For an autumn outing, Waldo Lake area is ideal

The Oregonian
Sunday, October 12, 2003

Waldo Lake and the namesake wilderness that surrounds it on three sides is one of the best places in the Oregon Cascades to head for an outdoor experience before the early snows of winter.

The biting insects are gone, the crowds of summer have disappeared, the fire danger in the woods has been eased by some much-needed rain, and the deciduous trees are ablaze with color. The beautiful lake provides an idyllic setting to while away the autumn days until the snow starts to fly.

Main attraction: Carved out by ancient glaciers, Waldo Lake covers 10 square miles at an elevation of 5,414 feet on the west side of the Cascades, just north of the Willamette Pass highway. The lake is one of the purest large bodies of water in the world, along with Oregon's Crater Lake and Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Visibility has been measured at 125 feet in Waldo Lake, which has no permanent inlet to introduce nutrients. Only two types of moss live in the 420-foot-deep lake, a factor that contributes to its clarity. The North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River drains Waldo Lake. Both the lake and the river are protected under the Oregon scenic waterways program.

Although not within its namesake wilderness, Waldo Lake is adjacent on the north, west, and south to the 39,000-acre Waldo Lake Wilderness Area, a land of numerous small lakes and old trees.

Trails/users: A 22-mile trail follows Waldo Lake's shoreline. The trail is not in a designated wilderness, so it is open to mountain-bike riding.

More fun: The Waldo Lake area has trails to the top of some nearby peaks, including the Twins, Fuji Mountain, and Maiden Peak, for views of the central Cascades with their many volcanoes.

Lodging: The Willamette Pass area has three lakeside lodges (Shelter Cove, Crescent Lake, and Odell Lake), plus a motel and cabins, all on the east side of the pass along Oregon 58.

Camping: Campgrounds begin to close for the season in the higher elevations in mid-October, so Waldo Lake is best for day-trippers this time of year.

Season: Snow usually begins to accumulate by early November.

Getting there: The turnooff for Waldo Lake from Oregon 58 is 65 miles southeast of Eugene. Driive north toward the lake, passing the trailhead for the Twins at 6.3 miles from the highway. Continue a half-mile north to the first turnoff from the lake at Shadow Bay, or another seven miles to reach North Waldo and Islet Point campgrounds.

Cost: The Northwest Forest Pass ($5 for the day, $30 for a year) is required at most trailheads.

Information: Willamette National Fores, 541-782-2283, www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette.