Booth State Scenic Corridor Highway 140
This past weekend I kicked off my role as Oregon State Park's Youth Ambassador with a short road trip to Booth State Scenic Corridor. Booth State Scenic Corridor is on Highway 140 between Klamath Falls and Lakeview offering travelers wonderful views of the southern Oregon high desert landscape punctuated by a mixture of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), Western Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) and breathtaking pockets of Quacking Aspen (Populus tremuloides).
The drive was very relaxing after a fun filled saturday of playing rugby with the Oregon Tech Men's Rugby Club (thanks for the game boys!) and the timing could not have been better; not only were the aspen trees showing some of the most unworldy shades of yellow I have ever seen, but Shasta the puppy was more than ready to get out of town and stretch her swimming legs.
After our little break at the Sprague river we had a sleepy puppy and a few miles to go before making to our lunch spot at the Booth Picnic Area (about 12 mi. West of Lakeview). Along the way we ran into our first glimpses of the Quaking aspen groves and my goodness are they beautiful this time of year.
If you are on highway 140 to Lakeview Booth Picnic area is a lovely place to stop for lunch or even just for a restroom visit. The ponderosa pines at Booth are enourmous and are worth a look...and a sniff. If you did not know, ponderosa pines give off a wonderful vanilla aroma when in direct sunlight, give it a try next time you come across one. Shasta and I suggest taking a short walk through the nearby aspen trees, especially if you are visiting in the next two to three weeks as I am sure their leaves will still be turning.
I was more tired than hungry when we arrived so I quickly found a nice nap spot and caught a few Z's before continuing on the drive.
After my nap Shasta was more than happy to get another game of fetch in before we jumped back into the car and headed to Lakeview. Remember, a tired dog is a good dog.
Well, that is all I have for you from Booth State Scenic Corridor, I hope you enjoyed the photos but I hope you can get out there and see it for yourself soon.
Published: 10/15/2012
