North Cascades National Park

We went up to Concrete, Washington — almost to Canada — just to check off another national park, North Cascades.

A rather nice entrance sign:

ENtrance sign

A map of the Newhalem area:

Map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Jenn enjoys getting the passport cancellation stamps:

Passport cancellation station

A helpful sign:

Helpful sign

Do not touch the bear:

Do not touch the bear

Relief map:

Relief map

Displays:

Displays

Displays

Boardwalk to a viewpoint:

Boardwalk to viewpoint

View

View

We had a picnic lunch there:

Picnic

A tunnel:

Tunnel

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

A bridge:

Bridge

Mountains:

Mountains

Mountains

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake:

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake

The lake is a fascinating color:

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Selfie

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

A very dusty road, due to roadworks:

Dusty road

Lake:

Lake

Outside the park, a Wilderness Information Center:

Wilderness Info Center

Relief map:

Relief map

The reason for visiting it, another passport cancellation station:

Passport cancellation station

Wilderness Info Center

LL Stub Stewart State Park, Dairy Creek West

We stayed in the Dairy Creek West campground of LL Stub Stewart State Park in Buxton, Oregon. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A pleasant state park.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2022-07-11
  • Check out: 2022-07-25
  • 14 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny
  • High temps ranging between 73-90°F, lows around 49-62°F
  • No significant wind

Noise:

  • No road noise or train noise
  • Some neighbor noise (kids and dogs), mostly quiet
  • Crows making a racket on the roof

Site:

  • #46, back in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked in front of coach (on asphalt)
  • Fairly level, once we moved the coach away from the edge
  • Large site: about 64 feet long by about 45 feet wide
  • Full hookups:
    • 50 amp power conveniently located
    • 30 PSI water pressure (we boosted from our tank); conveniently located
    • Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10 foot hoses used)
  • Picnic table, fire pit on gravel
  • Several trees for privacy

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 4 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 38 ms ping
  • AT&T: 8 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 25 ms ping
  • Verizon: 30 Mbps down, 12 Mbps up, 23 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Garbage compactor and recycling outside campground entrance
  • No pool

Here’s our review on Campground Reviews:

Huge sites in a beautiful park

We loved our stay at this campground. Our site was beautifully tucked into the trees, and it just felt like what a campground should be. The place has an awesome vibe. It feels like a rustic campground but has full hookups. It feels like you’re a long way from anywhere, but it’s pretty convenient to Hwy 26, so you can head to Portland or the Coast for an easy day trip. The camp hosts are really on top of things; they rake and tidy things up almost as soon as the previous occupant has left. And the sites are just massive. We had room for our 40′ motorhome, tow vehicle, screen tent with table and chairs, plus the campground-provided picnic table and firepit, with room left over. I can see why this park is popular with groups. We saw several campers with multiple sites booked, who all hung out at one site in the evenings.

We stayed in the West campground, which has a lot more trees around the loop than the East one and has a few that need to be trimmed along the road because they twanged the antenna on top of our rig, but it’s a minor thing because we will stay here again when we’re in the area. We camped at L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Map

An embedded map, that you can zoom and scroll around:

Our site before parking:

Our site

Our coach in our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

From the hill behind the site (and yes, the tent is new; I’ll do a separate post about that):

Our site

Our site

A peek of the roof:

Roof

Woods behind our site:

Woods behind our site

A murder of crows; they had an annoying habit of walking on our roof, making a racket:

Murder of crows

The crows did enjoy the drip tray of our griddle:

Crow on griddle

Another recent addition was a milk crate to help carry and stabilize the propane cylinder:

Milk crate for propane cylinder

Griddle breakfast for dinner:

Griddle breakfast for dinner

More pics of our site:

Our site

Our site

Another dinner:

Dinner

Oh deer:

Deer

Levitating squirrel:

Squirrel

Butterfly:

Butterfly

Another deer:

Another deer

Aerial views of our site:

Aerial view of our site

Aerial view of our site

Aerial view of our site

Aerial view of our site

Aerial view of other sites

Aerial view of other sites

Let’s explore. The welcome center:

Welcome center

The campground didn’t have any garbage bins or dumpsters, but did have a trash compactor just outside:

Trash compactor

And it being Oregon, of course there were lots of recycling bins, too:

Recycling

Self registration station for late arrivals:

Self registration station

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

More bathrooms:

Bathrooms

Tent sites:

Tent sites

Other RV sites:

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

We will probably come back here in the future, but might like to stay on the opposite side of the road, for better shade. Site 41 could be a good choice:

Site 41

Or site 43:

Site 43

Or site 45:

Site 45

Behind site 45:

Behind site 45

A seating area by a path to the adjacent campground:

Seating area

We were in Dairy Creek Campground West; the East campground is nearby:

Dairy Creek Campground East

Both campgrounds have a couple of Park Hosts:

Park Host

Dairy Creek Campground East is a bit more open:

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

Dairy Creek Campground East

This campground might be better for our coach; it brushed some of the foliage in the west campground. Sites 82, 84, 86, 88, 89, 90, and 92 would all be excellent choices for afternoon shade and a decent amount of privacy:

Site 82

A very nice couple of campgrounds. We’ll likely stay here again when visiting Portland.

Silver Falls State Park

We visited Silver Falls State Park near Salem, Oregon, and hiked to South Falls and Lower South Falls.

South Falls Day Use Area

But first, a picnic lunch:

Picnic

South Falls Historic District:

South Falls Historic District

Top of South Falls:

Top of South Falls

Top of South Falls

A switchback path:

Path

Falls selfie:

Falls selfie

South Falls; yes, those are people; there is a path behind the falls:

South Falls

GIF:

GIF

Low ceiling:

Low ceiling

Behind the falls:

Behind the falls

Selfie behind the falls

Behind the falls

Behind the falls

Behind the falls

Behind the falls

Behind the falls

Beside the falls

We used our hiking poles, since there were steep portions; not essential, but they do help:

David

South Falls

Bridge

Mossy trees:

Mossy trees

Exposed tree roots:

Exposed tree roots

Water

Steps:

Steps

Lower South Falls:

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

David

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls

Steep switchback path:

Steep switchback path

Mossy trees:

Mossy trees

An historic shelter that is being restored:

Historic shelter

Historic shelter

Historic shelter

Historic shelter

Historic shelter

Gift store:

Gift store

Gift store

Cafe:

Cafe

Crater Lake National Park

We visited Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

Crater Lake is Oregon’s only national park. We’ve been there a few times before, and no doubt will be back many times.

If you haven’t been to Crater Lake, you haven’t experienced the color blue.

One thing we haven’t yet done is drive all the way around the lake. The East Rim Drive is closed most of the year; it only opens late in summer, it feels like only for a few weeks, though is probably longer. One day we’ll make it at the right time!

Here’s a map showing the open and closed portions:

Crater Lake map

Crater Lake sign:

Crater Lake sign

Road:

Road

Snow:

Snow

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Picnic:

Crater Lake

Boat:

Crater Lake

Bikes

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Road closed:

Road closed

Snow:

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Store:

Store

Visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated:

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated

Squirrel:

Squirrel

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Utah Alpine Loop scenic drive and Bridal Veil Falls

We did a day trip drive along the Utah Alpine Loop scenic drive, to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument visitor center, through the outskirts of Salt Lake City, and to Bridal Veil Falls.

Here’s an embedded map of the route, as an experiment (alternative link):

Alpine Loop scenic drive:

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

Alpine Loop scenic drive

We stopped at the Timpanogos Cave National Monument visitor center, since it was on the way. We didn’t go to the actual cave, since (a) it requires reservations, (b) it requires a fairly long hike to reach it, and (c) it requires having never been in a cave before:

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Jenn

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

We stopped at The Holy Grill for lunch, a BBQ restaurant:

The Holy Grill

The Holy Grill

BBQ food

The Holy Grill

The Holy Grill

The Holy Grill

And a stop at Eddie Bauer to return some clothing:

Eddie Bauer

Mountains:

Mountains

Mountains

Bridal Veil Falls:

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Great Salt Lake

We visited Great Salt Lake in Utah.

The visitor center:

Visitor center

Brine shrimp in the visitor center:

Brine shrimp

Info sign:

Info sign

Olympics 2002:

Olympics 2002

Great Salt Lake:

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake

It was a little breezy:

David

David

Great Salt Lake

David

Jenn

Jenn

Next to the lake is a copper smelter:

Smelter

Smelter

Info sign

Info sign

Info sign

Info sign

Info sign

Also by the lake is the historic Saltair:

Saltair

Saltair

Saltair

We then drove through downtown Salt Lake City on the way back:

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City