Crater Lake/Jedediah Smith State Park

[Tater Head]

My family and I will be traveling to Crater Lake National Park for two days then on to Jedediah Smith State Park for two days and finally two days in San Francisco. We will be camping at the Diamond Lake Camp Ground which is about 30 miles from Crater Lake and the Jedediah Smith Camp Ground. I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions of where we should spend our time. Thanks...

 

[uintahiker]

Crater Lake would be a good place to spend some time.
I think there's some caves up near there too.
Never been there, so good luck!

 

[moose droppings]

yo taters

quite frankly I would cut the planned 2-days in Crater down to one. it's glad tidings can easily be taken in in one long day. on day 2 you'll want to head for the Redwood Hwy (199) and stop off at the Oregon Cave National Monument. full contact off-trail guided cave tour awesomeness right there! pile back in the vehicle and continue along the 199 towards jedediah smith state park. the 199 through the siskiyou range and along the smith river is spectacular. ultilize as many of the scenic pullouts as you can.

I'd recommend this hit list for the full redwood experience.
- In Jedediah, explore the Stout Grove and Boy Scout Trail / Grove for some of the best old-growth stoke out there.
- Del Norte Redwood State Park, the Damnation Trial is top notch. this stellar out-and-back will have you wandering through mixed old growth redwood and Sitka forest and ending at a spectacular overlook of the rugged coast line. hike this in the morning if coastal morning fog is forcasted. the mist is the trees adds such a crazy haunting-like feel to the whole experience.
- Prairie Creek Redwood Park, Big Tree and Fern Canyon. the walk through the gully is a stunner.
stop by samoa cookhouse in eureka for a monster breakfast.

on your way to San Fran make a detour to Fort Bragg and check out glass beach. google that one. crazy cool.

I got nothin' for you on San Fran and environs.

have a blast.

 

[Gabe]

We were just in Jedediah Smith for the first time last week. It's an amazing place. Be sure to drive the Howland Hill Road. There aren't a ton of trails in the park. I'm sure any of them would be good. We had little kids and old people with us ;-), so we only walked through the Stout Grove and did a couple miles on the Millcreek Trail, and it was great. There's a part on Millcreek where the trail runs along a fallen redwood and other plants and trees have grown up to create a green tunnel. There are huge banana slugs everywhere, and we even found a rough skinned newt on the trail. I had never been in a forest like that, and I couldn't get enough. It's amazing to be around such ancient living things and in a place that can support that much life.

There's a nice little sandy beach and rope swing right down from the bridge over the south fork of the Smith River. It was pretty fun to take a dip in the river.

After going there, I'm planning on reading "The Wild Trees" about a search to find titans that are hidden in the forest. It would probably be cool to read it before spending time there.

 

[Tater Head]

yo taters

quite frankly I would cut the planned 2-days in Crater down to one. it's glad tidings can easily be taken in in one long day. on day 2 you'll want to head for the Redwood Hwy (199) and stop off at the Oregon Cave National Monument. full contact off-trail guided cave tour awesomeness right there! pile back in the vehicle and continue along the 199 towards jedediah smith state park. the 199 through the siskiyou range and along the smith river is spectacular. ultilize as many of the scenic pullouts as you can.

I'd recommend this hit list for the full redwood experience.
- In Jedediah, explore the Stout Grove and Boy Scout Trail / Grove for some of the best old-growth stoke out there.
- Del Norte Redwood State Park, the Damnation Trial is top notch. this stellar out-and-back will have you wandering through mixed old growth redwood and Sitka forest and ending at a spectacular overlook of the rugged coast line. hike this in the morning if coastal morning fog is forcasted. the mist is the trees adds such a crazy haunting-like feel to the whole experience.
- Prairie Creek Redwood Park, Big Tree and Fern Canyon. the walk through the gully is a stunner.
stop by samoa cookhouse in eureka for a monster breakfast.

on your way to San Fran make a detour to Fort Bragg and check out glass beach. google that one. crazy cool.

I got nothin' for you on San Fran and environs.

have a blast.

Thanks a lot I appreciate your help. I am hoping for fog and a little sun to poke through the mist makes for great pics of the redwoods.. I Googled Glass Beach and your right it is CRAZY cool. That looks like it would be worth the drive just to get a look at that....

 

[Nick]

Whoaaa! I just googled Glass Beach and now I want to go!

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gla...CcWPyAS8wYKABw&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1715&bih=1323

 

[Tater Head]

We were just in Jedediah Smith for the first time last week. It's an amazing place. Be sure to drive the Howland Hill Road. There aren't a ton of trails in the park. I'm sure any of them would be good. We had little kids and old people with us ;-), so we only walked through the Stout Grove and did a couple miles on the Millcreek Trail, and it was great. There's a part on Millcreek where the trail runs along a fallen redwood and other plants and trees have grown up to create a green tunnel. There are huge banana slugs everywhere, and we even found a rough skinned newt on the trail. I had never been in a forest like that, and I couldn't get enough. It's amazing to be around such ancient living things and in a place that can support that much life.

There's a nice little sandy beach and rope swing right down from the bridge over the south fork of the Smith River. It was pretty fun to take a dip in the river.

After going there, I'm planning on reading "The Wild Trees" about a search to find titans that are hidden in the forest. It would probably be cool to read it before spending time there.

Thanks for the info. We will definitely check out the rope swing. I found some hot springs I would like to hike to near Crater Lake (Toketee Hot Springs). Water just makes things more fun. http://www.hotwaterslaughter.com/hotspring/umpqua-hot-springs-toketee

Whoaaa! I just googled Glass Beach and now I want to go!

https://www.google.com/search?q=Glass Beach&safe=off&es_sm=119&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ViKZU6DkCcWPyAS8wYKABw&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1715&bih=1323

I can't wait to see it...

 

[Nick]

I'm sorry I have made a mess. Not sure what happened?

Fixed! I think.

 

[klank]

thanks for the details @moose droppings

 

[Nick]

thanks for the details @moose droppings

x2. For the record, Mr. @moose droppings is right up there with @Jammer in my heroes list. That guy knows his stuff.

 

[slc_dan]

This is all very cool to hear now. I'm starting to plan a 12 day road trip with the wife up through that area. I'll be checking back and asking many more questions.