Thanks everyone!!!
 
We've got an itinerary figured out and have just finished reserving lodging near most of the must sees mentioned.
 
We're Looking forward to seeing the big trees and some volcanic hills.
 
:-)

Let us know how it went (and what you enjoyed, or didn't) when you get back.

I wonder why the whale was standing on the cliff.    
 
It sounds like a great start.  Have fun.  

Have fun Mike!

Heading north on 97 from crater lake to the gorge. How do you visit the gorge? Is it all I84 and on-off ramps or is there a side road where you can pull off anywhere that has a nice view?

Thanks!

Thanks for the help.

We just arrived at Dallas from 97 / 197, a marvelous country road

What I am trying to figure out is if there is some place to get visitor info as we head west towards Portland.

Just settling in at a Portland Airport hotel. We came up from Crater Lake through Bend/Madras/Maupin/Dalles on US highway 97 and US highway 197. The high desert scenery was a real treat.
 
We followed historic 30 west and only got on I84 when historic 30 was history.
 
It worked out great and we saw all the waterfalls that didn't require a hike up the slope. We also enjoyed the famous overlooks. I am a aficionado of the old style federal works civil engineering and the historic portions of 30 seemed really special.
 
FWIW, I was asking the latest questions from my phone after a few days with no internet connection at Crater Lake. It was hard to get much info on to my phone as we drove through the remote areas.
 
It all worked out great and I am glad to have squeezed in all (well, most all) the suggestion offered here. 
 
We went down the Oregon Coast to the Humboldt California Redwood Parks and the returned through Grants Pass while heading over to Crater Lake.
 
We saw the farmlands south west of Portland. The Coastal beach, dunes and cliffs. We saw the Redwoods and the Fir forests. We enjoyed the mountainous terrain and experiencing the unique textures of the Cascade geology. The high desert was a great bonus. The Gorge and the Waterfalls capped it off and left us with the impression that Oregon has an incredible variety of landscape. It was an awesome road trip.
 
We fly home tomorrow in the A.M.
 
Thanks again to everyone for the good suggestions.

"...to Mt. St. Helens to see what nature can do when she turns a tall mountain into a smoldering crater."
 
We experienced the Crater Lake area for 1/2 day a full day and another half day. The geology exhibits explained that the Crater is the remnant of the former Mt. Mazama, which is thought to have been approximately 12,000 feet tall before it blew it's top off. We found the surrounding landscape fascinating. The creeks that cut through the ash fall seemed unique to an eye accustomed to the creeks of the Appalachians. The vast area of flat ash plains, that are now used as cow pasture were also visually fascinating to someone expecting to see the foot hills of mountains. The scattered pumice deserts are something to wonder at as well.
 
Additionally, US highway 97 and the river town of Maupin seemed like a history lesson as we drove through the layers of lava that were exposed by the cut made when the Deschutes river made it's way north to the Columbia.
 
 
edit to fix spelling

:-)
 
Just before we came out I had a chance to read a book, written by Washington Irving, about the founding of Astoria, and the development of the peltry industry based upon the Columbia.
 

mike_mccue
 
Additionally, US highway 97 and the river town of Maupin seemed like a history lesson as we drove through the layers of lava that were exposed by the cut made when the Deutsche river made it's way north to the Columbia.

Glad you had a good trip Mike. My home used to be on the Deschutes River just between La Pine and Sunriver (about '86 to '89). Good times...
 
Regards,

craigb

mmorgan
... Good times...

 
You forgot:  :-)

I'm subtle that way...;-)