What can you say about Crater Lake? The blue on that thing in full daylight is unreal. I insist we made a day trip there, thirty or so years ago, but Richard has no memory of ever having seen it. We had no trouble getting a spot at the Mazama Campground inside the park because there are lots of first come, first served sites available. In fact, we were able to score one at the end of the B loop with a beautiful view and the sound of Annie Creek rushing below. Many of the trails are still closed due to snow (in July!), but we were able to do the Discovery Point trail along the rim and the Godfrey Glen loop trail through old growth forest. Both were spectacular.
Getting to Crater Lake was glorious. We took Dead Indian Memorial Road (controversial name there, to be sure, and someone had painted over the “Dead” on the road sign) all the way to Highway 140, to 531 to 62. Those routes are listed as “scenic” and they did not fail to deliver. Cell service was sporadic or nonexistent the whole way there. In Mazama Village, we couldn’t take it and splurged for paid wifi, which was so slow as to be hardly worth it. We are admittedly addicted to internet service. Yes, Richard does need it for his work, sure. But I also “need” it to check in with home and look things up, like what was that weasel thing we saw run across the path?! It was a Pacific Marten, by the way! This is my new favorite animal and it is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. I wish I were faster on the draw with my camera because it ran across the path right in front of us and paused for a few seconds before disappearing over a ridge. I will say the mosquitoes at Crater Lake were impressive. I guess there’s something to be said for living through a drought because nowhere in California have we seen that many.
Things to note about the Mazama Campground: there were no showers or working water spigots, or a dump when we were there. Looks like they are working on a plumbing overhaul, but do be prepared. There is a lot of construction happening on the stretch of road that runs along the west rim of the lake. We did not go that way. Also, Rim Village was really packed and we would have had a hard time parking if we’d had Dory with us. Better to unhitch and make that an out and back. There are many visitor information displays at Rim Village explaining how this lake came to be. We also saw a couple of tour boats taking people to Wizard’s Island. I’m not sure how you get to those boats, but that would be an amazing thing to do.
Total miles from Ashland: 85.0, 15.8 mpg, 2 hours, 27 minutes. Site B 7. The sites are color coded by size. We could have gotten away with a 28′ yellow site, but the one on the end was so nice, and there were lots of empty 50′ red spaces, so we didn’t feel bad taking it.
