Adventures Entry #1

Saturday, July 19, 2025

I had lived in Oregon since 2nd grade and, until now, had never been to Crater Lake National Park. Unfortunately, the Crater Lake Lodge was already fully booked for the dates I had in mind, so I planned a weekend stay in Sunriver at a cabin Airbnb with friends, centered around a day trip to Crater Lake since it wasn’t too far away.

A friend from Montana and I left Saturday morning around 10 a.m. for Crater Lake, which was about an hour and twenty-minute drive from Sunriver. On the way, we stopped at Rosland Coffee House in La Pine. I ordered a vanilla latte and a raspberry strudel, and both were delicious. The latte was smooth and comforting, while the pastry was sooo good—even though I’m not usually a pastries-or-sweets person. It felt like the perfect little treat to kick off the day.

Originally, in addition to hiking the Cleetwood Cove Trail, I had hoped to take a boat to Wizard Island, see Phantom Ship, and drive a portion of the Rim Drive. However, the hike alone, along with a few scenic stops, was more than enough for the day. I initially thought I had discovered a hidden gem of a trail, but it turned out to be quite popular and crowded.

The mile-long hike down to the water was fun and rewarding. We even found a flat rock halfway in the water where we relaxed for about thirty minutes. I had read that this area is the only legal spot to swim in Crater Lake. The water was incredibly blue and beautiful. Snow around the crater melts into the lake, making it especially cold—but it was refreshing after hiking under the hot sun. We had an absolute blast.

As it turned out, the timing of the trip couldn’t have been better. After booking the Airbnb, I learned that this would be the last summer the park remained open before an extended closure for maintenance and environmental restoration. The park is expected to remain closed until 2029.

After visiting Crater Lake, we had a nice lunch at Sunriver Brewing Co.—they have amazing food and drinks. Before the trip, I’d only eaten at a NE location in Bend, and it was just as amazing as the first time. We also visited the Sunriver Village where they have some very cute stores, and I picked up a couple of gifts for family. It was my first time in Sunriver, and I loved what they had to offer. The next morning, my friend and I took out the kayaks that were offered from our Airbnb. It was a canal off of the Deschutes River, and we had a nice ride before checking out on Sunday.

Since then, I’ve been back to Sunriver for my sister's birthday, where I hung out at the Sunriver Resort and the pool there. What a great time! We even went to the stores again, and I got myself a Smith Rock shirt (one of my favorite hiking places in Terrebonne) and a Bend sweatshirt for the fall. I definitely plan to return to Crater Lake once the work is completed and the park reopens—next time with a more detailed itinerary.