Site Navigation California Hawaii Idaho Montana Nevada Oregon Washington     U.S. 97 Southbound - Oregon 58 to Klamath Falls U.S. 97 South Oregon 58 (Willamette Highway) eastbound merges onto U.S. 97 southbound via a partial "Y" interchange. The state highway defaults onto U.S. 97 southbound ahead of a U-turn ramp onto U.S. 97 northbound for Crescent and Bend. Photo taken 04/01/05. The carriageways of U.S. 97 converge south of the Oregon 58 junction seven miles north of Chemult. The federal highway maintains just two lanes for most of its drive southward to Klamath Falls. Photos taken 04/01/05. Southbound at the intersection with Deer Butte Road on U.S. 97. Deer Butte Road meanders one quarter mile west to the Haring Sno-Park and 12 miles to Miller Lake near Howlock Mountain (el. 8,351 feet). Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 leaves the intersection with Deer Butte Road to enter the village of Chemult (el. 4,758 feet). Chemult began its existence as a railroad stop along the Southern Pacific Cascade Line in 1926. The settlement is named after a Klamath indian chief who signed the Treaty with the Klamath of October 14, 1864. Photo taken 04/01/05. A small array of services reside with the community of Chemult along U.S. 97 (The Dalles-California Highway). The federal route leaves the Winema National Forest upon entering town. Photos taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 reassurance shield and mileage sign assembly posted south of Chemult. Beaver Marsh lies five miles ahead at the junction with National Forest Road 86. Photo taken 04/01/05. A rest area lies along U.S. 97 in both directions near Beaver Marsh. The is first such facility along southbound since the end of U.S. 197. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 continues south from the Beaver Marsh area to Diamond Lake Junction and Oregon 138 (Diamond Lake Highway). Oregon 138 constitutes a trans-Cascade Range route between Roseburg and U.S. 97. The state highway also provides access to Crater Lake National Park 15 miles to the west. Photo taken 04/01/05. The north access road of Crate Lake National Park is closed during the winter months. Therefore interests to the park should continue south on U.S. 97 to Oregon 62 west during the snowy season. Oregon 62 (Crater Lake Highway) remains open all year long. Photo taken 04/01/05. Oregon 138 officially is designated the Umpqua Highway between U.S. 97 and Roseburg. The highway name is derived from the river Oregon 138 parallels west of the Cascades. Oregon 138 otherwise travels 19 miles west to junction Oregon 230, a north-south bypass route of Crater Lake National Park, and Diamond Lake. Oregon 230 in conjunction with Oregon 62 leads southwest to Medford and Grants Pass. Photo taken 04/01/05. Another in the series of reassurance shields and mileage signs for U.S. 97 southbound. The federal route continues through undeveloped areas south 35 miles to Chiloquin. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 southbound after the split with the Sun Mountain Highway. Sun Mountain Highway leads southwest 27 miles to junction Oregon 62 at Fort Klamath Junction. Travelers must cross Sun Pass (el. 5,404 feet) before reaching Oregon 62. Photo taken 04/01/05. Continuing southbound to the intersection with Silver Lake Road east and Boundary Road west on U.S. 97. Boundary Road comprises an unpaved highway between U.S. 97 and Sun Mountain Highway. Silver Lake Road meanwhile travels east to the Klamath Marsh and Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge en route to Silver Lake (junction Oregon 31). Photo taken 04/01/05. The scene along U.S. 97 (The Dalles-California Highway) southbound after Silver Lake and Boundary Roads. Travelers reenter the Winema National Forest along the stretch between here and Chiloquin. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 jogs westward from the Collier Summit area on the six-mile approach to Chiloquin. Volcanic rocks are exposed along the cuts at the 4,591 foot pass. Photos taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 (The Dalles-California Highway) resumes a southerly course ahead of the Collier Memorial State Park area north of Chiloquin. Several guide signs along the highway direct motorists to the various aspects of the park. Photo taken 04/01/05. Approaching the junction with Chiloquin Highway along U.S. 97 southbound. Chiloquin Highway travels east 3.1 miles from Oregon 62 (Crater Lake Highway) to meet U.S. 97 near the town of Chiloquin itself. Interests for the Sprague River should use the highway east of U.S. 97. Signs ahead reference Fort Klamath, a community along Oregon 62 north of its intersection with Chiloquin Highway. Photos taken 04/01/05. A diamond interchange facilitates the movements between Chiloquin Highway and U.S. 97. Chiloquin lies just east of the federal highway along the Sprague River. Chiloquin originated as a campsite for a group of Klamath Indians. The settlement was named after the war Chief Chay-lo-quin, but was later renamed Chiloquin. The arrival of the railroad in 1910 signaled growth for the town with an establishment of the first post office in 1912. Photo taken 04/01/05. "Congestion" sign posted along U.S. 97 southbound near the return of Chiloquin Highway. Signs such as these are posted when Departments of Transportation realize that roads are over capacity or unable to handle the existing traffic. It means that while the problem is admitted, nothing will be done to resolve it. Anyway, Chiloquin Highway loops two miles east to Chocktoot Street in Chiloquin before returning to U.S. 97. Photo taken 04/01/05. Truck bypass lanes are installed along U.S. 97 between the Chiloquin Highway junction and Oregon 62 south of Chiloquin. The multi-lane configurations exist periodically along the U.S. 97 corridor throughout central Oregon. Photos taken 04/01/05. Oregon 62 (Crater Lake Highway) ends at U.S. 97 three miles south of Chiloquin. The state highway arcs northwest through Klamath Agency, Fort Klamath, and Crater Lake National Park to junction Oregon 230 at Union Creek. Photo taken 04/01/05. Southbound at the Oregon 62 (Crater Lake Highway) eastern terminus on U.S. 97 at Lobert Junction. Oregon 62 provides the main entry point into Crater Lake National Park and to Rim Road. Photo taken 04/01/05. Leaving the intersection with Oregon 62 (Crater Lake Highway) on U.S. 97 southbound. The highway briefly has three lanes through this stretch. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 crosses the Williamson River just south of Oregon 62. The river feeds Klamath Marsh and the Sprague River east of Chiloquin. Photo taken 04/01/05. Two westerly views of the Pelican Butte (el. 8,036 feet) area next to Upper Klamath Lake. The Southern Pacific Railroad line parallels U.S. 97 closely for the 20-mile drive south to Klamath Falls. Photos taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 enters the Upper Klamath Lake area south of Modoc Point. The two-lane highway hugs the eastern shoreline of the lake between the Southern Pacific Railroad line and the volcanic hillsides leading east toward Saddle Mountain (el. 6,841 feet). Photos taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 skims the western reaches of the Winema-Freemont National Forest between Modoc Point and Algoma. The highway and parallel railroad corridor traverse a marshy area near Algoma. A four-lane section of U.S. 97 allows drivers to pass slower moving trucks nine miles north of Klamath Falls. Photos taken 04/01/05. Continuing the drive southward into Klamath Falls along Upper Klamath Lake. Shady Pine Road and Wocus Road both loop east of U.S. 97 through the Shady Pines area north of the city. Klamath Falls is home to 19,680 residents and is the seat of Klamath County. The city boasts 300 sunny days a year, rivaling such desert cities as Yuma, Arizona. Photos taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 expands to three lanes with the addition of a center-turning lane. A weigh station lies between the Klamath Falls welcome sign and the Klamath Falls west bypass freeway. A small guide sign touts the first three exits as serving the city. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 partitions with U.S. 97 Business & Oregon 39 southbound (Kit Carson Way) at a partial "Y" interchange. The federal highway veers southwest at the split onto a freeway bypass west of downtown Klamath Falls. The control cities of U.S. 97 southbound include those of Weed, California (junction Interstate 5), and San Francisco, California (via Interstate 5 south to Interstate 505 south to Interstate 80 west). Photo taken 04/01/05. Traffic splits into ramps for U.S. 97 Business & Oregon 39 south to downtown Klamath Falls and Altamont and U.S. 97 south for Midland and Dorris, California. U.S. 97 Business & Oregon 39 follow a 1.6-mile long controlled-access expressway to Esplanade Avenue east of downtown. There Oregon 39 continues southeast via Alameda Avenue to Altamont and U.S. 97 Business turns west onto Esplanade Avenue into the central business district. Oregon 39 continues east from Altamont to Merrill and Tulelake, California (via the transition to California 139). Connections from California 139 to California 299 and U.S. 399 lead drivers south to Reno, Nevada. Photo taken 04/01/05. Turning south onto the Klamath Falls west bypass freeway on U.S. 97. The freeway varies between two and four lanes on its 4.6-mile trek to Stewart Lenox southwest of the city. Photo taken 04/01/05. One half mile north of the Oregon Avenue partial-cloverleaf interchange on U.S. 97 south at the Lakeport Boulevard and Southern Pacific Railroad under crossing. Oregon Avenue travels north from Upham Street to Nevada Street and the west Klamath bypass. Photo taken 04/01/05. Drivers bound for Oregon Avenue south or Nevada Street west depart U.S. 97 southbound. Nevada Street continues Oregon Avenue west to Lakeshore Drive and Moore Park. Oregon Street resumes between Montelius Street and Front Street in northwest Klamath Falls. Lakeshore Drive straddles the southern shorelines of Upper Klamath Lake between the city and Oregon 140 (Lake of the Woods Highway). Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 continues south one mile to the Klamath Falls downtown interchange (U.S. 97 Business). U.S. 97 Business returns to its parent via Main Street. Photo taken 04/01/05. Replacement of the Greensprings Bridge along U.S. 97 necessitated the installation of a temporary traffic signal to relegate one-lane of traffic. The span deteriorate to the point where inspectors determined that it must be replaced. Construction began in 2004 and should be complete by early 2006. The bridge itself travels over the Link River and Green Springs Lane along the western shore of Lake Ewauna. Photo taken 04/01/05. Lake Ewauna comes into view along U.S. 97 southbound ahead of the Main Street off-ramp. Main Street travels west from downtown to its end at Riverside Drive south, Mill Street north, and Carroll Street west. Posted temporarily within the median due to construction is an auxiliary guide sign for U.S. 97 Business referencing a tourist information center and the Favell Museum. Photo taken 04/01/05. Southbound at the Greensprings Bridge on U.S. 97 southbound ahead of the Main Street partial-cloverleaf interchange. Main Street itself spans the Link River underneath the freeway between downtown and Riverside Drive. The Link River joins Upper Klamath Lake with Lake Ewauna west of the freeway. Photo taken 04/01/05. Drivers bound for U.S. 97 Business north (Main Street) or Main Street west across the Link River depart the freeway. U.S. 97 Business partitions into the one-way street couplet of Klamath Avenue (north) and Main Street (south) through the central business district. Photo taken 04/01/05. Continuing south toward the Greensprings Bridge and southwest Klamath Falls along U.S. 97. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 southbound next meets Oregon 66 west & 140 at a partial-cloverleaf interchange in one mile. Weed, California lies another 70 miles to the south. Photo taken 04/01/05. Oregon 140 travels south of Klamath Falls along the Southside Expressway east 3.2 miles to Klamath Falls International Airport and 5.8 miles to junction Oregon 39. Oregon 140 is also part of the greater Winnemucca to the Sea Highway, between Crescent City, California and Winnemucca, Nevada. Photo taken 04/01/05. Oregon 66 (Greensprings Drive) begins at the U.S. 97 interchange with Oregon 140 and travels west nine miles to Keno. Oregon 140 (Lake of the Woods Highway) ventures northwest 31 miles to Lake of the Woods. Oregon 66 comprises the main route between Ashland and Klamath Falls, a distance of 57 miles. Photo taken 04/01/05. Drivers bound for Oregon 66 west or Oregon 140 leave U.S. 97 southbound. Oregon 140 merges with Oregon 39 briefly south of Altamont. The state highway links the Klamath Falls area with Lakeview in southeast Oregon and Winnemucca in northwestern Nevada via Nevada 140 and U.S. 95. Photo taken 04/01/05. Shield and guide sign assembly posted at the end of the Oregon 66 & 140 off-ramp from U.S. 97 south. Oregon 140 ventures northwest 24 miles alongside Upper Klamath Lake before turning west on the drive to Lake of the Woods, Eagle Point and Medford. The state highway ends at Oregon 62 five miles north of downtown Medford and 69 miles to the west of Klamath Falls. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 crosses the Klamath River and the parallel Southern Pacific Railroad line on the drive out of the Klamath Falls area. The span lies 1.2 miles south of Oregon 66 & 140. Photo taken 04/01/05. U.S. 97 next encounters the intersection with Joe Wright Road south of the Klamath River. Joe Wright Road leads 2.6 miles east to Klamath Falls International Airport (Kingsley Field). Photo taken 04/01/05. Southbound at the junction with Joe Wright Road eastbound on U.S. 97. Joe Wright Road intersects Tingley Lane one mile to the east. U.S. 97 crosses the Amtrak line ahead on the 12.5-mile drive to the California state line. Photo taken 04/01/05. Page Updated November 22, 2005.