Hwy 58 to Crater Lake

In July of 2022, I took a trip to one of the top of my Oregon wishlist destinations – Crater Lake. I had always wanted to visit since I moved to Oregon 13 years ago, but I also specifically wanted to stay inside the park at the only lodging with views of the lake, Crater Lake Lodge. In this first post of my series, let me walk you through some logistics of planning in case it will help you plan your Crater Lake adventure. In particular, I will highlight the route from Portland using Highway (Hwy) 58 to Crater Lake.
Crater Lake, Oregon Hwy 58 to Crater Lake - on the way visit Lowell Covered Bridge, the widest covered bridge in Oregon Hwy 58 to Crater Lake - on the way visit Salt Creek Falls, Oregon's second highest single drop waterfall (after Multnomah Falls), cascading 286 feet.

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Where did Pech go?

I know it’s been awhile since I updated – this blog is a non-sponsored hobby, and unfortunately my career got more busy (still at same company, same team) so I have not had as much free time to both write blog posts. That said, I have been getting into making more Reels on Instagram at @pechluck – no I’m not on Tik Tok. So if you are looking to see what I have been doing lately, check out my Stories and Reels for food, travel, kitty and raccoons. For some bits of any of the below, I have individual social media posts on my Summer and Fall Adventures 2022.

Hopefully as work gets restructured, maybe I’ll have time to write again – particularly about what you see below. Until then, I hope you are all doing well out there and thank you for stopping by.

Summer and Fall Adventures 2022 between July – October:

Crater Lake, and Smith Rock, and alpacas at Crescent Moon Ranch in Oregon
Crater Lake, Oregon Crater Lake, Oregon Alpacas in, Oregon Smith Rock, Oregon

San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 – Severance TV Show Offsite, D&D Movie Offsite, and Prey Movie Premiere that I was lucky enough to score a free invite from Collider
San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 - Severance Offsite San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 - Severance Offsite San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 - D&D Movie Offsite San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 - Prey Movie Premiere

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Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast

I always like to plan one of the trips to the Oregon Coast, only a few hours away from Portland, during the minus tides (low tides so low that it is measured negatively on the tide charts), and last year a photographer we talked to briefly while visiting the Neskowin Ghost Forest I posted about last year shared recommended Bandon for the minus tides. This year the Strawberry Supermoon also coincided with minus tide (in this case -2.5 feet in Bandon) and having it juxtaposition a 8.26 feet high tide, and a 12 foot swing high to low in the span of seven hours, sealed the deal for our Bandon trip. We visited the area for 4 days (staying 3 nights), which also gave us time to experience other southern Oregon coast activities. I will share a few posts on that, and this first one starts out with Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast.
Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon  draw from June 16 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon  draw from June 17 2022

Bandon, Oregon Coast

Did you know about Circles in the Sand on the Oregon Coast? Usually drawn at Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon Oregon, this free labyrinth was inspired by founder Denny Dyke’s walking meditations. Now in its 8th season in 2022, each labyrinth or what they also call “dreamfield” are available only until the tide comes in. Each labyrinth is unique, drawn freehand and organically. I was able to visit the two different days of June 16 and 17th. They are created by Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint. Here’s a glimpse of some of the sand art.
Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast at Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast at Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 17 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast at Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 17 2022

I particularly enjoyed taking photos of some of the sand art with Face Rock and the Cat and Kittens rock formations in the background. Can you see the face – it is an upturned face of an Indian princess, so goes the legend, with her hair flowing on the left side downward. To the right some call those scatterings of rocks together the Cat and Kittens, which were with the princess when she became trapped by the sea.
Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022 Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon  draw from June 17 2022

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Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit

Continuing from my previous post after sharing the plans of how to get to the area plus a stop in ghost town Shaniko, today I continue on with our experience and tips for visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Park. Then my next post will cover visiting the famous Painted Hills, one of the seven wonders of Oregon.
Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - at Sheep Rock Unit, the Blue Basin is probably the most famous area, where you can find the two hikes of Blue Basin Overlook to look from above down into the canyon, and Island in Time which takes you walking straight into the heart of the the Blue Basin gorge

There is no park pass or fee needed to visit any of the units. The colors of the units look best in the afternoon light, leaving you time to drive or sleep in if staying nearby before your visit. While it is possible to see all three in one day, you will need to account for one to two hours of drive time between each unit (not counting getting to the area first), and you won’t be able to enjoy all the trails so per my advice overnight at least 1 night preferably 2 nights nearby. That said both of these two units are ok to see earlier in the day to save the afternoon to sunset time for the Painted Hills for the biggest return on display and range of colors there. If you encounter rain, I would prioritize visiting in this order Painted Hills, Sheep Rock, then Clarno Unit.

Clarno Unit

The Clarno Unit is one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Park along with the Sheep Rock Unit and the Painted Hills. It is the smallest of the three units and IMHO I would rank it #3 in terms of beauty of the three, though part of it might is that Painted Hills and Sheep Rock offer more uniqueness. It’s the fastest to visit with three trails, and may be conveniently already on the way if coming from Portland.
Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit

The Clarno Unit is famous for its plant fossils and the Palisades. Located 1.5 hr north of the Painted Hills, it’s a little over 30 minutes from Shaniko so if you’re taking the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway from Portland, you could easily stop by on your way towards Mitchell and the Painted Hills.
Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit

In an area where you probably have been driving through valleys between gently rounded green hillsides, you will then come across these tall walls and towers of reddish orange, pink, white layers of rock. These are remnants from when this area was once a lush jungle 40-54 million years ago, and these cliffs were formed from volcanic mudslides or lahar, happening over and over building the layers you see today.
Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit

Among the layers and along the trailside you can find plant fossils including leaves, sticks, and petrified logs. No, no dinosaur fossils so reel in expectations accordingly. But the area is incredibly fossil rich – paleontologists have been making discoverers and categorizing hundreds of fossils a year since the 1860s! Seeing the strata of the remnants of millions of years is fascinating to look at.
Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit - these are the famous Palisades of the Clarno Unit

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Planning a Trip to the Painted Hills

One of the seven great wonders of Oregon as Travel Oregon promotes is the Painted Hills. Located 4 hours east of Portland, the Painted Hills are actually just one unit of three that comprise the John Day Fossil Beds National Park. Besides the Painted Hills Unit, you can also visit Sheep Rock Unit (the location of Blue Basin) or Clarno Unit (location of dramatic Palisades). We visited all three March 25-26 2022, and we’re happy to share our tips in planning a trip to the Painted Hills and other units. This post will focus on getting to the area, and future posts will cover visiting each of the park’s units.
Planning a Trip to the Painted Hills - visit all three units that comprise the John Day Fossil Beds National Park in Oregon like we did. From top to bottom, the Clarno Unit, Painted Hills,and Sheep Rock Unit Blue Basin

Timing Your Visit, and Planning the Drive

Because this area is in the high desert, the best times of year to visit this National Park is in spring and fall, when the weather isn’t as hot, and you don’t have to check the weather conditions of the winter passes which could require chains or have limited alternate routes when there are vehicle accidents or poor conditions. During our visit in end of March, we enjoyed temperatures in the comfortable 60s-70s during the day that cooled off to the 50s (Fahrenheit) in the evenings. Even though we went on hikes that had no shade, it was pleasant because of the cooperative weather. We enjoyed partly cloudy skies and sunshine, but even if you get some rain during your visit, it’s a treat because it will intensify the colors you see in the rocks and soils of the Fossil Beds units. There is no entrance fee to enter any of the units, but note that only the Sheep Rock Unit offers a visitor’s center. Each of the units is about an hour drive from each other.
Planning a Trip to the Painted Hills - visit all three units that comprise the John Day Fossil Beds National Park in Oregon like we did. Here's a look at the Painted Hills from the Carroll Rim Trail

If you are coming from Portland, there are several routes you can take to the area depending on what you would like to see. The fastest route is to take Highway 26 through Mt Hood Village and Government Camp, and Madras and Prineville to get to Mitchell. This is the fastest route and has the best access to food options, gas stations, and cell phone service. Taking this route will give you views of driving to and through Mt Hood. It wasn’t open yet in 2022, but this route also can take you pass by Kahneeta hot springs. I opted to take this route on the way back, versus to, the national park – take two different routes to and from to make a circle.

Another route you can take is I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge, giving yourself scenic views there past Multnomah Falls and Hood River and part of the Dalles, and then taking Highway 197 or 97 down. Going this way, you can make a stop by going on Highway 218 to visit Shaniko Ghost Town, and also the Clarno Unit on your way as your first unit of the John Day Fossil Beds. You can also choose to swing up to Fossil to do your own fossil digging at the only legal fossil dig site in Oregon behind a high school (great overview here at YesDirt!)Planning a Trip to the Painted Hills - visit all three units that comprise the John Day Fossil Beds National Park in Oregon like we did. We took a circle route from Portland to and from Mitchell which we used as our home base to the three units

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