The Klamath Basin

The Klamath Basin is an extraordinary place. You’ll feel its spiritual presence the moment you see awesome Crater Lake or canoe through vast marshes while birds soar above like clouds. When the wind whispers ... you are not alone. Canoe trails on the Upper Klamath, Tulelake and Klamath Marsh refuges offer miles of unparalleled views.

At 133 square miles, sprawling Klamath Lake is the largest lake in Oregon. Giant Rainbow and Brown Trout in Klamath Basin waters offer fishermen the catch of a lifetime. Birding is world class here. Bald Eagles, pelicans and birds of prey seem to be everywhere. In fact, Klamath was rated No. 1 on Sunset Magazine’s list of “Fantastic Five Birding Destinations in the West.”

The city of Klamath Falls offers 300 days of sunny skies and five stores that have been in business for 50 years or more. Downtown Klamath also offers a selection of smaller specialty shops. Catch a performance at the Ross Ragland Theater. It was built in 1940 and has been remodeled to its original art deco splendor. The newly developed Klamath County Youth Sports Complex includes one of the top three skateboard parks in the world.

Nearby rural communities like Merrill, Malin and Chiloquin offer a unique shopping experience. Like a cat with nine lives, Merrill’s downtown has sprung back to life with several specialty stores. One of the top quilting stores in the region is Tator Patch Quilts in Merrill. In Malin, you can visit the Kalina Family’s two stores that have been serving folks since 1918.

Klamath’s heritage is logging and agriculture and the rich and colorful cultures that developed to support these industries can still be found. Cowboys drive cattle down rural roads (don’t honk, drive very slowly through). Colorful communities like Gilchrist with its uniquely decorated buildings and the Czech settlement in Malin are great places to visit.

History buffs will love the region. The largest museum, the Klamath County Museum, is located in Klamath Falls, along with the carefully restored Baldwin Hotel Museum and the extraordinary Favell Museum filled with national class Western and Indian artifacts and art.

The history of the entire Tulelake Basin and Butte Valley is located just minutes across the California border in the Tulelake Museum of Local History. There you will also learn about the Tulelake Internment Camp where thousands of Japanese-American citizens were forced to live during World War II.

The Fort Klamath Museum tells the infamous history of the Modoc War. Any visit to region should include a drive on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway All American Road. Years ago it was singled out by the State of Oregon for its jaw-dropping beauty. The federal government recently concurred. In 1999, All American Road status was awarded this spectacular drive.

Head north from Klamath Falls on Highway 97 and you have the option of turning on Modoc Point Road to check out some wonderful campgrounds and resorts. The County’s second most popular attraction, Kla-Mo-Ya Casino, is on Highway 97 just outside the old mill town of Chiloquin. The town boasts a brand new community center with a high quality art and craft shop, plus “the best little bookstore between Portland and San Francisco.”

Continuing North, you will come to Collier State Park and Logging Museum, one of the nation’s finest and most complete logging museums. The park also offers access to water recreation on the Williamson River and Spring Creek. Highway 97 forks just south of Chiloquin and this puts you in the Wood River Valley. Fort Klamath, a cattle community with a quaint country store, is right on your way to Crater Lake National Park.

No matter where you head in Klamath County, you’ll find adventure. Northern Klamath County features several beautiful lakes with Crescent and Odell lakes being the largest and most popular. The towns of Chemult, home of Iditarod quality sled dog races in January, and historic Gilchrist and Crescent offer easy access to Crater Lake, Newberry National Monument and other natural attractions.

Western Klamath County has beautiful lakes of its own in the Gearhart Mountain area near Bly and at Gerber Reservoir. Choose from several rustic lakeside resorts that feature great dining and rooms for a night’s rest.

Klamath County is a great winter destination, too. Vast public lands allow you to snowmobile, cross-country and downhill ski, snowboard, snowshoe, ice skate, ice fish and dog sled. For the most adventuresome, there is snowmobiling the Pelican Butte Crater - a precipitous, heart-stopping ride.