It was a beautiful drive from Lassen to Detroit Lake. We were suppose to go to Crater Lake but there was still significant snow and our reservations were cancelled last week. We choose to head toward our next stop and find a campsite in central Oregon. The Detroit Lake State Park looked beautiful and a great place to hang out for a day. Unfortunately we did not count on the rain, rain, and more rain.
It was a beautiful camp and would be a great place to spend a couple of days if it was not raining the entire time. Thankfully twice the rain stoped and we were able to go out to explore. The lake was gorgeous and smelled wonderful since the shore was covered in mint. We watched fish, ducks, ducklings, and geese. I can imagine on a sunny day it would be fabulous.
Besides our two walks we hung out at home warm and dry. We watched a movie, played card games, colored, read, and enjoyed doing nothing. Momma even had time to cornrow D’s hair and Daddy worked on the girls poker skills. It was relaxing but we are looking forward to dryer weather and more hikes in the next few days.
Considering we have been to 50+ National Park Service destinations and 31 National Parks we have yet to do the ones closest to home. This year we are changing that. We started our summer travels with Lassen Volcanic National Park. We drove in at 5pm just in time to make dinner and enjoy a lazy evening in the Manzanita Lake Camp.
On our first full day in Lassen we drove the Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway from the Manzanita Campground to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. We made a few short stops along the way but wanted to learn more before we headed out on any hikes. The road had just opened the previous week and the snow was packed high in some spots. The devastation of the Dixie fire last fall was easy to see through out the drive.
We learned a lot at the visitor center, enjoyed the video on Lassen Park, and the kids got their ranger books. Then we ate lunch and headed to Sulfer Works to see the boiling mudpots and for our first hike. What a hike to start on! It was steep with a 1,000 ft elevation change. Everyone was feeling the burn when we reached a snow field with no way to continue. So we stopped at a creek and enjoyed a nice rest before making our way back down to the mudpots.
Boiling sulfur mud
We stopped at the base of Lassen Peak but did not feel the 5 mile hike so we continued on to Kings Creek Falls. This hike took us past meadows, forests, and up a steep rock stairway next to the falls. It was beautiful and heart wrenching as a large part of the hike was through the burnt forest.
Lassen Peak
After a long day of hiking we completed the evening with our favorite camping dinner. nothing beats sausages and veggies cooked over the campfire. Our neighbors became fast friends and soon all the kids were telling stories and roasting marshmallows around the fire. Momma may have lost her seat but the giggles were well worth it.
The Girls!The Boys!The Dinner!The Dessert!
On our second day we stuck close to camp with a hike to the Loomis Museum and around Manzanita Lake. The kids got their badges, found many insects, compared pine ones, saw geese, ducks, and fish. The views were stunning!
Look ants!The largest and smallest pinecones. Searching for insects
Back at camp we enjoyed another delicious dinner, played ball, hung out in the hammocks, and had a great time with our camp neighbors. It was a great time at Lassen and a fabulous was to start our summer travels.
Our plan was to take a boat out to Santa Cruz Island and the Painted Cave. We were excited although a little apprehensive with C’s motion sickness issues. We packed all the natural remedies (homeopathics, essential oils, bands, glasses) crossed our fingers and hoped it would all work. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating, seas were expected to be very rough and although the boat was still going we felt it best for us to stay on the mainland. Island Packers is wonderful to work with and was offering rescheduling or full refunds. We took our refund since we did not know when we would be back again.
Feeling a bit disappointed we headed to the Channel Island Visitor Center to at least earn a badge and some knowledge. We had a wonderful time exploring the center, learning about the islands, and everyone loved the tide-pool talks. The kids earned their badges, watched a bald eagle and a perigean falcon nest, and discovered all the unique creatures and plants on the islands.
It was low tide time when we left we quickly grabbed lunch in the RV and headed out to see what we could find. Right off the beach we were able to see hundreds of crabs, anemones, and some small fish. The kids enjoyed the tide pools but soon found themselves running in the waves. Luckily our home was in the parking lot so changing to swim wear was next on the list.
We spent the rest of the afternoon playing on the beach. Our kids are born for beach play. They made a sand shark, dug tunnels, made new friends, and flew a kite. B made a dugout and A made a bridge. It was a fun afternoon and by the time we left we were exhausted and a little burnt.
Back at camp we enjoyed an evening around the fire. We really liked our stay at the Ventura KOA there were lots of things for the kids to do, the bathrooms were clean, but the peacocks were extremely load. They woke us at 5 in the morning and squawked constantly at dusk as they headed to the tops of the trees for the night. S’mores were almost made but the kids started arguing and went to bed instead. After that Mom and Dad enjoyed a quiet evening around the fire.
Like Channel Islands Joshua Tree was extremely windy. On our way there we encountered a dust storm and had many moments of wind driven fear. We picked up a rental car since we had heard the park was not easy to traverse in a large RV. We are so happy we rented, the parking lots were small and we would not have had many opportunities to stop in the RV.
We camped at Cottonwood which we found to be quiet (no peacocks) and secluded. Although the sites are thin and we could not fully open our slider we had a nice desert view. On our first evening we met a family who happen to live about 10 minutes from us. It is such a small world sometimes. We ended up around the fire having a wonderful evening with them. Meeting new people is one of the best parts of campsites.
On our first full day in Joshua Tree we packed the car and headed out to drive north and see as much as we could. We stopped and hiked at Ocotillo Patch, cholla Cactus Garden, Jumbo Rocks, Skull Rock, Discovery Trail, as well as a few other small stops along the way. We saw a lot of cool desert plants and animals, including 4 species of ants and the infamous Joshua Tree. Watching the landscape change from the Colorado Dessert to the Mojave was definitely worth the drive down Pinto Basin road. By mid afternoon we were all wind blown and bit red and ready to head back and enjoy dinner. It was an early night for everyone after the miles of hiking all day.
Ants!Do not touch the fluffy cactus.Lunch on the rocks! Found some shade.
The wind finally died down on our second full day we spent the morning hiking Cottonwood Springs and Mastodon Peak. We saw the old Mastodon mine and buildings two oasis areas, some new animals and plants we had not seen in the rest of the park. After the hike we had lunch back at the RV then headed to the visitor center for our badges. This was the 31st park badge and around badge 45 overall. We then went back to enjoy a restful afternoon and evening at camp.
The rest of our day was enjoyed reading, riding scooters, playing ball, and for the big kids walking through the desert collecting two bags full of trash. In the evening we had Brussels sprouts and sausages over the campfire. Ending the day with s’mores and star gazing.
So proud of their hard work! Star gazing in the desert.
Our last destination of the summer was Flaming Gorge in Utah with Jen’s cousins. We had a great site at Lucerne Campground. It was right on the edge of the plateau with a short walk down to the water.
There were prairie dogs all around and red tail hawks in a nearby nest, as well as pronghorns on the way in. The kids spent a good amount of time just watching the wildlife.
Once the cousins arrived the little kids spent all their time riding scooters with walkie talkies. It is a great investment for any RV both for fun and communication. The kids enjoy playing with them with new friends and we keep one at the RV so we can hear them and call them home when needed.
Finally got the corn hole boards out.
Shrimp roll lunch with a view!
During the day we also spent time on the water. Being the middle of the week there were not many other people around and the lake was calm. We paddled and swam a few times. We would have spent more time out there, but a thunder storm along the opposite edge of the lake meant we had high winds all afternoon and spent a lot of time in the RVs.
Watching the storm pass across the lake.
Clear skies after the storm.
We enjoyed marshmallows, campfires, popcorn, movies, and star watching at night. The second night, after the storm, the sky was clear and we stayed up late enjoying the night sky. It was a great relaxing nothing to do but be together kind of way to end our summer adventures. We are spending one more evening at Jen’s cousins and then heading toward home.
Trying to get a good picture of 6 kids is a difficult task.
Our 6S Full Life 