Natural Bridges, Smith Rock, and McKenzie Pass Lava Beds

Rogue River rapids, upstream from the bridges

I went north to see the "natural bridges" in Rogue River National Park. It was much warmer down at the base of Crater Lake, than at the top. However, there was still frost on the bridges and railings.

"Natural Bridges" are formed when a river uses old lava tubes to flow underground. Some of the bridges may be short, hiding the river for only a few feet, or much longer. There are occasionally holes in the top of the lava tubes, allowing you to look inside. Conversely, the river can also "drill" holes as particles get caught in small holes and pushed in whirlpools by the river.

A partially collapsed lava tube

An example of a natural bridge. This one flows over the top during the spring melt.

The camp was closed, so there wasn't much else to see at the park. Onward north to my next stop!

Heading north, I was greeted by this amazing sight.

Mt. Thielsen

Mt. Thielsen is a pretty cool mountain. It is the remnant of a old volcano, taller than it's current peak. Erosion exposed the hardened core of the volcano (the black spot on top). It has become a sort of lightning rod, and there is evidence of melted rock at the peak.

Smith Rock State Park

I continued to north to Smith Rock State Park. This park is really popular with rock climbers, and they were out in force this day. This is because of the type of rock found here. Everything is sedimentary rock, formed by compressed ash from a nearby eruption. The peaks and valleys are formed by the river that runs through the park.

The hikes up the mountain were really fun as well, as you could see a full 360° view of the surrounding area.

Aptly named trail. This was a pretty steep hike.

The river that helped form the park.

A view of the parking lot area. I am not sure what mountain is in the distance.

After hitting the peak, the trail was much easier. It took you downhill, past Monkey Face rock, probably one of the pinnacle climbs of the park.

Can you spot the people climbing the pinnacle?

How about now? Not for me, but awesome to watch. They were heading to the tiny crevice near the top.

The trail took you along the river path. There were a lot of really nice homes right next to the park. There were a couple of cool sights that were less dangerous than climbing up a rock face.

Rock stacking seems more my skill level.

A friendly guy. This is as close as I felt like getting to him; didn't want to piss him off.

The Rattle Snake was pointed out to me by a father and son walking the lake trail. We continued walking back together and talking. The son lived nearby in Redmond, OR and the father was out visiting. The son liked to try and hike at least one a month out here, and I can see why. This is a really beautiful park.

As I was leaving, rain clouds were starting to close in. I felt pretty bad for all the climbers, but they might be used to the weather. I went west to my last stop for the day: the McKenzie Pass Lava Beds.

Those clouds that I mentioned? They were hanging over the lava beds. This was unfortunate, because you couldn't really see anything. Everything was covered in a thick mist, and the rain was blowing sideways in some areas. However, I spotted something on the road that I HAD to check out.

If you see a structure built out of lava rock, you have to go check out inside!

There were 4 main openings and many differently portholes that framed all of the nearby mountains. Unfortunately, I couldn't see more than a mile in any direction.

Compass at the top of the structure.

My attempt at the full 360° shot. Too bad there was the rain...

With it starting to get dark, I decided I would call it a night. The campsites at McKenzie pass looked a little sketchy. There were bullet holes in the signs out there, and it looked more like a two-track kind of place. I decided I would try and get closer to Portland.

I tried looking for a campsite nearby highway 5, but struck out two times: one was closed for the year, the other was booked. I finally gave up, pulled into a rest stop, and slept in my car. After sleeping in my car in Crater Lake, I found improvements to my methods and was able to sleep pretty soundly until 6am the next morning.

Photos of Natural Bridges, Smith Rock, and McKenzie Pass Lava Beds