Tom,I love Jasper's but it is almost to
CP.If friends visiting are foodies, we hit a loop of Rogue Creamery, Lilliebelle Chocolates and Jasper's.
I was talking about guided rafting
of which there are several providers
in Ashland. They run the Klamath,Illinois,etc.in addition to the Rogue. They also do kayaks.
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=...w=1007&bih=514

http://www.blackbeardiner.com/locations/oregon.aspx
I have eaten at 7 different Black Bear Diners in 3 states.
It is one of my favorites in Bend.Which direction are you coming from to get to Prospect?
If you can't get a reservation at Crater Lake Lodge there are other choices within 1.5 hours of the lake.

We appreciate all the advise to date. It looks like we need to stay in Ashland rather than Prospect. We will be coming down from Bend and would like to go to Crater Lake, of course.
What would be the best way to do this? Looks like to far from Bend to spend much time at CL the same day. Perhaps drive on to Ashland stay there the night and come back to CL the next AM. Any advise would be appreciated.

I had another thought on the Crater Lake visit. What about on to Central Point or Medord as it would be closer to the lake. We are heading down the coast to see the REDWOODS when we leave any of these towns, so any of them would be on our way going over to the coast and on south comments please!!

There are several cabins for rent in Union Creek not far from the intersection of Rt. 62 and 230.
You have to go to Grants Pass to get on Rt. 199 to go see the Coast Redwoods. You can go on Rt. 234 through Gold Hill to avoid the Medford area.

There is nothing wrong with staying at the Prospect Hotel- its a cute place, has great meals. There is nothing else to do in town for sure but if you have been out and about all day, you may not care.

Or- you could stay at the Steamboat Inn on the Umqua- its a beautiful place on the river with little cabins, and a restaurant. There are many nice waterfall hikes close by as well as a reasonable drive to Crater Lake. It is rather high end but a nice place

I have friends who have stayed at the Union Creek cabins- says they are not too bad - they stayed there just a couple of months ago

tomfuller, I wouldn't send a foodie to a Black Bear but I would sure go myself! Great place for down-home food.

I guess it's all what people are used to - but it's not that far from Bend to Crater Lake - max a couple of hours - and a it's a pretty, relaxing drive. http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Bend...r%20Lake&2s=OR Hey - it's only about two and a half hours from Bend all the way down to my old hometown of Klamath Falls, even less when we wuz hot-footing it!!!! :)

And after spending a few hours at Crater Lake - you can be in cute Ashland in a couple hours or so - along a nice, rolling hills drive. http://www.distancebetweencities.net...hland_or/route (Just zoom in and out of these maps and you will be able to see how to get around Southern Oregon - fairly easily.)

You drive down/along the Rogue River - through Eagle Point and head past Medford (where some of my Klamath Falls friends now live) and then to Ashland (where some more of my Klamath friends live)

From Ashland - you can then go on toward the Coast through Grants Pass (where a couple more of my Klamath friends live) and there are some big Coastal Redwoods somewhere along 199 - plus Cave Junction is interesting - and then I believe there also Coastal Redwood Parks not that far from where you get to Crescent City on the very north end of the California Coast. http://www.distancebetweencities.net...-pass_or/route

From one end of the Rogue Valley (populated areas) to the other - say Ashland to Grants Pass - without traffic concerns - is what - an hour or so?

From Crescent City, CA - you can head back up the Oregon Coast - maybe taking a Jet Boat ride up the Rogue at Gold river.

And Black Bear is a great neighborhood diner/hearty eating place - with good food, good prices and plenty of it. :)

And BBQboy: Good info - thanks. :)

Uno Mas: You could also go from Crater Lake to Grants Pass and be closer to the Coast/Coastal Redwoods the next day. There are some cute places in Grants Pass along the scenic Rogue River - a river that was made famous by the old Western Writer - Zane Gray. http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/tr...ane-grey-0709/

And there are other places in Grants Pass on/along the fabled Rogue River - but Morrison's gets some good reviews. http://tinyurl.com/88ges8k

tomsd
i think we will go from bend as u say to CL then to Grants Pass since we will be heading on down to crescent city then back up the coast.

need more opinions
Coming up the coast from crescent city Ca considering Bandon or Gold beach 1 nite then on to Newport for 2 nights what is best of the 2