Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 1*

All Good Thing Must Come To An End.

Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 1*

After spending an extra day in Eugene, and a night at fall creek,

it was time to pack up the car and begin our trip back East.

We decided to take a scenic route out of the state. 

It was a warm summer day, and the idea of leaving was hard to face.

We had days of travel ahead of us. 

However, we could not stay in the car for long.

We decided to stop and take in a few last sights.

At 286 feet Salt Creek Falls is the second largest waterfall in Oregon.

This area holds a special place in my heart.

The view from the top of the falls is dominated by tall evergreens.

In the rocks little succulents bloomed in the warm sun.

In the forest large rhododendrons took in the sun preparing to open in full bloom.

 

After a quick walk we had to continue on the road.

 We made our next pit stop at the view point for Diamond Peak and Mount Yoran.

Diamond Peak is around 8,744 feet in elevation.

Mount Yoran is located to the right of Diamond Peak.

The elevation of Mount Yoran is about 7,100 feet.

Back in the car we continue to cruise through the Cascades.

The first views of the Three Sisters Mountain Range started to peek over the timbers.

The mountains here exceed over 10,000 feet in elevation.

As we crossed over the Cascade range our view went form green and lush...

To dry and desert like.

We had arrived in the high desert of Eastern Oregon.

This area is a semi-arid plateau with an elevation of around 4,000 feet.

The red color of the rocks is due to the iron rich minerals found in the soil.

 basalt columns like those seen here, are a result of volcanic activity in the area 

millions of years ago.

As the sun began to set we crossed the Snake River, arriving in Idaho.

The cross-country adventure continues!

Follow along as we make our way East.

Willamette National Forest - Clear Lake

Continuing on our adventure in Willamette National Forest...

We arrive to explore the unspoiled beauty of Clear Lake.

 

Clear Lake is a place like no other.

The water here is slowly filtered through miles of underground volcanic rock.

This fine filtration process naturally removes impurities resulting in impeccably

crystal clear water.

In order to protect this pristine environment motorized boats are not allowed on the lake.

This helps to maintain a tranquil, and undisturbed natural setting while protecting 

vulnerable species unique to this environment. 

In this natural setting rustic charm is found around every corner.

Small cabins are offered for those looking for extended time to relax, and unwind 

in this unique natural environment.

We continue on the trail, moving towards the headwaters of Clear Lake.

The water is so still in areas, it has reflective properties that seem almost mirror like.

The blue color of the water gives a tropical feeling.

However, the water temperatures here never exceeds 39 degrees fahrenheit.

The stillness of the water is broken only by the playful movement of ducks 

paddling in the cold water.

The lake is hundreds of feet deep. 

The water is so clear you can see down to the bottom of the lake from any vantage point.

The forest trail continues around the edge of the lake.

A lovely log bridge carries hikers over a rushing stream.

The sound of the stream cuts through the still silence of the forest.

We continue down the trail until reaching Great Spring, 

the headwaters of Clear Lake.

The water here flows directly out from the volcanic rocks 

around the waters edge.

This is the direct source of drinking water for Eugene, Oregon.

Here at the waters edge our group stayed for the remainder of the afternoon. 

We were joined by a curious wild rabbit who watched from the surrounding vegetation.

As the day faded into evening we made our way back to the trail head.

Follow along as this Oregon adventure continues on!

Willamette National Forest - Sahalie and Koosah Falls

Rain or shine the Oregon adventure continues on!

We made plans for the day over breakfast with friends. 
We had decided to make our way into the Willamette National Forest, 
via Highway 126.

The rain clouds looked as if they had decided to stick around for another day.

However, this was of little concern to our adventurous group.

We made our first stop along the route to explore Koosah Falls.

Koosah translates to "Sky" in the trade language native to this area. 

The trade language developed as a way to allowed native people exchange goods and 

information with others passing through the area. Records state that many native people including 
Kalapuya, Molalla, Sahaptain, and Chinook once traveled and traded in this area.

Along the upper portion of the trail interpretive panels tell the story of area,
and explain a bit about the waterfalls.

The winding trail took us into the forest.
The sound of rushing water dominated the fresh pine scented air.

We followed the trail to the top of Koosah falls.
You could feel the power of the water raging down, as it cascaded over the 90 ft. drop.

From this view point, low laying clouds could be seen hover over the river below. 
An instant appreciation was gained for how far down the waterfall plunged. 

We continued to follow the trail down to an observation area. 

As we walked down the trail, our first glance of this beautiful waterfall peeked out from 
behind a veil of evergreen, and maple trees.

The trail continued to the observation site where inviting weathered benches offered
 a place to sit, and take in the spectacular view.

A closer look at the falls revealed a lovely shade of icy blue in the water, as it 

cascades down into the river below.

We then arrived at the site of Sahalie or "Heaven" falls.

Here, under a log shelter we took refuge from a brief downpour before we 

continued on the trail.

Interpretive panels around the upper portion of the trail greet visitors.

This panel told the story of the water cycle that helps to creates these amazing waterfalls.

Oregon is part of "The Ring Of Fire". 

This area is a direct result of lava flow from erupting volcanoes, that had begun erupting

 40 million years ago. The land was again changed into what we see today by volcanic 

activity over 3,ooo years ago.

The storybook like trail then lead into the forest.

We followed the trail down to the observation site.

The sound of raging water grew louder as we continued on the path.

The path lead us to this view of Sahalie falls.
The amount of water cascading over this 120 ft. fall is tremendous.
The area around the falls is perpetually lush and green due to the amount of mist that is 
generated from the cascading waterfall.

We then crossed over this lovely log bridge, that lead us back to the upper portion 
of the trail.

As we made our way back to our starting point, the clouds in the sky began to break apart.
We took this break in the weather as an opportunity to continue this adventure into 
the Willamette National Forrest.

Follow along on the next chapter of this adventure, as we explore Clear Lake.