Crater Lake environs recs (Medford, Bend: for rent, casino, restaurant)

[bloom]

Thinking of an August trip to Crater, coming from San Francisco area.
Any suggested additional recommended stops (not the coast as already mostly done), including best places to eat? To sleep?
Hopefully not too smokey, fiery then

[Metlakatla]

Beckie's Cafe in Prospect.

[Terryj]

Since you're in the area, there is a lot to see. If you come out of Crater Lake via the South Entrance, head down hwy 62 to Union Creek, there you can have something to eat at Beckie's Cafe and also visit the Rogue Rive Gorge, depending on the time, if you want to spend the night Union Creek offers cabins for rent. You can take OR hwy 230 (that's the junction for Crater Lake) north, it will put you out on highway 138. Head west on 138, the North Umpqua highway, towards Roseburg (138 is called the Highway of Waterfalls) there are a number of waterfalls along this highway, Whitehorse Falls, Toketee Falls, Watson Falls, Clearwater Falls, Susan Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls, some of these falls are accessible via vehicles and some are accessible via trail heads.

[Hawk J]

Coming from Medford, drive past Shady Cove, on the left is Cole River's Fish Hatchery, next to Lost Creek Lake. Call them to make sure they are Open.
Years ago, we used to eat at the restaurant on the left side, driving through the beginning of Shady Cove.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=lost+c...&wsso=Moderate

https://www.bing.com/search?q=good+r...&wsso=Moderate

Some miles more toward Crater Lake, at Rogue River Gorge there is some awesome beautiful scenery on both sides of the river. & beautiful chipmunkies too... The soft ice cream cones at Beckies are delish...
Drive Safely.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=rogue+...&wsso=Moderatehttps://www.bing.com/search?q=Beckie...&wsso=Moderate

[NW Crow]

If you hike, consider Seven Lakes Basin to the south of Crater. To the north, Diamod Lake is good for a picnic or more.

[Hawk J]

Unless the rules have changed, Crater Lake is a National Park where you can fish free without a license. I read that before on the Crater Lake website.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Collier State Park has a logging museum and the park itself is pretty.


If you head north there is Paulina Lake, the Lava Lands visitor center, the Lava Cast Forest, Benham Falls.


There are 14 lovely lakes along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Highway


If you like desert, you can head east and see the Christmas Valley Dunes and Fort Rock and The Lost Forest. Possibly see a herd if Pronghorn antelope.


Are you traveling with kids? The High Desert Museum, South of Bend, is very well done and they have some local wildlife and the last time I was there they were doing a birds of prey show with rescued raptors.



Occasionally the casino in Chiloquin has a pretty good entertainer in to do a show. Not an always thing but you can check their website to see if anything is going on.

[bloom]

How many full days you recommend at Crater Lake per se? I would want to cover a few good hikes.