[MCaver]

So it looks like I have no Thanksgiving plans, so I was thinking of taking advantage of the 4-day weekend and hitting the road, or at least the trail, but have no ideas where to go. What's a good place to visit in late November? It seems like it's the transition between fall and winter, so there's not really any fall color left and the nice snow hasn't started piling up yet. Or am I wrong in these observations/assumptions? I'm willing to drive a bit, so I'm open to ideas in Washington and Oregon. Photogenic scenery is a must, but it would be nice to stretch the legs as well. If all else fails, I could just make a run up Boulder River.

[MCaver]

Boulder River is anti-climactic if you're expecting something big at the end, but the best part of that hike for me is about 2 miles in, when everything around you is covered in moss. For that trail, it's about the hike instead of the destination, at least for me. I'm considering going out to the Olympics for the long weekend if I can't find anywhere else to go. Not that it's not worthy of the time -- it most certainly is -- it's just that I don't get 4 days off very often and want to try to hit something I can't normally see in a weekend. What about Hell's Canyon on the Oregon/Idaho border? What's it like this time of year?

[Alan Bauer]

Or treat yourself to the Northern OR coast...rates in rooms are dirt cheap in winter most times unless you hit a major hotel/resort. It's lonely, and there are so many heads and capes to hike out onto it'll make you dizzy. Hike out on the jetty from Ft. Stevens State Park, etc.... Your idea of Hells Canyon is great too, but with the current weather patterns you'll have difficulty getting there due to snow at the higher elevations on top. The only really easy low elevation access from my knowledge is from the Ontario, Oregon area about 7 hours from here.....and that doesn't go in as far as into the good stuff up north.

[MCaver]

I guess Hell's Canyon will have to wait until spring then. Can you tell I'm anxious to get out there? Thanks a lot for showing me the photos, Quark! Now I have to wait 6 months!

[MCaver]

Well, it looks like the Olympics are out. Almost every road is closed from flood damage -- Hoh, Sol Duc, North Quinault, Queets. Edit: Hmm, maybe I should focus on the south and east sides of the park. I forget those exist since I've never been there.

[Slugman]

Are you looking for a backpack or a series of dayhikes? There are still several great hikes open on the Granite Falls side of the mountain loop hwy. You could car-camp at a dozen different locations (or just one ), and hike the Walt Bailey trail to the fabulous Cutthroat lakes, that's a full day there. It even has a very nice view car campsite right before the trailhead. North Lake has great scenery and the road (Coal Lake Rd across from Big Four Ice caves) is open and snow-free. Plenty of off-trail explorations possible there. There's also Lake 22, or even the lookout on Mt Pilchuck. I know Lake 22 is kind of average as a lake, but the numerous waterfalls along the way make the hike special, for me at least. As far as the east side of the Olympics, I know that Grey Wolf river, Duckabush river, Lena Lake, Staircase, and Upper Dungeness are all very worthy. I hope they aren't all closed!

[MCaver]

I'm looking for a place to go for a few days and take photos, with some dayhike options in the area. From what I saw on the Olympic NP website, only the roads on the north and west are closed. I don't know about Olympic NF. My thoughts have been migrating to the desert again. Too bad Utah is so far away. Any suggestions for places in the Washington and/or Oregon deserts that would be worth the visit this time of year? (Moving thread to Photo forum, since that's more of what I'm looking for.)

[Slugman]

I just visited the ONF website here. Big Quilcene and Upper Dungeness are listed as open on 10-27-03. Others such as Duckabush and Lena are listed as "no recent report since flooding".

[kiliki]

If you can take 6 days how about the Redwoods on the NoCal coast? Specifically the area around Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and the Gold Beach Bluffs part of Redwood NP. The weather should (could?) be decent-better than here, anyway, and there are lots of nice places to car camp and day hike that will be empty. This is about a 10 hour drive via !-5 to Grants Pass and then 100 to CA, maybe less. Edit: I just now saw that you asked for desert ideas. Have you ever explored the Newberry Caldera National monunment near Bend, OR? How about the John Day Fossil Beds, which aren't too far from there? Both neat places to visit. I don't know what the weather will be like-I've only been in spring.

[sarbar]

Why not car camp at Klaloch? The sunsets are gorgeous. Any of the beaches in the ONP are worthy for photography imo. We'll be out at Staircase this weekend with the PNWH group...I'll let you know if there is anything pretty about it (I'm joking! The whole North Fork Skokomish area is pretty in it's own way.) I am also very partial to the Elwha Valley in winter-carcamp for free at the main campground (no water or toilets....but it's FREE. We camp there and usually drive into Port Angles for dinner and breakfast The Olympic Bagel Co. has really nice bathrooms for cleaning up) The main Elwha trail is just gorgeous with the light filtering down through the trees, and there is always wildlife there, Goblin's Gates, the old cabins, etc... Just beware of cougars in winter! (we got paced by a cougar last winter).

[marta]

I was going to also suggest the Bend area also but it looks like they have snow there. I found the webcams of Cascade Volcanos and it looks like there is some snow around Newberry and also Crater Lake. I suspect you'll need to get beyond the Siskyous if you want desert without snow. Northern CA might be interesting. I love the area around Shasta. I'd probably head to the coast. I've gone to the San Juans in the winter but it is a pain to get there. It may also be a bit crowded on Thanksgiving.

[Damian]

You can't beat a nice remote wilderness beach this time of year...

Wilderness Beach..

[MCaver]

Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming! I've been to both Redwood NP and the Painted Hills in the last year, so I'd like to hit somewhere new. Olympic Beaches are sounding good.