After we left Lava Beds we headed into Oregon and to Crater Lake National Park. We were lucky to grab a camp site at the Mazama Campground on the July 4th weekend! We then drove up to the crater rim and made the loop around the lake. The water in the lake is absolutely clear and deep blue.
Marissa and Alex check out the view.
Wizard Island sits in the middle of the lake.
Alicia reads about the eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama over 7700 years ago.
Bruce and Christine soak in the great views.
This small lava island is called the Phantom Ship.
On our way toward the California coast we stopped at the Rogue River gorge.
From Crater Lake we made the turn southwest to the California coast and ended up camping at Jedediah Smith State Park on the Smith River. Pictures can't describe just how lush the Redwood forests are. Across the Smith River from the campground is the Stout Grove where some of the largest and tallest remaining coast redwoods can be found.
Alicia and Marissa biked over to the Visitor Center.
The kids all went swimming in the briskly cool Smith River. It was pretty wide, but only hip deep at most.
Hanging on a rope tied to the foot bridge with the river current pulling.
At dusk we ventured into the Stout Grove. You can see how big some of these redwoods are.
Roosevelt Elk congreate in the Elk Prarie near the coast.
The next day we camped at the Burlington campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Alicia and Marissa peer out from inside a hollowed out redwood tree.
Alica and Christine on the footbridge over the South Fork of the Eel River near the campground.
Note the sling on Christine's arm. She spent most of the morning at the Urgent Care in Cresent City getting an infected bug bite treated.
Marissa looking like a pixie popping out of a tree stump.
We detoured toward the coast and drove down Hwy 1 through Ft. Bragg.
We stopped in Mendicino to eat lunch and the girls decided to check out the tide pools.
We camped in Santa Rosa at Spring Lake.
From Santa Rosa we headed home!