Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Oregon
Hiking Trails & Maps
Maps & Trails
A Quick Visit To Crater Lake
National Park
Oregon Cave National Monument
Oregon National Forests,
Campground Overview & Map
Rogue River
National Forest: Collings Mountain Trail #943
Rogue River National
Forest: Payette Trail #970
Tour Crater Lake Virtually
Oregon: Crater Lake National Park
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Rim View
Rolling mountains, volcanic peaks, and evergreen forests surround this enormous, high Cascade Range lake, recognized worldwide as a scenic wonder. Crater Lake was established as a national park in 1902 after 17 years of lobbying by William Gladstone Steel. He had learned of Crater Lake as a Kansas schoolboy reading a newspaper used to wrap his lunch. It was named after the small crater at the top of Wizard Island, (the cinder cone in the lake that rises some 760 feet above water). On sunny summer days, neither words nor photographs can capture Crater Lake's remarkable blueness. This intense hue/color is due to the fact that light gets absorbed color by color as it passes through clear water. First the reds, then orange, yellow, and green. Last to be absorbed are the blues. Only the deepest blue gets scattered back to where you see it as the color of the water. The water is of course no more blue, than the sky is blue. But it looks incredible! When the lake is perfectly still, one can see it act as a grand mirror for the sky, and surrounding rim.
Much of the year, usually October to July at higher elevations, a thick blanket of snow encircles the lake. Snowfall provides most of the park's annual 66 inches of precipitation. Crater Lake rarely freezes over completely; it last did in 1949. Heat from the summer sun stored in the immense body of water retards ice formation throughout the winter. On the earth clock, natural forces only recently constructed this landscape. Lava f lows first formed a high plateau base on which explosive eruptions then built the Cascade volcanoes. Humans probably witnessed the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama about 7,700 years ago.
Shamans in historic time forbade most Indians to view the lake, and Indians said nothing about it to trappers and pioneers, who for 50 years did not find it. Then, in 1853, while searching for the Lost Cabin Gold Mine, some prospectors, including John Wesley Hillman, happened onto Crater Lake.
Soundings with piano wire by a U.S. Geological Survey party in 1886 set the lake's depth at 1,996 feet, close to sonar findings of 1,932 feet officially recorded in 1959. The clean, clear, cold lakewater contained no fish until they were introduced by humans from 1888 to 1941. Today, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon still survive in Crater Lake.
Wildflowers bloom late and disappear early here, thriving in wet, open areas. Birds and other animals often seen are ravens, jays, nutcrackers, deer, ground squirrels, and chipmunks. Present but seldom seen are elk, black bears, foxes, porcupines, pine martens, chickaree squirrels, and pikas.
Oregon Caves National Monument is small in size, 480 acres, but rich in diversity. Above ground, the monument encompasses a remnant old-growth coniferous forest. It harbors a fantastic array of plants, and a Douglas-fir tree with the widest known girth in Oregon. Three hiking trails access this forest. Below ground is an active marble cave created by natural forces over hundreds of thousands of years in one of the world's most diverse geologic realms. A private concessionaire provides tours of the cave for a fee.
VISITATION:
Highest in July and August; lowest in December, January and February.
LOCATION:
20 miles east of Cave Junction, OR
ADDRESS:
National Park Service
Oregon Caves National Monument
19000 Caves Highway
Cave Junction, OR 97523
TELEPHONE:
(541) 592-2100
OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
The monument is usually open all year (Cave will be closed for the months of January and February, 1997 and temporary closures may be in effect throughout the spring due to trail restoration). Cave tours are provided as follows: In summer, approximately June 11 to September 4, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with tours running on a continual basis. In the fall, approximately September 5 to September 30, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In winter, approximately October 1 to April 30, with scheduled times between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., call for tour times and status of cave closures. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. In spring, approximately May 1 to June 10, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Summers are generally warm and sunny, with cool nights and occasional afternoon or evening thunderstorms. Winters are cold and wet. The cave temperature is a constant 41 degrees F degrees. Some warm clothing is recommended. Wear good walking shoes, as the trail surface is uneven and slippery.
DIRECTIONS:
The monument is located 20 miles east of Cave Junction, Oregon, at the end of State Highway 46. From Interstate 5 at Grants Pass, Oregon, go southwest on Highway 199. From Crescent City, California, go northeast on Highway 199, then turn east onto State Highway 46.
TRANSPORTATION:
To Park: private vehicles can access the monument by Interstate 5 and State Roads. Bus service is available only to Grants Pass. A concession provided shuttle service is available, for a fee, and with advance notice, from Cave Junction to the monument.
In Park: it's a three minute walk from the main parking lot to the cave entrance.
FEES, COSTS, RATES:
There is no entrance fee for the monument. Cave tours cost $6.00 for adults (12 years and over), $3.75 for children, and $5.00 for seniors holding Golden Age Passports. Also see special needs category below.
FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
The interagency Illinois Valley Visitor Center is located in Cave Junction on Highway 46, near its intersection with Highway 199. The Crater Lake Natural History Association operates a sales outlet there, with exhibits and information on the Oregon Caves.
Trails, Roads:
There are five miles of day hiking trails (three trails total) within the monument. The Big Tree Trail connects with a Siskiyou National Forest trail to Bigelow Lakes, a popular overnight backcountry hike. The No Name Trail connects with a Siskiyou National Forest trail to reach Cave Creek Campground. The Cliff Nature Trail is a 3/4 mile self guided loop which affords outstanding vistas near cliff area. Signs interpret natural features.
Programs, Activities:
Cave tours are provided year round, (see Operating Hours, Seasons for temporary cave closures in 1997), except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In summer, there are weekly ranger guided hikes, daily naturalist short talks and demonstrations and nightly evening programs at the monument in summer. There are summer evening programs on Friday and Saturday nights at Grayback Campground in the Siskiyou National Forest, and hiking and picnicking are available also.
Lodging and camping facilities:
The Historic Oregon Caves Chateau, a 22 room hotel operated by the Oregon Caves Company, provides lodging facilities (closed December, January, and February). There are no campgrounds within the monument, but two Forest Service campgrounds and some private ones, nearby.
Food/supplies:
The concession operates a coffee shop and dining room in the Chateau, during the spring, summer and fall seasons. No groceries are available at the monument.
Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
There is an NPS visitor contact station in the monument, as well as the NPS office. The
concessionaire operates a gift shop and cave guide service year-round.
Accessibility:
Due to the nature of the cave, only the first room of the cave is accessible to wheelchairs. Picnic tables and rest rooms are accessible to all.
Special Needs:
The cave tour is considered strenuous and is not recommended for people with heart, breathing or walking difficulties. Young children must be at least 42 inches tall, and be able to climb a set of test stairs unassisted. Children may not be carried by any means through the cave, and child care services are not available. The final eight miles of Highway 46 are narrow, steep and winding. Trailers are not advised, and may be parked at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Cave Junction. Gas is not available beyond Cave Junction.
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
Attend the cave tour, at least one hiking trail, a naturalist talk, picnicking and if staying overnight, the evening naturalist program at 9:00 p.m. (8:30 p.m., mid-August through early September).
RESERVATIONS, PERMITS:
No reservations for cave tours. Reservations recommended for Chateau lodging in summer at (541) 592-3400. Reservations for school groups or other educational groups should be made at least two weeks prior to the visit. Applications are required for special use permits and filming permits. Call (541) 592-2100.
BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Allow three hours for visit during peak season. Waiting times for cave tour can be up to an hour. Allow extra time for hiking the trails, which are beautiful and rarely used.
VISITOR IMPACTS:
There are possible road closures due to snow, or possible cave closures due to wintertime restoration projects. Call the park at (541) 592-2100 or the Illinois Valley Visitor Center at (541) 592-2631 for information.
ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Write Oregon Caves National Monument, 19000 Caves Highway, Cave Junction, OR 97523, or call (541) 592-2100. For Chateau reservations, call (541) 592-3400, or write Oregon Caves Company, P.O. Box 128, Cave Junction, OR 97523.
Oregon Caves National Monument is part of the Columbia Cascades Cluster
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COLLINGS MOUNTAIN TRAIL #943
Uses: Hiker/mountain bike/pack saddle
Length: 7.0 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate for Hikers, Difficult for Mtn. Bikers and Horses
Season: All Year
Level of Use: Light
Elevation: 2000' at both trailheads, 3040' at top of Collings Mountain
Connecting Trail: Da-ku-be-te-de
Description: Features views of Applegate Lake; Big Foot Trap interpretive site. Named for two brothers who mined in this vicinity during the 1850's and 1860's, the Collings Mountain trail offers a variety of opportunities ranging from historical sites to spectacular vistas.
Beginning at Hart-tish Park picnic area, the trail crosses Upper Applegate Road and drops down to Grouse Creek. An abandoned miner's cabin and inactive Sasquatch (Bigfoot) trap are encountered about 3/4 mile up the trail. Several mine adits (tunnels with one entrance) are found along the trail. Please, do not enter the tunnels!
Leaving Grouse Creek, the trail climbs steeply for one mile to the ridgetop, gaining 1,000' elevation, and begins a long traverse of the western slope of Collings Mountain summit (not if re-route completed).
Excellent panoramic views of the Applegate Lake and surrounding mountains are seen at several locations along the trail. After following the ridgeline for 2 miles, the trail then descends at a remote rate for 3 miles to Watkins Campground. The last 1/2 mile of trail passes through the 62 acre Watkins fire that burned in 1981.
Multi-user Info:
From Star Ranger Station, travel south on Upper Applegate Road for 9 miles to Hart-tish Park. The trailhead is located at the upper end of the picnic area parking lot.
From Hart-tish Park, continue south on Upper Applegate Road for 3 miles to Watkins Campground.
*** Hikers and mountain bikers please use caution around blind corners. When approaching stock, identify yourself so animals know you're there and move to the downhill side of trail.
It is best to carry water on this trip. Poison oak, ticks, and snakes are hazards to be aware of.
ROGUE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST
Applegate Ranger District,6941 Upper Applegate Rd. Jacksonville, OR 97530 (541-899-1812)
ROGUE RIVER NATIONAL
FOREST
PAYETTE
TRAIL, #970
Uses: Hikers/Mountain bike
Length: 9.2 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Season: Open all year
Elevation: 2000' - stays on contour of Applegate Lake
Features: Bank fishing when lake is full; viewpoints; hike-in/boat-in camping facilities along trail. Abundant wildlife observation opportunities.
Connecting Trails: Outdoor Study Trails, Viewpoint Trails
Description:
This scenic trail parallels the eastern shoreline of Applegate Lake, contouring just above the reservoir's high-water level. Several connecting trails provide opportunities for alternate loops. Additionally, three walk-in campgrounds are found along the route including Latgawa, Harr Point, and Tipsu Tyee. The camping facilities have restrooms, picnic tables and fire grills.
Water is not available in the campgrounds or on the trail. Poison oak, ticks, and an occasional rattlesnake are hazards to be aware of.
Attractions and Considerations:
Beginning at French Gulch Campground, the trail contours above the French Arm of Applegate Lake. Passing through a mixed conifer and hardwood forest, the trail continues along the shoreline for 3.5 miles to the parking area at Squaw Arm. The trail intersects a fire road. Options for following either the road or trail exist for approximately 2 miles before arriving at the Squaw Arm parking area. From the parking area, follow the stock driveway south for 400 feet to rejoin the Payette Trail on the right. From this location, Harr Point Campground is 0.5 miles, Tipsu Tyee Campground 1.5 miles, and Manzanita Trailhead 5.7 miles.
Good views of Applegate Lake, and Kinney and Collings Mountains are offered on this section of trail, ending at Manzanita Trailhead. Vine maple, black oak, and madrone become the predominant tree species. This would be a good section of trail to view autumn colors!
From Star Ranger Station, drive south on Upper Applegate Rd. 8 miles to the Applegate Dam and Squaw Lake turnoff. Turn left, crossing the dam and continue 1 mile to French Gulch Campground. Facilities available at the campground include restrooms, drinking water, and overnight camping ($4/night charge).
From French Gulch Campground, continue southeast on Road #1075 2 miles to Forest Road #100. Turn right onto Rd. #100 and proceed 0.5 mile to the large parking area and stock driveway on the left. There are no facilities.
From Star Ranger Station, drive south on Upper Applegate Road 12 miles to the junction with Carberry Creek Road. Turn left and continue 1 mile to Forest Road #1041 (Manzanita Creek Rd.). Turn left and proceed 2 miles to the trailhead. Parking is available in cul-de-sac at end of road next to the gate.
ROGUE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST
Applegate Ranger District, 6941 Upper Applegate Rd., Jacksonville, OR 97530 (541-899-1812)
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