The Perfect Trail Runner Oregon Road Trip - Unlocking Ashland, Portland, Stumptown 50k & Crater Lake
What is the saying? If you want to make God laugh, make plans? Well regardless of your religious affiliation or spiritual beliefs, someone was laughing at me big time. These travel guides take an immense amount of pre-planning, arranging, scooching, reorganizing, trimming, and multiplying. But unlike hotel reservations and race directors, my calves had a commitment problem. After battling a lingering leg injury for roughly six weeks prior to the start of Stumptown 50k in Portland, Oregon, I had to make a game-time call to cancel. It is a sob story I will spare you. What I will not spare you are the full details of the registration, the race course, and all the top hits of my killer road trip so you (and your fully committed calves) can come play in Oregon too.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Started
Maps
Race Registration
Travel
a. ASHLAND
b. PORTLAND
c. CRATER LAKE / UNION CREEK
Hotels & Food
a. ASHLAND
b. PORTLAND
c. CRATER LAKE / UNION CREEK
Special Events
a. ASHLAND
b. PORTLAND
c. CRATER LAKE / UNION CREEK
d. STUMPTOWN HALF / 50K
Race Course
Pro TIPS
getting started
Who is this guide for? It is for you silly. That is, unless you hate 1) road trips 2) nature 3) running/hiking 4) great food & drinks. IF you hate ALL of those things, definitely click away. My guides are geared for outdoor loving folks who love to move. Even you if you aren’t interested in racing the trail half marathon and 50k put on by Go Beyond Racing, there are enough gems packed into this guide that you can plan your own custom trip easily.
mapS
Map by Katie Godec - TRILIFE Fitness
Illustration by Subin Yang
OREGON MAP
The first map here (the purple and green map of Oregon with three location stars - Ashland, Portland, and Crater Lake) is meant to give a general understanding of where the three stops on the road trip are located. This guide is crafted to be flexible. Depending on where you are driving from (or flying from), you can take these in any order you please. Due to the timing of the race and driving from Los Angeles meant that I hit Ashland first, moved on to Portland next, and finished in the Crater Lake - Union Creek Campground area.
PORTLAND MAP
Portland is a city divided into quadrants. The east and west sides are split down the middle by the Willamette River. The north and south sides are loosely defined by a road that horizontally intersects them called Burnside Street. The result: residential areas, shops, & businesses are referred to by region. “Oh that cool coffee shop just opened up in NW. Want to go?” “I’m currently living in SE Portland. HBU?” Apart from these larger chunks, Portland is also subdivided into smaller areas; each with their own character and flavor. Because the Stumptown Trail Half Marathon & 50k are both located in Forest Park (the NW quadrant of the city), I chose to stay in hotels in the Old Town / Downtown part of Portland.
race REGISTRATION
This year in 2021, the registration process is super simple for all ÖtillÖ branded races. Visit their website at https://www.otilloswimrun.com/ and select your desired race from the dropdown tab called ‘Races.’ The next page will give you three options to select from before you can begin the registration process. In the ÖtillÖ swimrun world, race lengths are differentiated by EXPERIENCE, SPRINT, or WORLD SERIES . The two shortest distances (Experience and Sprint respectively) were added to give new swimrun athletes an opportunity to test out this kooky sport without committing to the (sometimes) daunting length of the World Series races. This year at ÖtillÖ Engadin in Switzerland marked the first year race officials allowed solo athletes to compete at the World Series length. So when considering your distance for registration, you are technically not limited by not having a partner secured (although I highly recommend emailing the RDs to get approval). Another thing to note: the World Series race is often held on a separate day from the Experience and Sprint races. This is the case for Catalina 2021. The Experience/Sprint races will be on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20th and the World Series race will be on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 21st.
TRAVEL
Finding a hotel that fits your budget AND your lifestyle is likely top priority when planning upcoming trips. Speaking from personal experience, I have had one too many experiences where the hotel I booked was not a good fit. Noisy, bad location, lack of amenities, uncomfortable beds…the list goes on. You can rest assured that I have done the “dirty work” for you to uncover all the hidden gems on this Oregon road trip through Ashland, Portland, and Crater Lake.
And of course: food. I ate my way through a variety of cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and food carts to add as many options as possible to this guide. FOOD BONUS - all of the hotels listed in this guide have at least some form of food available on the premises. For camping near Crater Lake, I will make special notes about where you can find food near the Union Creek Lodge and surrounding areas.
Skip to Crater Lake & Union Creek
In Summary: you are responsible for booking and paying for your tickets from mainland socal to catalina island (avalon). ÖtillÖ will arrange and pay for your ferry from avalon to two harbors where the race starts/finishes.
VISITING ASHLAND
Ashland “welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually to a town with a population of over 20,000” according to tourism org Travel Ashland. It is home to the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival; hosting live theatrical performances from April-December in its three main auditoriums. Because of this, Ashland is extremely walkable and friendly to foot traffic. You can browse local artisan crafts and choose from dozens of delicious eateries along Main Street in downtown (I will be covering some of my favorites from this trip below). Additionally, Ashland is an haven for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. Lithia Park is a 100-acre green space of open grassy lawns, creeks, picnic areas, hiking trails, and vibrant landscaping with hundreds of native / non native plants & trees. Dogs are not allowed within the park’s boundaries to protect the local wildlife and their natural habitats. The park has a multitude of rotating events, including nature walks, free concert series, and even silent discos (happening on the first Friday of every month from June through September). Directly surrounding the town of Ashland are numerous trails for hiking, running, mountain biking, and snow sports. Mt. Ashland is located 8.6 miles north of downtown Ashland and rife with outdoor activities. Known as the highest peak in the Siskyou Mountains, Mt Ashland offers 1) a relatively flat trail (the Nature Trail) starting/finishing at the Mt. Ashland Lodge 2) a strenuous climb on loose gravel (the Summit Trail), and 3) the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which can be accessed by passing through the Mt Ashland parking/overflow lots. For more details on the trails, parking, hours, and more, click here.
VISITING Portland
Ashland “welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually to a town with a population of over 20,000” according to tourism org Travel Ashland. It is home to the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival; hosting live theatrical performances from April-December in its three main auditoriums. Because of this, Ashland is extremely walkable and friendly to foot traffic. You can browse local artisan crafts and choose from dozens of delicious eateries along Main Street in downtown (I will be covering some of my favorites from this trip below). Additionally, Ashland is an haven for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. Lithia Park is a 100-acre green space of open grassy lawns, creeks, picnic areas, hiking trails, and vibrant landscaping with hundreds of native / non native plants & trees. Dogs are not allowed within the park’s boundaries to protect the local wildlife and their natural habitats. The park has a multitude of rotating events, including nature walks, free concert series, and even silent discos (happening on the first Friday of every month from June through September). Directly surrounding the town of Ashland are numerous trails for hiking, running, mountain biking, and snow sports. Mt. Ashland is located 8.6 miles north of downtown Ashland and rife with outdoor activities. Known as the highest peak in the Siskyou Mountains, Mt Ashland offers 1) a relatively flat trail (the Nature Trail) starting/finishing at the Mt. Ashland Lodge 2) a strenuous climb on loose gravel (the Summit Trail), and 3) the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which can be accessed by passing through the Mt Ashland parking/overflow lots. For more details on the trails, parking, hours, and more, click here.
VISITING Crater Lake & Union Creek
Ashland “welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually to a town with a population of over 20,000” according to tourism org Travel Ashland. It is home to the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival; hosting live theatrical performances from April-December in its three main auditoriums. Because of this, Ashland is extremely walkable and friendly to foot traffic. You can browse local artisan crafts and choose from dozens of delicious eateries along Main Street in downtown (I will be covering some of my favorites from this trip below). Additionally, Ashland is an haven for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. Lithia Park is a 100-acre green space of open grassy lawns, creeks, picnic areas, hiking trails, and vibrant landscaping with hundreds of native / non native plants & trees. Dogs are not allowed within the park’s boundaries to protect the local wildlife and their natural habitats. The park has a multitude of rotating events, including nature walks, free concert series, and even silent discos (happening on the first Friday of every month from June through September). Directly surrounding the town of Ashland are numerous trails for hiking, running, mountain biking, and snow sports. Mt. Ashland is located 8.6 miles north of downtown Ashland and rife with outdoor activities. Known as the highest peak in the Siskyou Mountains, Mt Ashland offers 1) a relatively flat trail (the Nature Trail) starting/finishing at the Mt. Ashland Lodge 2) a strenuous climb on loose gravel (the Summit Trail), and 3) the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which can be accessed by passing through the Mt Ashland parking/overflow lots. For more details on the trails, parking, hours, and more, click here.
HOTELS & FOOD
Finding a hotel that fits your budget AND your lifestyle is likely top priority when planning upcoming trips. Speaking from personal experience, I have had one too many experiences where the hotel I booked was not a good fit. Noisy, bad location, lack of amenities, uncomfortable beds…the list goes on. You can rest assured that I have done the “dirty work” for you to uncover all the hidden gems on this Oregon road trip through Ashland, Portland, and Crater Lake.
And of course: food. I ate my way through a variety of cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and food carts to add as many options as possible to this guide. FOOD BONUS - all of the hotels listed in this guide have at least some form of food available on the premises. For camping near Crater Lake, I will make special notes about where you can find food near the Union Creek Lodge and surrounding areas.
Staying in ASHLAND
Unlike Portland or other larger metropolitan cities, Ashland does not have endless facilities for lodging.
ASHLAND SPRINGS HOTEL
The Ashland Springs Hotel is the most iconic building in all of southern Oregon. Built in 1925 (and since restored), this property balances old world charm with updated touches.
Where to eat
Because the race partnership with Avalon Hotel does such a great job of making sure swimrunners have breakfasts covered by The Avalon Grill (just down the street from the hotel), the only real exploring I did for food was for lunch & dinner. I know I am recommending a Catalina Island favorite here as it was recommended to me by three Catalina Island residents. Check out NDMK Fish House for some truly delicious fish & chips or seafood faire. This was my (second) dinner after the race (I will cover later in the article what to expect for post-race food), and it was excellent. One of my favorite things about this restaurant is that you can select the TYPE of fish you want for some of the entrees, including fish & chips! Current menu linked here.
STAYING IN PORTLAND
