Humboldt / So. Oregon Road-trip

We've got almost 500 acres just west of Williams if you like poison oak and ticks.

But for a SW OR possible culinary tour that fits your route; 

Cave Junction Oregon has Taylor's Sausages;
https://taylorsausage.com

A lof of Rogue floaters visit the Galice resort.  The store / cafe burnt down, but there were food trucks there when we drove by last weekend, had full bellies or we would have given our support.  
There's a trail down to Rainie falls on the Rogue River, not all that, but a local hike i've done.  
http://www.galice.com

But a funky old eatery I really like is in the old post office / gas station, and current store / cafe in Applegate.  (Right across the road from the Applegate Lodge);
https://www.applegatestoreandcafe.com

As you may have seen in a previous post, found a cool milkshake / sandwich shop in Hornbrook, Cali called Bait n' Bites.  It's just off I-5 on Hornbrook Rd (on right before Henley Hornbrook rd)
https://www.baitnbites.com

Crater Lake is likely the most popular SW OR location.  But just downstream near the headwaters of the Rogue, is Natural Bridges, where the Rogue goes into a lava tube underground.  If enough water's flowing there's spouts and geysers.  Nice campground there along with Union Creek Campground, many creekside trails too!  

Looks like a decent little trip, Salvador. Rafting on the rogue. Can't go wrong.

we live in grants pass, near the confluence of the rogue and applegate rivers. Here are some good local-ish family friendly stuffs I recommend on your route:

The Native American art museum (free) at trees of mystery is a smithsonian quality experience if you are into these things. 

mail boat ride in gold beach is pretty wild, (but probably doesn't go with rafting very well)

howland hill road (free, goes from hiouchi to crescent city) thru jedediah smith state park. Some really killer hikes can be made from here to legendary trees. Very easy access. Even just a drive thru is a must. This website is rudimentary but vast and useful: http://famousredwoods.com/howland_hill_giant/

oregon caves is pretty cool if you're in the area. A good 60-90 minute stop. Oregon vortex not quite as cool lol.

jaspers burgers in Medford is fairly close to the britt (a really top shelf venue, btw), and has killer exotic meat burgers (ostrich, alligator, elk, camel, antelope, etc)  as well as all the regular stuff and it's all great. Service there can be so-so but still worth putting up with for the food.

Lupita's tacos in grants pass

see you at the show!

Happy trails!

I'm heading to Shasta tomorrow morn...staying at a site on the north side that I found on Hipcamp.com... for 1 night before I head to the Friday Phil. 

My very favorite route to Shasta is heading south on Hwy 97 on east side of Cascades.... if you time your arrival at sunset, it's quite a sight on a clear day. 

In Oregon, also along Hwy 97 and near Crater Lake and Chiloquin is this place: http://www.trainmountain.org/  If you're into model trains or real trains, don't miss it!  It's mostly an outdoor museum and train club where dudes rent these little train garages (tracks go into the garages!) and spend their weekends tinkering or riding the 26 miles of track in the pine forest.

If you want to spend the night in Shasta area, feel free to send me an email (in profile)... as I try out a new place each trip and have found some cool remote AirBnb places w/ great views of the mountain, outdoor clawfoot tub or hot tub, saunas, etc... one is near Weed and operated by a chiropractor and a massage therapist -- only $80ish for a funky 2 rm suite and private bath and a close-up view of the mountain from the front yard. I now get the "friends" rate and for an extra $20 they'll fire up the sauna.

A little south of Shasta are the towns of McCloud (cute old mill town) and Dunsmuir, which was full of hippies at a street concert when I stopped.  Yak's in Dunsmuir is supposedly famous for their gourmet burgers.. and there's a restaurant called Maddelenas that is popular... I never pass through there when my hunger syncs with their hours.   However, I have tried a place called Alua's Thrive in Shasta town -- they specialize in veggie juices, smoothies and acai breakfast bowls... nice change from road trip breakfasts.  There's also a nice little coop grocery on the main street of Shasta. 

Finally, if you like good coffee and saunas, don't miss the Finnish Sauna and coffee shop in Arcata. Call ahead to book a private sauna / tub- / shower - they have a Google Maps listing -- they are open til 11 most nights.

The Stewart Mineral Springs place west of Weed is no longer open for day use.  If you travel as far north in Oregon as Hwy 58 between I-5 and Hwy 97 (Willamette Pass), there is McCredie Hot Springs... pretty popular but ask locals about the alleged secret pool that's away from the main pool. If you use Google Maps to search on "hot springs near me" I bet you'll find more -- I found a few north of Tahoe and plan to stop at one this Thursday.

Have fun exploring and safe travels.

I've always traveled on Hwy 97 instead of I-5. It has interesting things. The free Collier State Park Logging Museum has a great "antique" logging machines (with a bathroom) - great machinery. It's south of Klamath Falls. No camping due to fire damage from the 242 fires. Fun place for a short stop.  https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=165

There is also The Living Memorial Sculpture Garden in the shadow of Mt. Shasta north of Weed on Hwy 97. It's got a lot of large metal sculptures as memorials to Vietnam Vets on land that came from the Forest Service. Some of the sculptures are very moving. Another unique "attraction", we stopped there more than a few times. Pictures: https://www.lmsgarden.org/the-garden/

Hwy 97 is often overlooked but it's easy to drive, open-to-the-sky high desert land, much less traffic than I-5.

Agree Judit, the driving is far less stressful -- an easy cruise -- so much so that I always cut over via Oakridge / Willamette Pass now..., it's never more than 10-20 minutes difference than the i-5 route. 

Good call on that logging museum, I have some recent pics of that... nice and shady, too.

I've run into blizzards on Hwy 58 in May, so surprising. Our favored route usually adds about 45 minutes for me but I may be a little slower driver than you are. Take a few minutes (or more) to stop at the Living Sculpture Garden on one of your trips, it's pretty interesting and some of the art is great.

Will look for that garden, thanks!

On the road south in a bit.

Train mountain is rad. Doesn't seem to really fit within the footprint of this trip to me, but if you're in the area - go!

yaks in dunsmuir right off the highway has A+ burgers, and mossbrae falls (incredible) is just short hike from here. A true (somewhat) hidden gem of California and just a killer swimming spot.

Also the shasta supermarket deli makes really killer sandwiches if you need a stop. It's the best quick bite in town.

the closest natural soak to your route is toketee hot springs, and it's a really awesome spot but I only recommend going at first light to likely have the place to yourselves for a few hours. Avoid completely on weekends.

Bait n Bites (link above), also does floats of the Klamath River 

Oregon Hot Springs:
https://soakoregon.com
https://soakoregon.com/jackson-wellsprings-hot-springs/

Cali Hotsprings;
https://calihotsprings.com/map/
https://calihotsprings.com/loc/weed-ca/stewart-mineral-hot-springs-retreat/

Oregon Waterfalls; 
https://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/Oregon/map

Everybody loves poison oak & ticks.

Hey Randy, did you see Noodler's most recent thread in the Travel folder? It  might have something new or interesting to you.

I hope you'll get comfortable with posting pics here. Have you checked out the tutorial in Formatting? Or maybe someone can walk/talk you through it... we love pics.

Oh, the dear Felina... I don't know if his family is bigger, but at least one of them is taller. I'm glad they're doing well/thriving.

Hasta be Shasta

Hey hey I'm actually about to head out of town for a bit or I would come slap you a hi five. Good spots to eat: I like the bohemian on 6th for lunch or take out, ma mosa's makes legit breakfast food (biscuits and gravy recommend here), one fifteen broiler if you want proper land grazing type cuts, si casa flores (ceviche is my favorite) is a nice sit down spot, jelly donut has pretty bad service but easily the best donuts in town, sunshine natural foods cafe has proper vegan and vegetarian fare but seating is retry limited, time machine records is a zoner approved business and also you will love the grower's market on Saturday morning!

mmm lupitas

Love those pescados

Oh, swimming

Most people will go out towards galice and park along the road, there are various easily accessible spots along the rogue the whole way out but you will fry at most of them. Any town spots will have tweakers so skip that idea.

the best "secret" swimming is a bit farther out; over the bridge, along lower grave creek before it enters the rogue. Kind of get in where you fit in. Anywhere from a mile to four or five miles from the bridge. Some nice deep holes to be found here (just gotta poke around), no competition for a "good" spot because it's WAY less heavily traveled, and more shade at the good spots much later into the day than any really desirable spots (that I know of anyways) along the rogue or applegate. Park where your car will be at least somewhat in view of the creek.

Enjoy! Sounds fun. As ever, tweakers suck.

You are exploring a very hot part of the West. Some of these are record highs.

s.

115 in Medford and 121 in Trinity NF? And those were recorded today? What the meteorological fuck?