Simply Amazing Road Trip

Road Trip to Klamath Basin in Southern Oregon

08.12.2020
Lake of the Woods Oregon

Don’t overthink it, just go! Southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin is a hidden gem just 15 miles north of the California border. There’s no sales tax (bonus!) and the entire area is home to some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, plus plenty of options for food + drinks and lodging.

🌲 Lake of the Woods

Cabins, camping, and onsite food are just the start at Lake of the Woods Resort. Nearby hiking and biking trails, such as Brown Mountain Trail, offer stunning views that will leave you in wonder. Just five minutes down the road is the insanely popular Crater Lake Zipline and Canopy Tour, fun for the whole family. Ten minutes further is Rocky Point, where you can visit Rocky Point Resort or Harriman’s Lodge, both offering recreational activities on Upper Klamath Lake.

Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

💙 How Do You Blue?

Oregon’s only national park is home to the deepest lake in the country and seventh deepest in the world. It’s also the clearest lake on the planet. Crater Lake’s sapphire blue water can be seen from all 36 pullouts along Rim Drive, but for a blockbuster view, hike the 3.2-mile (round-trip) trail to Watchman Peak, the second-highest point in the park.

Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

🛶 You, In a Canoe

The Upper Klamath Canoe Trail is a 9.5-mile water trail that you can do all of, or small sections of, during an afternoon paddle. The terrain varies depending on the section but includes freshwater marshes, open water, and forest—all offering eye-popping viewscapes. Pro tip: Keep an eye out for river otters and bald eagles.

Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

🚵🏽‍♂️ Time Well Spence

Southern Oregon’s newest mountain bike trail system was designed and built by those who know best: mountain bikers! Head to Spence Mountain, just 15 miles outside downtown Klamath Falls, and take full advantage of outstanding terrain and lakeside views. Head back towards Klamath Falls about ten minutes and visit the Running Y Ranch Resort, where a variety of cold beverages, eateries, and lodging options await.

Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

⛰ Mount McLoughlin

Bag the highest peak in Southern Oregon! Mount McLoughlin rises 9,495 feet, and the peak is reachable via the challenging 10-mile (round-trip) Mount McLoughlin Summit Trail. This is a popular hike and requires commonsense skills. Summer and early fall are typically good times to do it; be aware that sections of trail can be hard to follow, so due diligence in planning is wise. The reward: wowing views of Southern Oregon and Northern California, from Mount Thielsen to Mount Shasta, and Crater Lake.

Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

Know Before You Go

Please be sure to learn about and follow local Klamath County health guidelines. Plan ahead: Have and wear masks where required, and maintain social distance as a courtesy to others while protecting yourself and your loved ones. Enjoy your trip! A little planning, a little patience, and you’re going to have a lot of fun! Here's info on Southern Oregon's health guidelines and updates.

Directions and Lodging: To get to the Klamath Basin, exit I-5 in Northern California at the Weed exit, heading north on Highway 97 into Klamath Falls, Oregon, which is about 15 miles north of the California/Oregon border.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View