Paddle the Upper Klamath Canoe Trail
One of the wonderful little-known delights of Southern Oregon is the blandly named Upper Klamath Canoe Trail, which winds its way for 10 miles through the reedy, bird-laden waters of Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge.
Bring your own canoe or kayak or rent one (about $40 a day for a canoe) at Rocky Point Resort, which is tucked nicely away on the shores of Upper Klamath Lake just about in the middle of nowhere but actually about 25 miles from Klamath Falls.
Besides the spectacular empty high desert marsh that surrounds you, you’ll be treated to tons of birds: graceful herons and egrets, coots, ducks, osprey and eagle frequent the area. I was even treated to my first (and second and third — there were a lot of them) close-up view of a bittern, an elusive and bizarre marsh bird with eyes on the bottom of its head, the better to see little swampy edibles treats as it walks around. (Of course to see anything else, it has to point its beak to the sky. So much for intelligent creation.)
The resort closes Nov. 1 and is booked with hunters after deer season opens Oct. 12. Cold weather will soon discourage people from playing in swamps anyway, so if you can[t hurry on down, make plans to do this next spring.