Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Pioneer Mike II dedication Saturday ... Transient who made racist comments known to Ashland police ... 18 students fraudulently earned certification at Abdill ... Pioneer Mike II dedication Saturday ... Transient who made racist comments known to Ashland police ... 18 students fraudulently earned certification at Abdill ... 5 summer getaways Tips for regional gems that are perfect for a weekend (or longer) adventure Comment By David Smigelski By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By David Smigelski By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM By David Smigelski By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Summer is the time to dust off the outdoor gear, load up the vehicle and get the heck away from it all. To help with your planning, we've put together a list of five getaways — in Northern California, Eastern Oregon, Willamette National Forest, the Oregon Coast, and Central Oregon — that will make your Facebook friends green with envy. 1. Lassen Volcanic National Park Where else can you climb 30 volcanoes? Lassen National Volcanic Park is an adventurer's paradise, with more than 150 miles of trails, four different watersheds, eight hydrothermal areas, numerous lakes, campgrounds, wildflower meadows and miles of bicycle-friendly roads. To get there from Medford, budget about 4 hours of drive time. Take Interstate 5 south toward Mount Shasta. Follow the signs for California Highway 89, which is also called the Mount Shasta/Mount Lassen Highway, all the way to the park's northwest entrance at Manzanita Lake. You can also get there by staying on I-5 to Redding and taking Highway 44, but the Highway 89 route is far more scenic. For details about the park, see www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm 2. Steens Mountain Backcountry Byway The Steens Mountain Loop Road is one of the most spectacular drives in Oregon. The 52-mile loop is the highest road in Oregon, with views of deep gorges, pristine lakes, wild horses, bighorn sheep and, from the summit, a glimpse of five states. The mountain features four massive, U-shaped gorges — Kiger, Little Blitzen, Big Indian and Wildhorse — that were carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The mountain itself is a 30-mile-long fault-block mountain with a spectacular and rugged east face that rises one vertical mile above the Alvord Desert. Steens, about six-and-a-half hours (365 miles) from Medford, is the largest fault-block mountain in the northern Great Basin. High-clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for the steep and rocky portion of the Steens Mountain Loop Road near South Steens Campground, one of four campgrounds on the loop. The rest of the road can accommodate passenger cars at lower speeds, according to the Bureau of Land Management website. For details about camping, hiking and other activities in the area, including directions, start with the BLM website at www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/recreation/steens-mtn.php 3. Detroit Lake Recreation Area The Cascade Mountains east of Salem are packed full of family-friendly outdoor options, including camping, fishing, swimming, hiking and hot springs. If you plan a visit to the area, we recommend making time for at least three overnight stops: Opal Creek Wilderness Area, Detroit Lake and Breitenbush Hot Springs. For all three options, drive Interstate 5 north to Salem, take exit 253 and go east on OR-22. To get to Opal Creek, continue on OR-22 for about 22 miles. Turn left/north at the second flashing yellow light onto North Fork Road. On the right side of Highway 22 you will see the North Fork Crossing Restaurant. The Opal Creek trailhead is at the very end of this road. For details, see www.opalcreek.org . To get to Detroit Lake, you'll stay on OR-22 for about 49 miles from I-5. You can't miss the lake, because Highway 22 skirts the water. For details about the area, see www.detroitlakeoregon.org . To get to Breitenbush Hot Springs, which offers a number of day-use or overnight options, continue past Detroit and turn onto Highway 46 at the only gas station in town. Drive 9.1 miles, and just past Cleator Bend Campground take a right onto the single-lane bridge crossing the Breitenbush River. The road is gravel after the bridge and has three forks in its 1.2-mile course. Take a left at every fork and you will end up in the Breitenbush parking lot. For details, see https://breitenbush.com/index.html 4. Oregon Dunes Oregon's vast public expanses of sand say, "Come play with me," especially at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area near Florence on the Central Coast, just 3½ hours from Medford. Make a campsite amid the pink rhododendrons of Jessie M. Honeymoon Memorial State Park and use it as a base camp. Located three miles south of Florence, it is the second-largest state campground in Oregon and home to two lakes. From there, walk, ride and even mosey through nearly 50 square miles of sand dunes sprawled along 40 miles of coastline. Rent 4-wheelers, walk the dunes or rent horses to explore this unique feature of Oregon. When you're done, there are plenty of small restaurants in this quaint coastal town 30 miles east of Eugene. To get there, take I-5 north to Eugene, then Highway 126 straight to Florence. It's 190 miles each way. 5. Newberry Caldera No, it's not a new beer. The Newberry Caldera is a Central Oregon volcano a half-hour south of Bend that packs plenty of recreational opportunities to fill a long weekend. Newberry National Volcanic Monument, inside Deschutes National Forest, features two deep lakes, East Lake and Paulina Lake, and six campgrounds that offer shoreline camping, boat ramps and sanitary facilities. Once your camp is set up, you'll be able to go fishing, soak in hot springs, check out waterfalls, hike a mountain of obsidian and even visit a cave. If you hike to the top of Paulina Peak, on a clear day you'll be able to see Washington's Mount Adams to the north, Steens Mountain to the east and even Mount Shasta way to the south. Be sure to bring a fishing rod for brown trout, kokanee and rainbow trout. You can buy groceries at Paulina Lake Lodge and East Lake Resort, and if you can't help yourself, East Lake Resort has Wi-Fi. For details and directions, see http://1.usa.gov/1eTrazM By David Smigelski By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By David Smigelski By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501