Jefferson Park - Epic Wild Flower Show

This is the first year that the US Forest Service started permitting the overnight use of this area. In the years prior to that I have been here - It was always a competition to get the "allowed" campsite and people coming in late would just camp right on the lakeshores or in the meadows. This year, surprisingly it was quite. We got checked in the evening by the ranger and I also saw ranger asking few campers to leave the park can camp outside the boundary. But none the less - it was good to see the area regulated and enforced.

Now get back to the trip report - 

Since this trail never gets super steep at any point, I asked a friend to join in for his first backpacking trip. We started hiking around 11 AM and to my surprise, got to the camp site at 1:30. From the earlier trip reports, we expecting lots of mosquitoes, but since it was a little breezy, bugs never got worse. After setting up the tent and doing a few camp chores, I decided to take a hike up to the Park Ridge. Probably one of the best view of Mount Jefferson. I met few PCT hikers on my way down form the park ridge. Next morning we quickly packed in everything and walked out.

Overall, a very nice and relaxing trip. 

View from half way up to the Park Ridge 

Close-up of the summit

First light on Mt Jefferson

Park meadows from somewhere between Scout Lake and Russell Lake

Sunrise from Russell Lake

After sunset from Scout Lake

Aesha enjoying the warm sunlight at Scout Lake

Russell Lake from above

Road Tripping Oregon Coast

Day 1: Drive from Home to Harris Beach State Park, Brookings

We wanted to get the boring part of the trip of driving on the Interstate out of the way first. So we set out from Home on Thursday afternoon to complete this 7 hrs journey. By the time we got to Brookings, we were really tired. We quickly moved stuff out of the trunk and made space for us to sleep in the car.





Day 2: Brookings to Humbug Mountain State Park, Port Oxford
We woke up around 7 and the weather was perfectly clear and calm. After taking a nice hot shower, we walked to the beach from the campsite only to find out there is a very dense fog hanging right over the coast.

Hanging out at the beach after breakfast

After a nice long breakfast by the beach, we started out day hike to Cape Ferrelo. It was extremely windy and we couldn't even stand still for a second.

Since it was extremely windy, we abandoned our hiking plans as drove to the next viewpoints in Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor namely House Rock, Natural Bridges and Arch Rock view points and took a little hike at Indian Sands.

Hiking to Indian Sanddunes

For sunset we stopped at Pistol River viewpoint beach. Sunset wasn't particularly spectacular, but we enjoyed it.

Pistol River Sunset

Day 2: Humbug Mountain State Park to Bullard Beach State Park

Another very foggy and windy day till almost the afternoon!

Highlight of the day was definitely watching the sunset at Bandon Beach by Facerock viewpoint.

Day 3: Bandon to Carl G. Washburne State Park

After packing up in the morning, we went to Eel Creek Campground, which is part of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and hiked John Dellenbeck Dunes trail. This was a completely different experience compared to what we had seen for 2 days on the coast. Sand Dunes EVERYWHERE! I think the trail is about 3 miles from the parking lot to the beach. It goes through a vast open area with nothing but the sand dunes. We didn't go as far as the beach but made our way to a tree island and had lots of fun going  up and down the sand dunes.

Since we had no camping reservation for the night, we stopped at every single campsite on the way. That took a lot of time. By the afternoon, we got to Cape Perpetua, and found a really nice campsite at Carl G Washburne State Park. After a nice break, we drove down to Heceta Head Lighthouse. Park staff was nice enough to offer the lighthouse tour. Interesting little talk for about 15 mins and they walk you inside the lighthouse.

Heceta Head Lighthouse

After spending some time at the light house, we went to Cape Perpetua and walked around some more trail - eventually making our way down to Devil's Churn. It wasn't churning really high, but we knew that the tide was going to get higher, so we just just sat there by the rocks and enjoyed the waves trashing against the cliffs and splashing higher and higher. Close to sunset, we made our way back to Thor's Well. As expected there were ton of tourist by the tide pool area. Lot of them didn't have much idea about how high the waves can get and how dangerous it is to get too close to the tidepools at high tide. Shooting sunset, I got soaking wet by the crashing waves. But it was an amazing experience.

Thors Well Sunset 

Our House on Wheels

Day 4: Cape Perpetua to Home
By this time we were fairly tired of the coast and seeing the same scenery over and over again. Also we didn't have any reservation for the night. After driving around at stopping at couple of viewpoints around Newport and Lincoln City, we went for a short hike to Thumb Point. From there, we went to Pacific City. By this time, I think we had decided that we are going back home rather than spending a night in Tillamook State Forest - 40 miles away from home. I hve been to Pacific City more than a dozen times, but have never climbed the 500 ft sand dune. It was indeed fun to go up the sand and coming down was even awesome! After having nice dinner at Pelican Pub, we drove around the beach and watched people light up the fireworks.

I had done this same trip couple of years ago, and at that time, we tired and exhausted by the time we got to the southern Oregon Coast. So This time I decided to start from south. In conclusion, I wouldn't start from South again. Main reason being, it you are driving North, you are driving on the inside lane - away from the sea and all the pullouts are on the other side of the road.