Oregon Trip

If you are looking for a destination abundant in nature -- including lush valleys, snow-capped mountains, and a scenic road along the coast -- then Oregon located to the north of California in the United States is an excellent choice. In terms of area, Oregon is slightly larger than the United Kingdom. 

We did a four-day trip to Oregon and these are the places we visited. 

Day 1: 

1. Multnomah Falls: Multnomah Falls was our first spot, a 30-minute drive from Portland. This 620 ft cascading waterfall, the tallest waterfall in Oregon, has a hike to the top. The views on the way up are glorious. The sources of the waterfall are the underground springs from a mountain and the spring snowmelt. 

The falls are generally crowded and for a good reason. There's another waterfall called the "Bridal Veil" waterfall nearby.

2. Vista House: A place to stop by if you want to stretch your legs after driving along the scenic highway. It has informative exhibits along with a gift shop. The architecture is elegant but I was more fascinated by the breathtaking Columbia River gorge. 

3. Mount Hood and Trillium Lake: While travelling through the scenic highway offers multiple glimpses of Mount Hood, stopping at Trillium Lake provides a wonderful opportunity to photograph this majestic snow-clad mountain rising above the tree line. One can also do other activities at this getaway such as Kayaking, hiking, and camping overnight. 

Day 2: We started our coastal road trip from Portland and stopped along the route on the following 2 spots

1. Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock: It's a wonderful sight, with the 235ft basalt rock rising from the coastline. Millions of years ago lava flowed into the Oregon coast where it solidified into hard rock. Over the years, changes in the sea levels and the earth's surface exposed this rock, which was further shaped by wave erosion. 
Taking a stroll along the way to the beach and observing the surroundings is quite enjoyable. There are nearby lodges if one wishes to spend a night in this coastal town. 

2. Cape Meares Lighthouse: We were visiting this place located south of Tillamook Bay on a summer day but were greeted with a strong breeze as we stepped out of the car (better to keep a jacket handy). It's a short trail from the parking to the lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1890 as the light station for Tillamook Bay and was decommissioned in 1963. 

 

Day 3: We stayed at Coos Bay the previous night and we started off on our journey and covered the Shore Acres State Park, the Simpson's Reef overlook, and the Sunset Bay State Park. We stopped at Bandon for lunch. Needless to say, all the spots offered great panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. 

1. Shore Acres State Park

2. Simpsons Reef Overlook: If you want to experience wildlife viewing then Simpson's Reef is a good spot. The seals and sea lions are off-limits to the public. However, the volunteers on the overlook carry telescopes and provide information about the 4 kinds of seals and sea lions found here. If you look through the telescopes, you will see the marine mammals and seabirds loafing on the rocks adjacent to Shell Island. 

3. Sunset Bay State Park: Another great spot to take pictures of the amazing natural scenery.

 

Day 4: 

1. Natural Bridge Loop Trail: This site in the Rogue River- Siskiyou National Forest was suggested to us by a local. So we thought of visiting it as we were travelling to Crater Lake. It's a 25-30 minute hike with a rushing river which is very refreshing to our mind and eyes. If you aren't in a hurry to go to Crater Lake then it's worth stopping by at this place. 

2. Crater Lake National Park: Some places leave you absolutely mesmerized and I count Crater Lake as one of such places. It is incredibly massive with a brilliant blue shade of water. It is supposed to be one of the cleanest large bodies of water in the world. 

Crater Lake was formed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Mazama 7700 years ago. Crater Lake is 1943 ft deep and the deepest lake in the United States. The lake gets its water from the rain and snow as no rivers or streams feed into this lake. 

There are several viewing points and the picture shown below is from "The Watchman's Peak". If, however, you want to do a boat ride or take a dip in the lake then you will have to take the Cleetwood Cove trail. 

If you are a nature enthusiast, then this place is right up your alley. 

A spectacular coastline, incredible views, marvellous waterfalls, picturesque hiking trails, and the splendid Crater Lake are the highlights of the 4-day trip to Oregon. 

Canyons

Coves

Reefs

Gorge