Travel Directions ... for the Wanderer.

Wild Dogwood blooming in the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest of Oregon.

This site is divided into tours. Many of them originally devised as travel directions for people coming to Brad's retreat in southern Oregon near Crater Lake, or for day tours that guests might want to take while visiting at the retreat. Now, however, the idea has expanded, and I expect it will continue to do so. To aid in you in your quest for information, the tours are listed first. I have tried to make each tour compatible with other tours in close geographic proximity. For instance, it's easy to combine the Surprise Valley, Warner Mountains Outback Tour with the Shasta Trinity Tour. It's easy to combine the Diverse Loop tour with the Umpqua Waterfall Tour. Indeed, I have combined the latter into and extended tour that also includes the South Umpqua River and waterfalls.   - gm

If you care to discover potential vacation sites through the tours, they are listed first by name. I have also listed the hiking trails by locale, but this page is not yet complete. It will be. :-).

I love Oregon, this place I call home, but I also love northern California. I am also certain I can expand this site to include more states with more vacation tours, hiking trails, beautiful scenery and more.

I know I have mentioned this in other places in this site, but I love the North Umpqua River, it is my favorite out of all the rivers in Oregon. In California, I love the Smith River although I am given to understand that many people think the Trinity the most spectacular river in northern California. I've seen the Trinity, traveled along it just as I've done all those mentioned in this site; I don't think it's as beautiful as the Smith River. Besides, with the Smith you also get the coast and the Redwoods. Wow!

I hope you find the information in this site helpful. If you have any comments or suggestions to make, please email me. Again, enjoy! :)

Travel Directions and Tour Guides:

The North Umpqua Waterfall Tour, including Crater Lake National Park:

The North Umpqua Waterfall Tour in the Umpqua National Forest of Oregon includes the wild and scenic North Umpqua River, the Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway with hiking trails to waterfalls along the broad expanse of the river, picnic day use areas, campgrounds: hiking along the Umpqua River Trail, mountain biking, rafting on the river, equestrian trails, the Umpqua Hot Spring at Toketee Lake, water sports on Toketee Lake and Lemolo Lake and as a culmination, Crater Lake National Park: Travel Directions, Map, Scenery and Introduction to Crater Lake National Park.

The Umpqua River Tributaries: The Row River and The Little River:

Travel the tributaries and see waterfalls not included in the North Umpqua Waterfall Tour: The Little River at Glide, Oregon and the Row River at Cottage Grove. Check my idea of a great vacation on the North Umpqua, and don't forget the beautiful waterfalls on the Row River in Cottage Grove: Moon Falls, Spirit Falls, Brice Creek Falls and more, all part of the Umpqua River Watershed. See the South Umpqua River in the extended version of the Diverse Loop Tour and the North Umpqua Waterfalls Tour listed below.

The Diverse Loop Tour, including Crater Lake National Park:

The Diverse Loop Tour in the Rogue National Forest of Oregon includes the Rogue River Gorge at Union Creek, simple, hiking trails along the Rogue, scenic wonders such as Mammoth Pines, the Natural Bridge, all on the Crater Lake Hwy, short hiking trails to waterfalls in Prospect, Oregon, waterfalls off the Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway, hiking the trail to National Creek Waterfalls, spectacular views of Rabbit Ears, Mt Thielsen, and once again, Crater Lake National Park: Travel Directions, Map, Scenery, and Introduction to Crater Lake National Park.

The Diverse Loop Tour can also include Ashland, Oregon and the Oregon Shakespearean Festival and other festivities in the little city with great ambience, see the combined tours below.

The North Umpqua Waterfall Tour combined with the Diverse Loop Tour:

The combination of the Diverse Loop Tour and the North Umpqua Waterfall Tour includes all the sites on both tours as well as, Ashland, Oregon or the South Umpqua River and waterfalls: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery, page 1, page 2 and Ashland Introduction.

The South Umpqua River and Waterfalls:

Travel Directions to the South Umpqua River and Hiking Trails to waterfalls, campgrounds and more: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery.

Little Known Special Scenic Places near Crater Lake National Park:

Little known special scenic places near Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon: Wood River Wetlands, Kimball Creek State Park, Fort Creek, no trail hikes in the Badlands, a plateau on the flank of Saddle Mountain, nature untrammeled at the Williamson River Gorge and more: Travel Directions, Map, Scenery page 1; page 2, and Crater Lake Introduction.

The West Cascades National Scenic Byway Tour:

The West Cascades National Scenic Byway Tour in the Willamette National Forest of Oregon, includes the Clackamas River, the McKenzie River, the McKenzie Scenic Byway, the south fork of the McKenzie, the north fork of the middle fork of the Willamette River, another wild and scenic river in Oregon: hiking trails, waterfalls, hot springs, old growth forests and more: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery.

Over the River and through the Woods to the High Desert of central and eastern Oregon:

Traveling over the River and through the Woods, the scenic byway that winds along the south fork of the South Santiam River, Hwy. 20 in Oregon, traveling east to Sisters, Oregon and then to connect with the Central Oregon - Oregon Outback Tour, including hiking trails in old growth forests, the old Cascades, the placid ripple of the south fork of the Santiam River, the high desert of Oregon, hiking trails and rock climbing at Smith Rock State Park, traveling the Cascade Lakes Highway, and further east to the Warner Mountains in Oregon, hot springs, hiking trails in the Fremont National Forest and finally, as the coup d'etat, Steens Mountain: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery, page 1, page 2 and selected features on the Over the River and through the Woods Scenic Byway: hiking trails page 1 and camping facilities page 2. (This section is not yet complete.)

The Surprise Valley - Warner Mountains Outback Tour of California:

The Surprise Valley - Warner Mountains Outback Tour of California includes Fandango Pass of the Applegate Trail, Cedar Pass, the beautiful and rugged Warner Mountains, the south Warner Wilderness, rangeland and the simple culture that accompanies that way of life, hot springs, the surprise beauty that is - surprise!, Surprise Valley, further west find beautiful simple poetry in some of the old towns of California, such as Mills Falls City and Pit River Waterfalls further west, and finally the great expansive view of Mt Shasta from the pass at Aden. Travel further west to McArthur Burney Waterfalls and from there connect with the Shasta Trinity Tour: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery.

The Shasta Trinity Tour in California, including Mt Shasta:

The Shasta Trinity Tour in California includes - the shining star: Mt Shasta - and so much more: hiking trails from Bunny Flat and, if the road is open, trails originating at the old Ski Lift, waterfalls near McCloud, in Dunsmuir, the Sacramento River, the headwaters of the Sacramento at Shasta City Park, a quaint and quite enjoyable park to visit, beautiful Castle Lake, traveling further east from McCloud River Waterfalls and find McArthur Burney Waterfalls. Lassen National Park is in this area although I've not included it in this tour: Travel Directions, Map, Scenery and Directions to McCloud River Waterfalls.

Traveling the Oregon and California Coasts, Little Known Passes and the Redwoods:

The Oregon and California Coasts, with little known routes to the Oregon Coast, and the Redwoods. Surprisingly, Redwoods in Oregon too, along the Chetco River. Not as spectacular as those in California because they've been logged. There's so much to see and do in this tour, I won't try to enumerate. Just check it out, and don't neglect reading the piece King Among Kings in the Redwoods Section for a good idea of what to see in the northern most Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith: Scenery on the coast and travel directions: south of Waldport and north of Waldport, Oregon. (This section is not yet complete.)

Travel Suggestions on the Willamette Pass:

Travel suggestions on the Willamette Pass: Salt Creek Waterfalls, beautiful Waldo Lake, the classic mountain beauty of Odell Lake, hiking trails, waterfalls, hot springs, mountain lakes and campgrounds: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery (can be combined with the West Cascades National Scenic Byway Tour.)

The Crescent Lake Oakridge "Inback" Tour:

The Crescent Lake Oakridge "Inback" Tour as Brad has named it, including mountain lakes, hiking trails, campgrounds, the Diamond Peak wilderness area, and more. Travel Directions and Map. (This section is not yet complete.)

Protect our National Forests and Wilderness Areas. Leave NO Trace!
Be sure to check out fire conditions at the Ranger Station before traveling,
hiking or camping in the forest.

Our Getaways offer written Directions, Maps and suggested Scenic Views, spanning Oregon and northern California; places Brad and I have visited and loved. These getaways offer simplicity, yet beauty in scenery, waterfalls, hiking trails, wetlands, national wildlife refuges, campgrounds, mountains, hot springs, mountain lakes, equestrian trails, mountain biking trails, wild and scenic rivers, scenic byways, Crater Lake National Park, national parks, monuments & more.

Forward ~ Site structure and ordering. Breakdown of listing of pages, page 1.

Back ~ The Home Page.

Travel Oregon and northern California while staying at Gathering Light ... a retreat located
near Crater Lake in the Klamath Basin of Oregon.

Directions to the retreat. Travel along the Umpqua River, the Willamette Pass, the West Cascades Scenic Byway, the Shasta Trinity Tour, the Diverse Loop Tour, the Surprise Valley - Warner Mountains Tour, or others.

Day Trips of around 100 miles from the retreat.

Little known Scenic Places: hiking, sightseeing, wetlands, wildlife refuges, wildlife viewing, birding, & more near Crater Lake & the retreat: Directions, Map & Scenic Views.

Website Directory for the travel pages      Home Page

Page Listings to the travel pages

Contact Brad at Gathering Light ... a retreat.

This website is a photographic and descriptive gallery of scenery, hiking trails and other recreational opportunities. It is not a guide for any recreational opportunity you may choose to attempt based on the information given here. By using this site the viewer releases the creator from any and all liability. Hiking, mountain biking, simply stepping out into a wilderness area has the potential of danger, plan ahead, bring proper equipment, be prepared and aware at all times.