Kayaking and Hiking Adventures

 Hosmer Lake Starlight Float   (Wanderlust Tours) Starting Location:   Wanderlust Tour office in Bend Point of Interest :  Hosmer Lake (this may change), starry nights Bathrooms:  Yes, at office, and at Hosmer Lake Parking : Plenty of parking at office, they shuttle to lake. EV Chargers : No This was our 30th anniversary experience. We had actually won a gift certificate at the Perrydale Auction for Wanderlust tours, and we chose this Starlight Float. We checked in at the office, got in the van, and headed to Hosmer Lake, which we were at last year. It sounds like they go to different lakes, depending on conditions, like fires and smoke. There were 14 of us, including our guide. We met at the office in Bend, piled in the 14 passenger van, and headed up to the lake. We paired up in canoes, and headed out to the North end of the lake, just beyond the riparian section. We put in at dusk, and it was easy to see where we were going.  There was a slight haze due ...

 For this trip, we made reservations for 2 nights at Mallard Marsh Campground at Hosmer Lake. My SIL and BIL joined us for the weekend, and managed to get the campsite next to us. So let's start with the drive and area, then the campground, and then move on to the lake and kayaking. The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway  deserves a paragraph of its own. This leads from Hwy 58 to Hwy 97 near Bend, giving access to some great mountain lakes and hiking trails. It's a beautiful drive, the road is in good condition, and the views are amazing. You get close up views of Mt. Bachelor and the 3 Sisters. There are 2 campgrounds at Hosmer Lake, Mallard Marsh and South CG. The MM campground has 15 good sized sites. Lots of room to spread out. The campground also has no water, so you have to bring your own, and it's a bit dusty and dry. There are large trees that give a lot of shade during the day. We had to go to one of the nearby resorts to get wood. Elk Lake has some, but Lava Lake Resort ...