
Diane Kahler, Crescent Lake correspondent
Greetings to the readers of our new Highway 58 Herald. My name is Diane Fleming Kahler, and I have volunteered to be your correspondent for the Crescent Lake area. My coverage will be from the Willamette Pass Ski Resort (milepost 62) to the end of Highway 58 (milepost 86). This is 24 miles of the most pristine area in Oregon.
How do I know? I grew up in Oakridge. I graduated from Oakridge High School with the Class of 1962. Oakridge was a boomtown then and we all thought it was the greatest place to grow up. This included thinking of Highway 58 as our own.
At present, I live at Crescent Lake. My husband Brad Kahler and I purchased property here in 1989. We built a cabin here in 1994 and have been full-time residents since 2003. Before retirement I graduated from George Fox University and worked many years for the Oregon Department of Revenue and United Airlines.
Our area has approximately 100 full-time residents. We have around 650 vacation homes. We are a tourist destination and our guests can number 120,000 in one year.
As your correspondent, it is my hope to bring you news and information that will enhance your travels of Highway 58 and your enjoyment of this beautiful area. The following is my first dispatch from the beautiful community of Crescent Lake:
It’s time to make camping reservations in the Crescent Lake area
By DIANE KAHLER/Correspondent/The Herald — Wanting to come up? Make reservations as soon as possible. Our area is located in the Deschutes National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, but the campground reservations and supervision are contracted out to CLM Management. Make reservations by calling 1-877-444-6777 or on-line Recreation.gov.
GOLDEN AGE PASSPORT: Those of you age 62 and older can purchase a Golden Age Passport from any Forest Service office. You must appear in person and provide proof of age. The fee for an annual pass s $20. The fee for a lifetime pass is $80. When making campground reservations give them your pass number for 50 percent off. This pass has many benefits including free entry to national parks.
Local camping and cabins:
Shelter Cove Resort and Marina 541-433-2601 (highwaywestvacations.com)
Odell Lake Resort 541-433-2540 (odelllakeresort.com)
Hoodoos Crescent Lake Resort 541-433-2505 (crescentlakeresort.com)
Crescent Creek Cottages and RV Park 541-433-2324 (crescentcreekcottages.com)
Willamette Pass Inn and Chalets 541-433-2211 (willamettepassinn.com)