Jack and Amy's 2016 Oregon Vacation
Day 3
From Portland to Prospect
From Portland to Prospect
Tuesday, August 30th, 2016
Early Morning at the Columbia River Gorge, Vista House at Crown Point, Mount Hood over Trillium Lake,
The Crooked River Gorge, Smith Rock, Tumalo Falls, Double Falls, Worthy Brewing Company in Bend, Diamond Lake, Pearsoney Falls, Avenue of Giants, Mill Creek Falls, Barr Creek Falls, and the Katydid Ranch in Prospect, OR.
The Crooked River Gorge, Smith Rock, Tumalo Falls, Double Falls, Worthy Brewing Company in Bend, Diamond Lake, Pearsoney Falls, Avenue of Giants, Mill Creek Falls, Barr Creek Falls, and the Katydid Ranch in Prospect, OR.
Amy at Trillium Lake with Mount Hood as an awesome backdrop!
Crater Lake is one of those places that has been on my bucket list for a while! However, we debated whether of not we really wanted to do the 5-6 hours drive (each way) from Portland. Ultimately we decided that we would never get a chance to see Crater Lake if we were not willing to drive, so we incorporated it into our itinerary.
Rather than staying inside the Park, Amy found accommodations at the 100+ acre Katydid Ranch in Prospect, OR about 30 miles outside Crater Lake National Park. So day 3 of our Oregon Vacation would be our journey from Portland to Prospect!
Our Route for the Day
Amy requested that I let her sleep in, but I got up early as usual and decided to make one last trip into the Columbia River Gorge to hopefully catch a sunrise. It was an overcast morning and the sun never really broke through the clouds. Nothing spectacular, but still a pretty sight.
Overcast Sunrise over the Columbia River Gorge
Our plan was to break up the trip by making a few stops along the way. Even though we visited Trillium Lake the previous day, I really hoped to capture one of those reflection shots of Mount Hood. The water was calmer than the previous day, but still not the mirror like reflection I was hoping for!
Mount Hood Reflection at Trillium Lake
We continued on through the ever changing landscape of Oregon stopping at a few more roadside overlooks.
Roadside View!
Much different than the Portland Area and the Columbia River Gorge!
Roadside View
We made a short stop at the Peter Skene Ogden Scenic Viewpoint which offered up some great views of the Crooked River Gorge.
The Crooked River Gorge
Me at the Crooked River Gorge
About 15 minutes after getting back into our rental car, we spotted a cool looking rock, so we turned off the main road to get a closer look.
Smith Rock
Smith Rock is actually the centerpiece of a State Park. However, we only had time for a few quick roadside shots.
Smith Rock
Our only planned stop along the way was to Tumalo Falls outside of Bend, OR. This one turned out to be a beauty!
Tumalo Falls
I continued the hike about a mile upstream to Double Falls a nice double tiered cascade.
Double Falls
After our hike, we broke for lunch at the Worthy Brewing Company.
Enjoying a Flight at the Worthy Brewing Company
Continuing our drive, we made one more stop along the way to check out Diamond Lake
Diamond Lake
We arrived at our accommodations at the Katydid Ranch, got unpacked, and settled in.
The Bunkhouse at the Katydid Ranch (our Accommodations for the next 2 nights)
Sandy Fey (our rental vehicle for the week) is parked in front
Amy was into relaxation mode for the rest of the day, but I decided there was time for one more short hike.
The Mill Creek Falls Scenic Area is located in downtown Prospect about 5 minutes from the ranch.
The Mill Creek Falls Scenic Area Trailhead Sign
A short hike of about 2 miles total took me to three waterfalls plus a section of the Rogue River known as the Avenue of Giants.
Pearsoney Falls
The Avenue of Giants. My photo does not do this justice! These boulders are HUGE!
Mill Creek Falls
Barr Creek Falls
I finished up my hike and returned back to the ranch just in time for Sunset. We could not find a good spot to view the actual sunset, but we were definitely able to see the sky explode with color!
Sunset at the Katydid Ranch
Later that evening I finished up the day with a little night photography.
Night Sky over the Katydid Ranch Barn
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157672590442881
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