elnap29

Hello, All - We're forming a last-minute itinerary for a road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Oregon, about 9 nights total in July. We'd love some ideas from experienced folk.
I don't really care for long car rides, so we're looking to break up the trip a bit. We enjoy wilderness areas and hiking and would like to include this in the second half of the trip.
Our general outline so far:
- Driving after work to Ashland, OR - spending 2 nights in a rental outside town.
Possible hike nearby and a play at the Shakespeare Festival.
- Interested in a stop between Ashland and Portland, either for a few hours or to spend the night. Which town has lots of covered bridges? Anything else of interest? (We've already been to Eugene a few times and liked it, but not for this trip)
- Spend a few days with friends in Portland; include a dinner at Le Pigeon where another friend's son is the chef. Also include some Stumptown Coffee!!

This is where we need some help. We experienced a wonderful day once going over the Willamette Pass, stopping for picnic and hikes, so we'd like something similar on a pass that is further north. We want to head east and south from Portland, perhaps spending the night somewhere between Portland and Sisters. For now, we have 2 nights booked in Sisters at Five Pine Lodge. I like the idea of Metolius/ Camp Sherman but have been unable to find lodging where we don't have to bring in food supplies. I checked with Timberline Lodge but not sure I want to spend $250 a night. Is it worth it? Is there hiking close by?

So, after Portland:
- Spend 1 night somewhere - hike/explore before and after
- Next 2 nights in Sisters at Five Point Lodge; biking, hiking, etc.
- Go to Crater Lake. No lodging available. Suggestions? We have 1 night to spend somewhere
- Head home

Interested in any ideas as we are not too familiar with this area. Thanks.

tomfuller

Take 126 east out of Eugene/Springfield to Belknap Springs.
http://www.belknaphotsprings.com/reservations.html
Continue over 242 over the McKenzie Pass to get into Sisters.
I love the hot spring experience.
Since you can't get reservation at Crater Lake Lodge, the next best choice is a motel type room or cabin at Diamond Lake Resort.
Hope that you don't hit Sisters during the annual Quilt show.
You should also check at Suttle Lake if you can't find anything at Camp Sherman or Black Butte Resort.

Fodorite018

I would not do an overnight between Ashland and Portland. Instead, take a couple hours and stop at Silver Falls State Park, which is east of Salem a bit (20 minutes or so). There is the trail of 10 falls, which is 7 miles long and a great hike. Not hard at all. If you don't want to do the entire thing, you can park at a couple different spots and see the big falls. It would break up the day nicely.

For a night after Portland, consider the gorge. Hood River would be a good area to stay for the night. It's only an hour or so from Portland, and on the way you can take the old scenic highway and stop at Portland Woman's Forum (odd name, great views), Crown Point Vista House and Multnomah Falls. Those are the biggies, but there are many more great places to stop along here as well as for hiking. Timberline is nice too, and yes, there is great hiking right there by the lodge. It all just depends on how far you want to go and how difficult you want it.

Another place at Crater Lake is the Mazama Motor Inn. I haven't stayed there, but a friend has. It is basic, but works. Also, call the lodge at Crater Lake daily as there are always cancellations and you might luck out.

Tomsd

We love Timberline and there is plenty of hiking there, and the very cute lake below it - Trillium - is also beautiful.

If you want to see covered bridges - the area around where you are staying has them (Grants Pass, Eagle Point) and a bit further up - north of 5 - Canyonville and Myrtle Creek - south of Roseburg has quite a number. see: http://www.southernoregon.com/bridges/

If you also wanted to see a beautiful stretch of the Oregon Coast - at Eugene - you could head over to Florence (an hour or so) and then go north from there. This place by Depot Bay is very pretty - http://www.surfriderresort.com/

The next day - you could cut over from say Lincoln City back toward Salem and up/on into Portland, or continue up the Coast a bit further and head over to Portland from Tilamook.

Great cheese in Tilamook and a big WWII Blimp hangar that now houses an air museum. http://www.tillamookair.com/

It's a bit more driving that way - but you would see a prime section of the beautiful Oregon coast if you have not done so.

sunbum1944

http://www.lakecreeklodge.com/

Lake Creek Lodge in the Metolius has a restaurant open for breakfast and dinner- but sounds like you have your plans made already. There is another nice restaurant in the Metolius area called the Kokanee- reservations needed in the summer.

I like MMS idea of stopping near Salem and hiking Silver Falls State park- it is beautiful hike. Some of the falls have a trail that goes behind the falls.

Crater Lake- check out lodging at Diamond Lake ( a short drive) or Steamboat Inn- also a short drive but I think kind of pricey.

I have stayed several times at the Prospect Inn-also outside the park, old stage coach stop- there is an inn part and then more of motel accommodations behind- they serve a fabulous breakfast and dinner. Its a short drive into the park and I belong to a group that stays there every winter when we do a snowshoe trip to Crater Lake.

Hiking in the Sisters area is endless- you could do a nice flat trail along the Metolius, you could hike Iron Mountain where the 2nd week of July you will find hundreds of wild flowers, you could hike Canyon Creek Meadows, Tam McArthur Rim - or drive over to Redmond and check out Smith Rock, world famous for rock climbing but there are hiking trails along the river and also more challenging ones. Fun to watch the climbers and wonder whatever possess them to want to do that.

Looking for covered bridges? Lane County where Eugene is located has the most- but Cottage Grove is the city that makes them their claim to fame. The bridges are not exactly in town- you would have to drive out in the country to find them .

Enjoy-

spirobulldog

Have an extra cup of stumptown for me. and right down the street is voodoo donuts.

sunbum1944

And you could do a food cart tour of Portland or a Epicurian Walking tour- haven't done the food cart tour but sounds fun.

VisitCentralOR

You've already received some great suggestions for completing your Oregon itinerary, so you really can't go wrong with whatever you decide to do. I'm glad to see you plan to spend 2 nights at the Five Pine Lodge in Sisters. It's such a special property with access to endless hiking trails http://www.sistersoregonguide.com/re...on-hiking.html. As another poster mentioned, if you have time while you are in the area, take a short drive to Suttle Lake, 15 miles west of Sisters. http://thelodgeatsuttlelake.com . Getting out on the Lake in a canoe or kayak is a great way to spend a warm July afternoon. You can also dine lakeside at the Boathouse Restaurant. There's also Black Butte Ranch, 8 miles west of Sisters. You don't have to be a guest to enjoy wine and appetizers or a meal on the deck at the Ranch's Aspen Lounge from where you have a 270 degree view of the Central Oregon Cascades. http://www.blackbutteranch.com/ Lastly, for lodging near Crater Lake, there's Union Creek Resort, just 23 miles south of Crater Lake. http://www.unioncreekoregon.com/crater_lake.htm Happy Oregon Travels!

tomfuller

Just so that visitors to Oregon know (and my Oregon friends):
OR Rt. 58 is closed Monday-Thursday 8PM to 6AM in the area of the Salt Creek Falls tunnel near MP 56. At all other times expect 20 minute delays. This project will last through most of the summer.
The highway is open over the Willamette Pass so that you can get to Waldo Lake. I don't know how far east of Oakridge it is blocked off when the tunnel is closed.
If you do travel Rt. 58 stop and walk through the Lowell covered bridge. You drive over the new concrete bridge to get to the parking lot for the old covered bridge.

elnap29

Thanks for all the information and ideas. I am checking out each one. We've eliminated the coastal ideas because we've spent time there previously.

Mms, I appreciate the suggestion of Silver Falls State Park. A friend had mentioned it also, and it looks wonderful. Just the perfect activity to stretch our legs. The map app shows it is 4 1/2 hrs or more from Ashland and 42 minutes from Salem.

We are now thinking we might just visit Crater Lake for the day and then drive on to Ashland (or down to Weed) for the night before driving home the next day. Are these highways OK at night (Hwy 62 or Hwy 97)?

Does anyone have food recommendations for Sisters?

There are about 4 different routes to drive from Portland to Sisters. The Gorge is beautiful (we were there years ago) but there is no lodging available in Hood River. Which would be your 1st, 2nd, 3rd choices for the drive?
We still have to find a place to stay between Portland and Sisters - a Saturday night, so not so easy.

happytrailstoyou

Go to Crater Lake. No lodging available. Suggestions?

Keep calling. Somebody will cancel. Evening is a good time to find a cancelation.

HTTY

PS Smith Rock and Crooked River are our two favorite spots near Bend. The drive from Bend to Sisters affords great views of The Sisters and Mount Jefferson.