Crater Lake in Spring

On our way to Bend, we took a side trip to the Crater Lake National Park in Central Oregon. Crater Lake National Park was just transitioning from deep winter to the summer season. The resorts and motels were opening, the road to Rim Village was plowed but not Rim Drive, and snow was still on the ground at higher elevations (52 feet of snow was recorded this year). It was off season, with fewer crowds and cool temperature – just the way we like it!

Mill Creek Falls

 Mill Creek Gorge

We approached the park on Highway 62 from Medford, Oregon, and checked into our rustic cabin in the historic Union Creek Resort (opened in 1922 to serve visitors to the park). We explored the area, visiting Mill Creek Falls and Barr Creek Falls. The weather was beautiful and warm, and the Douglas Fir forest and understory provided wonderful shade. The Rogue River and its tributaries meander through the area, providing many waterfalls. Some require a hike, but many are accessible after a short walk. We ended the day with a delicious dinner at Beckie's Café (they are known for their hospitality and their pies), and then retired to our cozy cabin.

Union Creek

Union Creek Resort

The next day was also beautiful and warm. We drove the 20 miles to the Crater Lake Visitor Center on clear roads, but quickly got into snow country as we ascended to 6,000 feet. We stopped at the Visitor Center at Park Headquarters for the introductory film about the park and its origins, and marveled at the snow banks. It was fun to see so much snow after our years in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I observed more than a few adults ball up a handful of snow and toss it playfully.

Crater Lake Visitor Center in June

Wizard Island from Discovery Point

Crater Lake

We stopped at several overlooks to view the lake, but ended up at Discovery Point for the best views of Wizard Island and the lake. It was surprisingly busy, with a continual stream of visitors. Several chipmunks and birds entertained the visitors. After exploring and picture taking, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the beautiful Crater Lake Lodge and then headed back to our rustic cabin at Union Creek Resort for the night.

Crater Lake Lodge

Crate Lake Lodge Lobby

The following morning, we packed up and checked out of the hotel, and lingered over a final breakfast at Beckie's Café. We stopped at the nearby Rogue River Gorge for a look at the falls, and a walk through the forest. We saw the Living Stump (its roots are grafted to the roots of living trees, so could heal the wound where it was sawed, and continues to live). The walk by the falls is fenced, with several outcrops provide better viewing (you could feel secure hiking with a young child). We left the area and headed to Beautiful Bend by way of Highway 138 (with a quick stop at Diamond Lake), and Highway 97.

Rogue River Gorge

Predictions are that the Rim Drive won't be completely plowed until mid-July because of the heavy snowfall this year. We still enjoyed the beautiful vistas of the lake, and the chance to see part of the park, even if access was limited by the snow. The visit brought back good memories of when my sister, young son, and I camped at Crater Lake many years ago. We pitched a tent, explored the area, and enjoyed being together!

Denali National Park

For a short, three-day road trip, my husband, folks, and aunt rented an SUV and drove the Parks Highway to Denali National Park. The forecast of cloudy and rainy weather dimmed our hope of actually seeing Denali, but we decided to go anyway, since the terrain and wilderness is beautiful on its own merit. Plus, the “partly cloudy” weather prediction could also be read as “partly sunny”, meaning we could have a brief encounter with Denali. Denali, which means “The High One” (formerly known as Mount McKinley), is 20,328 feet high and the tallest mountain peak in the United States and North America. Denali National Park includes more than six million acres of raw, wild land. What a national treasure.

Our upscale camp site at the Cantwell RV Park.

On a tip from friends in Wasilla, Alaska, we rented trailers in the Cantwell RV Park for our lodging (Milepost 210). This was great fun, and provided us an “upscale” camping experience, without having to haul around camping gear or drive an RV. In the Park (Milepost 237.2), we signed up for shuttle service to the Eielson Visitor Center, an eight-hour round-trip ride with brief restroom breaks and frequent stops for wildlife viewing. This is a great way to see the park – letting an expert drive, with the option of getting off and on the buses. Our driver informed us that Denali is so tall that it makes its own weather, and that only about 30 – 40% of Park visitors actually see the mountain.

It is hard to fathom the distance and grandeur from a photo.



Our green shuttle making a stop to view wildlife and the terrain.

Our shuttle left the Wilderness Access Center (WAC) at 10:30 in the morning. We had a great ride and a very knowledgeable bus driver. We saw lots of wild life – grizzly bears, caribou, foxes, wolves, mountain sheep, hawks, magpies, chipmunks, and a seagull. We saw beautiful sweeps of tundra, with its tapestry of miniature plants and jagged mountains.

Caribou	Tundra tapestry
Miniature fireweed	Grazing grizzlies

HTML Tables

We enjoyed the 40 minute break at the Eielson Visitor Center with its sod roof, solar panels, and grand vistas. But no glimpse of Denali. The mountain was continually shrouded in clouds and mist. Our shuttle returned to the WAC at 6:15. For dinner we dined at The Salmon Bake just north of the Park (Milepost 238.4), and then returned to the RV Park for the night.

Eielson Visitor Center, with a non-view of Denali.

The sun occasionally peaked through the clouds and mist.

The next day was a beautiful – full sun, puffy clouds, and warm temperature. We drove our rented SUV back to Anchorage in high spirits. And guess what? We saw Denali. All the way to Anchorage we had spectacular views of the mountain – from the North, West, and South. Clouds drifted across the snow capped peaks but we had a clear view. I heard one fellow in the South parking lot state that he had never seen such a clear view of Denali in all his years in Alaska.

Denali from the Parks Highway – North View.

Denali from the Parks Highway – South View.

If you are ever in Anchorage or Fairbanks – go to Denali. You might get lucky and see the mountain, despite the odds, or you’ll have a great story to tell about NOT seeing the mountain.