Great Escape
At a time when getting back to nature seems like a really good idea, the refurbished Lemolo Lake KOA offers a peaceful place to unwind away from the crowd.
Story by David Shroyer Photos by Jonathan Cummings
After weeks of quarantining and avoiding crowds, many people have been looking for a quiet summer spot to relax, unplug, unwind or all of the above.
In Lemolo Lake KOA, owner Jim Hudson thinks he has just such a place. High in the Cascades (4,075 feet elevation) and deep in the Umpqua National Forest, the campground (officially “Lemolo Lake/Crater Lake North KOA”) is a 90-minute drive east of Roseburg on the North Umpqua Highway.
As the name implies, the campground is situated on the shore of Lemolo Lake, a 540-acre reservoir impounding water for two Pacific Power hydroelectric projects that went online in the 1950s.
Just a dozen miles north of better-known Diamond Lake, Lemolo (Chinook jargon for “wild” or “untamed”) is a world away in terms of development.
“We tell people to expect quiet and dark,” says Hudson, who purchased the campground in 2018 with his wife, Anita. “We are in the middle of the forest. There’s no highway traffic, airplane or town noise and no city lights. It truly gets dark.”
Those conditions make Lemolo an ideal star-gazing spot. With little ambient light to interfere, the night sky over the lake is often ablaze with points of light in the millions—the kind of night-time feature that photographers dream about.
Visitors seeking more strenuous activities can choose from six waterfall hikes or visit Crater Lake National Park or Umpqua Hot Springs—all within 20 miles of Lemolo.
Started as a work camp for Pacific Power employees during dam construction, the campground has grown to 24 RV sites, eight tent sites, and 11 cabins—with onsite bathrooms and showers. But one of Lemolo’s most appealing features is its quiet roominess, even when at capacity.
“It never feels swarmed when it’s full,” says Hudson. “There is lots of room for everybody to spread out and find their own space.”
Obviously, personal space has taken on even more importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to help visitors avoid exposure the Hudsons have extra precautions.
Lemolo Lake/Crater Lake North KOA is pet-friendly and its season runs through Halloween. Besides hiking and biking, the lake offers fishing and boating.
And of course, that starry night sky.
To learn more or to make reservations, go to www.lemololakeresort.com
or phone 541-643-0750.
