Crater Lake, Redwoods, Oregon Coast, next summer

J herb wrote:
The fires are real bad in southern Oregon with heavy smoke at Crater Lake and a lot of places are closed do to fires.
I would stay on the coast until we get a good rain to put the fires out.

The OP is talking about next summer. I will say though being an Oregonian it seems like it's hit or miss in August for camping anymore. Every year in August it seems there's more fires. Told the wife the other night that we should just skip August for camping and concentrate on July and Sept. The coast is packed to the gills all summer and not all that fun with that many people crammed into a thin strip along the ocean. We like the mountains much better but you risk being smoked out in the 2nd half of the summer.

The fires are real bad in southern Oregon with heavy smoke at Crater Lake and a lot of places are closed do to fires.
I would stay on the coast until we get a good rain to put the fires out.

We loved Bullards State park near ban on oregon this year

Great shot, Jon!! Looks like about 20 seconds with a hefty neutral density filter, great depth of field, clever use of the logs in the foreground to frame the falls. I always learn a lot by looking at your work!

And back to the topic: if you are there during a heat wave, you can swim in Crater Lake, via the Cleetwood Cove trail. It is like swimming in indigo ink -- an indescribable color. Really worth doing.

Another OR 138 campground I like is Susan Creek, a BLM campground. Dry camping, but bathrooms with showers. There are many waterfalls on short hikes along OR 138, including Susan Falls near the campground.

Whitehorse Falls:

I've done several trips in the area, mainly car tent camping.

A bit north of Diamond Lake, off the bend in OR138 is Lemolo Lake. Poole Creek CG is relatively large FS campground (60 sites). One Memorial weekend we stopped there for lunch, and then decided since the site was available, to register, and spend the rest of the day there. We spent the afternoon touring the waterfalls to the west along 138.

Then down 62 to Medford and on to Applegate Lake. There I had trouble finding a campsite, and end up doing dispersed camping off a FS road.

Then a pleasant meander to Grants Pass. Then a scenic, but mountainous drive from Gallice to Agness (this was less than a year after the Kim's got lost in these mountains, and I'd followed episode some detail).

That night was another pleasant FS cg, Quosatana campground on the Rogue River up stream from Gold Beach. Then to Cape Blanco SP (nice).

Then a lunch stop in Bandon, and back across the the coast mtns on 42 to Roseburg and back up 138. Camped by one of waterfalls we'd seen earlier (Clearwater Falls). And then meander north on state and fs roads to Sisters and eventually Hood River and Washington.

On a previous trip we drove south on 101, and spent a night at Harris Beach SP near Brookings. Closer to town and a working mill; not as nice as Cape Blanco.

At Crescent Beach we drove up 199 as far as Patrick Creek, camped there and explored those mountains a bit. Then back to 101 and south. Gold Bluffs in Patrick Creek SP was our favorite campground in the Redwoods area - right on shore.

Next time in the area I'd like to explore along CA96 - the north coastal mountain around Happy Camp.

A second on Collier - perhaps rather than Mazama, as it's only about 45 minutes from Crater Lake (maybe an hour to the rim, tops), and there are hookups. As suggested, the logging museum is fun (and educational). However, there are no cabins. Nice CG.

The Crescent City KOA is good. A few sites (ask for one in or near the woods) are pretty cool, some even IN the redwoods. Decent CG, better than any others we saw in the area IMO. Good base camp for the Redwoods & as a lead-in or follow-up to Oregon Caves.

I would stay at Diamond Lake. Much prettier and if you can reserve a spot with a lake view it'll be worth it. It's only a 15 20 min drive into the park from Diamond lake.
If you like to bike ride there's a really nice 12 mile paved loop around Diamond lake lake. If you like canoeing or kayaking the lake is fantastic for that. If you like hiking , there's several good hikes at Crater Lake and Diamond lake. I would do the boat ride at Crater lake. It's a different world down on the lake. Go in August as the mosquitoes are terrible in June, and just start tapering off at the end of July.

Reverse your plan. Cross over ro the coast south of Eugene to Reedsport. South of Reedsport is Salmon Harbor at Winchester bay. Beautiful sites and views.
The middle and south coasts are far less crowded, far more enjoyable. Pick your state parks heading south. Crescent city we stayed at the KOA. Nothing special. You can come NE toward Grants Pass. Be sure to visis Oregon Caves. Valley of the Rogue state park, two nights at least. Lots to see in the area. Historic Jacksonville, Oregon Vortex. From there its a short drive up to Crater Lake. Diamond lake resort offers full hookups and is a short drive to the rim loop. Come out of crater lake heading east. Spend a night at Collier memorial state park. Great logging museum here. North on 97 toward home.
At least thats how I would do it.