Family Camping trip in Oregon

[bstach]

I am taking the family (wife + 4 year old) on a 10 day camping trip into Oregon. We leave Thurs Jul 28. So far the only thing we have booked is 3 nights at Crater Lake. Thinking is we would do activities around there until we get bored and then meander up the coast and check out Seal Cave, Sand Dunes, Cannon Beach on our way back home to Vancouver BC.

 

I am looking for suggestions on things to do/see and places to stay. What are the must sees and must dos? How about places you might not find in the tourist literature? We will have hiking and rock gear with us. Our rainy weather plan is to drive up to Smith. We wil lprobably spend some time in Portland on the way down and do some shopping.

 

Recommendations for camping? Was it a mistake to only book one spot for 3 days?

 

Thanks for advices.

[shapp]

Stay less at Crater and keep heading east. Some places in the eastern half of the state I like: Steens Mountain, Hart Mountain, Alvord Desert, Alvord Hotsprings, Haines Steakhouse, Anthony Lakes, Malheur Wildlife Refuge, Pine Mountain Observatory (space telescope), Leslie gulch, John Day fossil beds

Edited July 25, 2011 by shapp

[chris54]

+1 on the steens mountains

[crimper]

my friend went to the alvord desert july 4 weekend with his family (2 kids). He reported insane mosquitoes and heat. they never went in the springs or hiked. he also said the playa was covered with a foot of water, and there was no good way to walk on it, let alone drive on it. and he is not a wuss and has a huge toyota tacoma. i felt bad, i've talked steens up to him for years, though i told him fall would be better. anyway, maybe think about these issues in summer in southeast oregon.

[joshzielinski]

just had some flatlander friends out to OR from Ar-kansas. They left the valley way down near the umqua and bottomed out there loop at Crater Lake/rogue river. They found no need to spend much time there as of a week or so ago as it still has a lot of snow and many of the campgrounds were not open (the drive around it either). well worth the time to go and see it though, "oh the water... it was amazing. never seen anything like that" they reported. they then headed up the east side of the cascades where the weather was delightful (albeit "mosquitoey") for their flatland hobbies of trail running and such. they encountered snow on many runs near the cascade lakes/three sisters.

 

other highlights included a jaunt out to the coast where we surfed cape kiwanda's "chambers", big dunes present here as well. we hiked out to cascade head's beautiful vistas (quite a family friendly hike/no crowds on weekdays). silver creek falls' (near silverton, OR) canyon and rim trails were such a delightful run they did it a second time a day later.

 

if and when on the eastside of the cascades go to smith, climb your heart out in a matter of hours at least one morning/evening.

 

-jz

 

around the valley they enjoyed silver creek falls SP.

[cascadehigh]

Crater lake is cool but 3 nights might be a little long. As said above, I would head east. Fort Rock and Hole in the ground are cool, Crack in the Ground has 14 trad/toprope routes, Silver Lake has the "Cowboy Dinner Tree" (reservations required) very recommended if you like meat. Summer Lake has hot springs, Hart mountain Antelope Refuge is awesome. My wife and I hit all these places on July 4th weekend. Wanted to go to the Steens and Alvord desert but ran out of time. Lots of gravel roads but worth every mile. BTW the lakes in the Hart mtn area are on a 10 year wet dry/cycle and its on the wet cycle now and is incredible.

 

Just suggestions. Good luck.