After scouring the map for who knows how long, I finally found the perfect spot for a long weekend of camping, hiking, paddle boards, and good eating with friends; the site was Elk Lake. It's a primitive campground on the very northern edge of the Willamette National Forest, but it was quiet and small with no system for taking Reservations. I was worried about the first come first served nature of the campground, so I set out a day early to guarantee to get us a great spot.
I'd never been to this area of the Cascades and was pleasantly surprised with the beauty of the region. To get there you drive on one of the rockiest forest roads I've traveled for what felt like an eternity, but as you come around and get the first glimpse of the lake, every bump became instantly worth it. As far as lakes go, Elk Lake is on the small side, but what makes the area so unique is how the lake is nestled into what looks like to me, a glacier-carved valley.
It's quite refreshing to settle into a new beautiful area were good conversations and adventure fill the day. We ventured out many times on the paddle boards and kiyaks soaking up the sun and dipping into the lake to cool off when necessary. Not far from the campground is Battle Axe Mountain, somehow our group collectively summoned the courage to climb this ancient volcano as the view from our campsite was quite impressive and daunting. It was incredible to gain some elevation and put some perspective on where we were with stunning views of Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, the Three Sisters and Three Fingered Jack.
My favorite part of the whole trip was getting up before dawn on our last day, taking our watercraft out onto the lake, and waiting for sunrise in the crisp morning mist.
