River and The Gorge, seeing parts of that in late afternoon.

Day 5 - See remaining priority Gorge sights in the morning, driving directly to the airport for my 2PM departure.

This still may be too aggressive, but it seems slightly more possible. Your opinions?

happytrailstoyou

Your revised itinerary is very doable and a big improvement over the original.

I would start on the coast at Cannon Beach (unless I were particularly interested in a specific attraction in Astoria). On a map, the drive between Portland and Astoria appears to have many sweeping views of the Columbia River, but, in fact, it does not.

Skipping Astoria will give you time to enjoy ocean views at a more leisurely pace: Three Capes, Cape Perpetua, Yachats, etc.

Hood River is a charming town and a good place to stay. We like the rooms with balconies on the river at the Best Western; the rooms come with a sit down breakfast in a cheerful dining room.

HTTY

tomfuller

With you revised CCW route, go over Rt. 38/138 from Reedsport.
About 5 miles east of Reedsport stop at the Deans Creek Elk viewing area. Spend the night in Roseburg instead of Eugene.
If you stay at the Best Western (LaPine) you can choose whether to head for the Newberry Caldera late in the day or the next morning. Make sure to make a stop at the High Desert Museum 5 miles south of Bend. Visiting the Lavalands visitor center is not worth the time needed compared to the museum.
Be sure to see Multnomah Falls on the morning of day 5 if not before.

DavLou

Thanks again for the info. I've book a place in Roseburg for Day 2 and the BW LaPine for Day 3. Things are looking better this way, so I'll complete the bookings and make a more detailed plan.

DavLou

As follow-up for anyone reading this in the future, the modified itinerary worked perfectly! We didn't see or do anything at all in Portland, since that had to be cut for this to work. Summary: Arrived PDX late evening of Day 0. Day 1 and Day 2 were spent along the coast from Cannon Beach to Winchester Bay, with some good 2 - 3 hour hikes at key places. We also visited six lighthouses (well, 5 in person, Tillamook across the water view). We don't waste time with dining or shopping, preferring to use every hour of daylight for more important things. The long summer days provide time to keep going late. Overnight on Day 2 in Roseburg, so Day 3 consisted of Crater Lake (wow what a beautiful drive along the Umpqua), then up to LaPine for overnight on Day 3. Arrived LaPine early enough to visit Newberry, Lakes, Paulina Peak before dark. Plenty of time at Crater Lake for hikes down to the water, up to Cloudcap (road still closed in Aug due to snow, so we walked it), and even a good hike at Pinnacles. Day 4 allowed time to visit Pilot in Bend, then Smith Rock for a couple of hours, then up to Mt Hood for a great hike on part of the Timberline (lots of snow still there) .... and yes, a late afternoon visit to Lost Lake for awesome views of Mt Hood and hiking around the lakeside trail. Overnighted Day 4 at Cascades Locks (not far from Lost Lake), then Day 5 gave us a great visit to Bonneville Dam (we engineer geeks have to see that kind of thing), then Horsetail Falls, Multnomah Falls (hiked to the top), nice drive along US30, Vista House, and then to PDX for a 2PM departure on Day 5. We carry ice and water and lots of fruit and deli stuff and snacks so we eat on the run, and that allows for a fun, active trip. We never felt rushed, enjoyed all the sights and hikes, and had a blast. BTW, every single person, whether a supermarket clerk, hotel staff, toll booth attendant (Casc Locks), gas station guy -- ALL were extremely friendly and courteous. People in OR don't seem as angry as here in the South. Next time: Portland.

tomfuller

What did you miss besides Powell's Books? I took a hike in the Newberry Caldera yesterday.
When you come back, spend a little more time in the Bend area including the High Desert Museum.

happytrailstoyou

Thanks for the report of the great time you had in Oregon.

The Northeast corner of the state is another great area to visit. There you will find the Wallowa Mountains, Wallowa Lake, and the likable town of Joseph:

http://www.wallowalake.net/
http://www.josephoregon.com/

HTTY