Gold Beach v Klamath Falls (Bend, Grants Pass: hotel, job openings, casino)

[Scorpion3510]

Hi there! My wife and I are considering taking a vacation to either Gold Beach or Klamath Falls for memorial day weekend with our dog. Looking for kayaking/hiking/breweries. Both places are about equidistance from our house.


Is one better than the other? We haven't been to Crater Lake and might check that out if near KF.


Any advice would help. I hope I posted in the right forum!


Thanks!


P.S. I cross posted in the Bend forum too but general Oregon might be better.

[PNW-type-gal]

It can be difficult to find lodgings on holiday weekends (harder in Gold Beach than in Klamath Falls). Are you planning on camping or are you looking for a hotel/B&B/vacation rental?

There are a couple microbreweries in Klamath Falls. The Creamery aka Klamath Basin Brewing and Mia and Pias (the beer is better at Mia and Pias but the pizza is awful). On the coast there are microbreweries in Coos Bay, Bandon and Brookings, but not Gold Beach.

There is a canoe trail on Upper Klamath Lake (Agency Lake) over by Rocky Point that is kind of fun. Some of the Rogue River can be kayaked, but mostly the sections below Lost Creek Lake and there are sections of whitewater involved, be sure to ask around before you take to the water there.

The full Rim Road up at Crater Lake is not likely to be open by Memorial Day (late June to early July is the usual opening for the entire drive), often the North Road isn't open then, either. Late May there is often still a lot of snow in the campgrounds. The snow melt mosquitoes can be ferocious up there and at Diamond Lake early in the season.

[Silverfall]

I've done the canoe trails by Klamath Falls and I think they are really cool. They are literally trails in the marshes so there are a bazillion birds in there and it is really quiet.

[leastprime]

We did Gold Beach and Redwoods last year. Weather was sunny but windy. Fog bank just off beach and rolled in at 3pm. IRRC, still winter rates. Not crowded. Lots of service job openings.
We haven't been through KF in ages -no help.

[Tulippsy]

This is like comparing apples and oranges. One is not better than the other, but simply different. If you want coastal beauty and ocean, then you know where to go. If you want to kayak through the marshes, then go to K Falls. Both places have excellent hiking. I wouldn’t kayak in the Pacific, but there are several rivers - Rogue, Chetco, Smith. I don’t think of Gold Beach as being one destination. From Port Orford to Brookings, you’ve got a lot of options for the things you want to do.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Scorpion3510

Hi there! My wife and I are considering taking a vacation to either Gold Beach or Klamath Falls for memorial day weekend with our dog. Looking for kayaking/hiking/breweries. Both places are about equidistance from our house.


Is one better than the other? We haven't been to Crater Lake and might check that out if near KF.


Any advice would help. I hope I posted in the right forum!


Thanks!


P.S. I cross posted in the Bend forum too but general Oregon might be better.

How many days will you spend in Oregon? Just the three days?

If you have enough time, how about one day in Grants Pass (the Rogue River), one day in Klamath Falls and one day at Crater Lake. If you don't have at least that much time, then Gold Beach would probably be better.

Also is the weather important to you? Gold Beach will be pretty cool, probably in the 60s. Klamath Falls will be warmer, probably in the 70s.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Klamath Falls isn't really tourist oriented. There is a lot of beautiful scenery around there and the lakes.

Crater Lake is well worth seeing.

Check the website for Klamath Fairgrounds and see if there is anything interesting going on that weekend. Also, the Indian casino sometimes has some musical artists who are fun to see, so check their website to see if there is anything interesting going on.

I don't know much about Gold Beach. If you go to Gold Beach, you could probably plan your route to see the Oregon Caves.

Bend is very tourist oriented with lots going on, but that adds considerably to your drive.

[texasdiver]

I don't think Crater Lake National Park is open by Memorial Day. It isn't usually open until late June when the snow finally melts. But you will want to check for sure. Well, I think they plow the road to the lodge but the rim road that runs around the park doesn't open until later.

[Scorpion3510]

Yeah we are only going for about 3 days so not a whole bunch of time.


Can we go to Crater Lake even with the snow or does the NPS block it completely? I lived in Cleveland for awhile & have a modified 4wd 4Runner with lift, and the 3PMSF rated A/T tires so potentially could do it.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Scorpion3510

Yeah we are only going for about 3 days so not a whole bunch of time.


Can we go to Crater Lake even with the snow or does the NPS block it completely? I lived in Cleveland for awhile & have a modified 4wd 4Runner with lift, and the 3PMSF rated A/T tires so potentially could do it.

I think you can get to the lodge and visitors center. The rest of the road around the lake will be gated and chained and covered by large snow drifts so not passable by any vehicle other than a snow machine. They get tens of feet of snow up there. Check the park web site. They will have all that information and maps of what is open and closed.