Lava Beds and Clear Lake

Well, I think we're near the end of this year's travelogue (or should I say "travelblog"?). Fall is definitely here, and a lot of rain is in the forecast. (I really don't think I'm ready for hiking on wet muddy trails). But I can't complain, because we've had extraordinarily good weather for our various excursions this summer, and last Saturday was no exception.

Clay really wanted to try the "Old McKenzie Highway" (the scenic route), which was still closed by snow the last time we headed that direction. But it's open now -- for a little while, at least.

The lava beds were very interesting. I've only seen small bits of them here and there, so the vastness of it in this area was amazing to me. I just can't imagine what it must have been like to come through here in covered wagons, or by horse or on foot. (Notice the smoke from a forest fire in the distance).




This is the Dee Wright Observatory, built by the CCC during the Great Depression out of the lava stones -- another amazing feat! It was really interesting to go to the top where we could see for miles and miles in every direction. There is a bronze "peak finder" on the top of the observatory, with arrows pointing to the various mountain peaks, telling how far away they are. The observatory has lava windows which are labeled and frame the various mountains that can be seen through them.




There is a short paved trail through the nearby lava flows, with interpretive panels to tell about the various geologic features and the travelers who came through the area.




From the top of the observatory we had a good view of two of the "Three Sisters" mountains -- the other "sister" was not visible from this angle. We were looking into the sun, however, so it was hard to get good photos.




We then continued on to the small town of Sisters, known for its arts and crafts and especially the outdoor quilt show held each summer. The area is a big tourist attraction, and the following picture is just one of the many "crafty/quirky" things that can be seen there.

Here's a section of a nice mural on the side of a building, followed by two examples of the "real thing" which were hanging in front of one of the stores.

I've always loved quilts and admired those with enough patience to do this sort of work. I know I wouldn't be able to do it!




After lunch and exploration in Sisters, we continued along the big loop we were taking around the area by heading for Clear Lake. It was getting kind of late in the afternoon, but we had a couple of hours for hiking part-way around the lake and admiring the beauty of Nature (the reflection of the shoreline in the clear water was very pretty, especially with the beginnings of fall foliage).




There were quite a few people in various watercraft on the lake. I liked these colorful ones the best. No motorized boats are allowed, so it's very peaceful around the lake. I could hear people talking from boats way out in the middle of the lake.







I had mentioned to Clay earlier that I really wanted to find a good spot for viewing colorful fall foliage in Oregon (because I'm probably not going to get my wish of seeing New England in the fall!). We were happy to see some brightly-colored bushes along the trail around the lake. It's not much -- but at least it's something.










Yes, fall is definitely here!