Continuing journey from The Dalles to Crater Lake

We had breakfast and packed up, left the hotel.

So first stop went to visit the Columbia Gorge discovery centre and museum

It has a trail to walk along the river and a history of the area in themed rooms.

We only spent an hour here as we have to travel but wished we could have spent longer 

The 197 turning to the 97 was the route we took to Klamath Falls.

We kept getting glances of mount st Helen and sadly many burnt hillsides. We went  along  a slow road called criterion pass to connect with the 97

We are travelling the  mountain range called Cascade Range. It is very hilly and covered with rolling hills all yellow grass and many farms with cattle and  horses 

By the time we reached a town called Bend smoke was all around. We are wondering how it is going to be in Yosemite? The visibility was poor in the distance

We travelled for miles on this straight road with pine forests either side as far as the eye could see and smoke everywhere 

It was very upsetting to see the effects of global warming and the devastating forest fires.

After the junction turn to Eugene the air cleared and the smoke was no more very suddenly! Such a relief blue skies great visibility and sunshine 

Not far to go now as we were near crater lake but our hotel was south of this on a lakes area.

The lake at Klamath lake is huge and we saw great blue herons and egrets 

And now we are in a best western hotel at Klamath Falls

We have booked a coach trip around the rim of crater lake tomorrow so excited….