Hidden Gems on the Roque Umpqua Highway 62

As I mentioned in my last blog, there's more to this area than just Crater Lake.  We actually only went up to Crater Lake that one day (almost seems so un-American to even say that!).  Gary said he just didn't see any reason to go back up to the lake to see the same thing (ha!ha! maybe he's the one who's un-American?!).

But, we saw such beauty all around us in this part of Oregon and in the next few blogs you are going to see just what we mean.

National Creek Falls occur where the spring-fed creek diverges around a basalt outcropping and plunges about 40 fee over a jagged ledge in two scenic channels.  The grotto below the falls is exceptionally scenic and thriving in greenery, with a small meadow of mosses growing on a flat area just downstream of the falls where Falls Creek merges with National Creek.  The falls flow very consistently and are good to visit anytime of the year.

 

 

 

After visiting National Creek Falls, we headed to another local site, Rabbit Ears.  Our goal was to get to Hershberger Mountain and Lookout.  We were told to follow the signs, and we really thought we were headed in the right direction because of this ONE sign (this one's for you Bruce and Michele!).

But, alas, we never found our way to the lookout although we did see it from a distance.

We drove and drove and drove and then decided, "We're lost!" so we turned around.  It wasn't a complete loss, however.  We did get to see Rabbit Ears.  Rabbit Ears is an unusual rock formation nestled in the tree rises over 5,800 feet from the valley floor.  The peaks located in the Rogue River National Forest are a remnant of the core of an ancient volcano.

 

 In the photo below you can see both peaks, thus the name "Rabbit Ears."

 Some miscellaneous flora and fauna along our meandering, wandering road.

 

We back-tracked down the mountain and headed to our next stoop, Rogue Gorge Viewpoint. The wild and scenic Rogue River courses through a narrow channel--as little as 10' in places--of basalt lava at this breathtaking, awe-inspiring sight.  The Gorge features cascading waterfalls and churning, rushing waters through ancient lava tubes.  It was most likely formed by the collapse of lava tubes and the force of the river as it followed fractures between the layers of lava.

 

The Rogue Gorge forms a chasm 500 feet long.  The Gorge narrows to 25 feet from the platform's edge to the opposite wall, and it drops 45 feet to the river.

The water remains a steady has an average temperature of 44 degrees.  Because of this very cold water, native fish do not grow to a large size.

 

 

As much as I tried to really get a good picture of the lava tubes on the river, it just didn't work out all that well, but I'm still including them here.  Just use your imagination!  This next photo explains how lava tubes are formed and what you should look for (although that really isn't going to help ... sorry!).

Close-ups of a lava tube.

 There are lava tubes in the next three photos in case you want to know.

 

This is water rushing out of a lava tube.

 Now we're back to plain old Rogue River Gorge photos.

 

 

 

 At an overlook on the Gorge.

 

The Rogue River entered a section of a lava tube, becoming a "hidden river" which flows below ground for 200 feet.  In doing so it created a natural bridge that connects the banks of the river.  Just like the lava tubes, the Natural Bridge was VERY DIFFICULT to capture on camera.  But, first, we have the Natural Bridge Falls.

  

 

Going into the lava tube.

 

And this is where the water comes out at the other end.

 Just some stuff that I liked on the trails along the Rogue River Gorge.

 

 A final farewell glimpse of the Rogue River Gorge.

Isaiah 46:18

If only you had paid attention to My commandments!  Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Cruisin' the Crater

Here's our campground set-up at Crater Lake RV Park in Prospect, OR--just south of the Lake.  What a beautiful setting we found ourselves enjoying.  Lousy WiFi, by the way, which is one of the reasons all these blogs are so late in coming.  But don't worry, I can make up even more excuses as time goes by!

Our first full day in this area brought us to beautiful Crater Lake and the West Rim Drive.

We headed north on West Rim Drive and our first stop was Discovery Point ... I think!

From there we drove to our next overlook, Watchman Overlook.  Actually, to be perfectly honest with you, I'm not sure which pictures are from what overlook (how's that for truth or consequences?).  There were so many places we stopped and some weren't named and even though I wrote the photo numbers on the map at each stop I eventually realized I didn't quite have the stops right.  So I think these are from Watchman because that's where you are closest to Wizard Island.

Wizard Island is a cinder cone that erupted out of Crater Lake approximately 7,300 years ago in a shower of fiery cinders that piled into a symmetrical cone. Lava flows then pushed through the loose cinders, creating "tongues" of blocky lave that comprise the rest of the island. Today hikers can cross a lava tongue on the Fumarole Bay Trail, or explore the volcano's vent via the Summit Trail.

 

 

Next stop, North Junction and more!

 Gary and Sadie.

 

  Here I am in my new pink camo sweatshirt.

 From this point we headed away from the Lake out the North Entrance Road to Diamond Lake Overlook.

And a great view of Mt. Thielsen, also known as Big Cowhorn.  It is an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades.  Because eruptive activity ceased many thousands of years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and horn-like peak.  The spire-like shape of Thielsen attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, an unusual mineral. 

 

 

 

There's so much more to this area than just Crater Lake we found out and you will too!

Luke 8:22-25

Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”