The town sits at the confluence of an embarrassment of natural riches: Wallowa Lake, the Eagle Cap Wilderness, Zumwalt Prairie and Hells Canyon are all accessible from the small community, which offers state park camping, a charming boutique hotel and a historic lodge. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) JOSEPHĬonsidered one of the most beautiful small towns in America, the remote mountain getaway of Joseph in Northeast Oregon is certainly worth the road trip to get there. The sun begins to set over the Wallowa Mountains and Wallowa Lake, seen from a county park on the north end of the lake near Joseph. Consider posting up at one of the rustic campgrounds around the area. With few amenities to speak of, it’s important to pack extra supplies. Those looking for an adventure that’s really off the beaten path can find one in Christmas Valley, a remote area in central Oregon that rewards patient travelers with strange, beautiful natural attractions like Fort Rock, Crack-in-the-Ground and the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes. (Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) CHRISTMAS VALLEY An easy hiking trail leads through the fissure that measures more than two miles long and up to 70 feet deep. There are BLM campgrounds around the fossil beds, as well as hotels and other lodging in nearby Mitchell.Ĭrack in the Ground is an ancient volcanic fissure near Christmas Valley in the high desert of central Oregon. Make sure to stop by the Condon Paleontology Center to see bones of strange, prehistoric animals that once called this place home. The eerie high desert beauty of the Painted Hills, Blue Basin and Painted Cove Trail (to name just a few places), is like nothing else in Oregon. (Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDSĮxploring the John Day Fossil Beds is like stepping onto an alien world. Drive with curiosity and make a day of it.Ī cloudy sky casts gray light on the colorful Painted Hills, in the John Day Fossil Beds of central Oregon. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, Galen McBee Airport Park, Chachalu Museum and the many, many farmstands (open seasonally) are just the beginning. If you take your time, you might discover some fascinating attractions and great places to pull off for a snack or a walk. Those driving Oregon 18 between McMinnville and Lincoln City don’t need to make a beeline to the coast. Oregon 18 is a highway that runs from Newberg to Lincoln City, connecting the Willamette Valley wine country with the Oregon coast. Take Oregon 6 to gain access to the attractions, and be sure to pack your raincoat and waterproof hiking boots. Home to the 24-mile Wilson River Trail, the reopened Tillamook Forest Center, and lots of forested trails still recovering from the old Tillamook Burn, the Tillamook State Forest is a green, misty paradise, conveniently located between Forest Grove and Tillamook. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) TILLAMOOK STATE FOREST You’ve probably visited the north coast before, but have you seen these overlooked attractions? Have you gazed upon the elk of Jewell Meadows, walked the boardwalk to see the Rockaway Big Tree, or hiked to Oregon’s own Niagara Falls? Cannon Beach and Seaside are nice, but there’s a lot more to discover.Ī Coast Range view through the mist and the trees along the newest segment of the Wilson River Trail, a 3.7-mile section between the Elk Creek Trailhead and Idiot Creek Loop Road in the Tillamook State Forest. (Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) OVERLOOKED NORTH COAST ATTRACTIONS Niagara Falls is found at the end of a trail in the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon's Coast Range. The proliferation of wineries and tasting rooms is a nice perk, too. Stub Stewart State Park, the country highway runs past lengthy cycling trails, beautiful hiking areas and oddball roadside attractions. Perhaps best done over multiple days, with a night or two in Forest Grove or at L.L. Running 80 miles from Clatskanie to McMinnville, Oregon 47 offers access to a lovely slice of the northern Willamette Valley. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian) OREGON 47 Here are 14 destinations and trips to see it all:Ī sign points drivers toward downtown Vernonia, placed at the intersection of U.S.
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