We finally made it in to Oregon, our entry was along the 199 highway, a very scenic drive through pine lined roads and lush green everywhere. Our first stop was Cave Junction, this gave us the opportunity to find a laundromat and catch up with the washing, a great laundromat which had free wifi!. Our overnight spot was on BLM land right on the Illinois River. It was such a beautiful spot we decided to stay two days. With so much water and fairly easy to get, we gave 
the van a wash and Michele did all her hand washing. The water in the buckets was so clear you would have thought that it had come from a city water supply. Grants Pass was our next destination, one the largest centres we had seen in a while, so did a bit of shopping then drove on the 238. This is one of the many scenic drives in Oregon and it took us through the Appleyard Valley, with an overnight stay at the Appleyard Dam. Fantastic setting with snow covered peaks as a background. We were woken early next morning by a school bus as the driver left his motor running, probably figured that if he was up, everyone else should be also. After breakfast 
on the drive back to the highway we came across our first Oregon covered Bridge. This one was built in 1917; there were more than 300 covered bridges in the 1930, now there are only about 50 of them left. They are very unique for us as we do not have these types of structures in Australia. Next we visited Jacksonville, a wonderfully preserved town in which most of the buildings were built in the 1850’s, old red brick, two storey structures. We were informed that they have used the town as it is, for a period movie sets, just bring in some soil to cover the roads, a really nice town. After lunch we drove along the 62(scenic road) to White City and then 
Prospect. This is a beautiful drive through mountains and pines and magnificent waterfalls along the way. For our morning constitutional we walked the trail between two waterfalls and the raging river connecting them. Crater Lake was an exceptional sight, although only one mile of the 32 mile rim drive was open, the views across the bluest of blue water with the snow on the mountains behind was magnificent. The snow that had been cleared around the resort buildings was at least 2 meters high in places. The snow through the pines on the drive in and out was also quite thick, it was a highlight of the drive through the alpine region; we stayed here all day until 
about 4.00, and then found a great place to park overnight in the National Forest on the way out.Next day we made our way from the 62 and onto the 230, many National Forest campsites along the way, we had morning tea at Rogue Gorge. I think the name says it all, complete with fabulous and continuous waterfalls. Lunch at Diamond Lake, a huge recreational lake with at least 30 boats on the water and with a 8363 foot snow covered mountain as a backdrop, made for another postcard setting. The drive continued with several waterfalls along the way including Clearwater, Whitehorse and Watsons Falls which involved a reasonable hike up the hill, but the 
reward was a spectacular 272 waterfall (one of the tallest in Oregon). We spent the night in the Toketee Falls campground, which was massive, and only had a couple of other people camped there. Up bright and early for an early start, left at 2.45 pm. We weren’t able to walk to these falls as the trail was damaged in 2006 and has not been repaired yet. Called in to many more campsites along the river to look at and watch the river race by, some of these campsites I think would be difficult to sleep at due to the noise of the wild river rushing down the gully which of course made a wonderful setting. We were lucky 
enough to come across another top place to park over night in the Forest before discovering the Fall Creek Falls the next morning. The walk to the falls was two miles return, it was a great walk through thick forests and along the river, at times fairly steep going, on the way you have to pass through a narrow slot of volcanic rock probably 100ft long. At the top a small fall drops into a larger fall. We had lunch at Colliding Rivers and watched the rivers merge at great speed. We then drove towards Peel to see another covered bridge. The signage leaves a bit to be desired, however we eventually found it and then made our way to Roseberg via Dixonville, we now had left the amazing country and entered suburbia.
the van a wash and Michele did all her hand washing. The water in the buckets was so clear you would have thought that it had come from a city water supply. Grants Pass was our next destination, one the largest centres we had seen in a while, so did a bit of shopping then drove on the 238. This is one of the many scenic drives in Oregon and it took us through the Appleyard Valley, with an overnight stay at the Appleyard Dam. Fantastic setting with snow covered peaks as a background. We were woken early next morning by a school bus as the driver left his motor running, probably figured that if he was up, everyone else should be also. After breakfast 
on the drive back to the highway we came across our first Oregon covered Bridge. This one was built in 1917; there were more than 300 covered bridges in the 1930, now there are only about 50 of them left. They are very unique for us as we do not have these types of structures in Australia. Next we visited Jacksonville, a wonderfully preserved town in which most of the buildings were built in the 1850’s, old red brick, two storey structures. We were informed that they have used the town as it is, for a period movie sets, just bring in some soil to cover the roads, a really nice town. After lunch we drove along the 62(scenic road) to White City and then 
Prospect. This is a beautiful drive through mountains and pines and magnificent waterfalls along the way. For our morning constitutional we walked the trail between two waterfalls and the raging river connecting them. Crater Lake was an exceptional sight, although only one mile of the 32 mile rim drive was open, the views across the bluest of blue water with the snow on the mountains behind was magnificent. The snow that had been cleared around the resort buildings was at least 2 meters high in places. The snow through the pines on the drive in and out was also quite thick, it was a highlight of the drive through the alpine region; we stayed here all day until 
about 4.00, and then found a great place to park overnight in the National Forest on the way out.Next day we made our way from the 62 and onto the 230, many National Forest campsites along the way, we had morning tea at Rogue Gorge. I think the name says it all, complete with fabulous and continuous waterfalls. Lunch at Diamond Lake, a huge recreational lake with at least 30 boats on the water and with a 8363 foot snow covered mountain as a backdrop, made for another postcard setting. The drive continued with several waterfalls along the way including Clearwater, Whitehorse and Watsons Falls which involved a reasonable hike up the hill, but the 
reward was a spectacular 272 waterfall (one of the tallest in Oregon). We spent the night in the Toketee Falls campground, which was massive, and only had a couple of other people camped there. Up bright and early for an early start, left at 2.45 pm. We weren’t able to walk to these falls as the trail was damaged in 2006 and has not been repaired yet. Called in to many more campsites along the river to look at and watch the river race by, some of these campsites I think would be difficult to sleep at due to the noise of the wild river rushing down the gully which of course made a wonderful setting. We were lucky 
enough to come across another top place to park over night in the Forest before discovering the Fall Creek Falls the next morning. The walk to the falls was two miles return, it was a great walk through thick forests and along the river, at times fairly steep going, on the way you have to pass through a narrow slot of volcanic rock probably 100ft long. At the top a small fall drops into a larger fall. We had lunch at Colliding Rivers and watched the rivers merge at great speed. We then drove towards Peel to see another covered bridge. The signage leaves a bit to be desired, however we eventually found it and then made our way to Roseberg via Dixonville, we now had left the amazing country and entered suburbia.
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