Outdoors

Portland's Top Five Fall Foliage Walks

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:55:00 -0800

Almost leafless tree at the Lone Fir Cemetery, November 2012

Trees have played back-up to flowers all summer. Now the scenery is shifting from green treetops to brilliant reds, oranges and yellows and the leaves are dropping onto the ground, bringing trees back into view.

In addition to bright fall color, keep an eye out for the native licorice fern overhead in the bark of the bigleaf maples. Licorice fern dries up and disappears during the summer dry period and sprouts afresh every October! Don't forget to look down, too, to admire the carpet of leaves on the ground and to notice the return of the beautiful green mosses covering the ground, rocks and stumps.

Here's where to best admire the transition to autumn in Portland over the next couple of weeks:

Lone Fir Cemetery - 2115 SE Morrison St. Portland OR 97214 /503-797-1709

Lone Fir is Portland's oldest cemetery, and is brimming with beautiful trees including sugar maples, big-leaf maples, beech, chestnut, carpets of leaves, mossy graves, and plenty of paths for wandering. Circumambulate the whole cemetery in 20 minutes - or spend an hour or two strolling all the paths, the historic rose garden, the military statues and the beautiful graves. More photos can be seen here.

Portland Japanese Garden - 611 Southwest Kingston Avenue Portland, OR 97205 / 503-223-1321

Widely praised, Portland's Japanese Garden is beautiful in every season but autumn is perhaps the most dramatic and colorful. See Japanese maples, Enkianthus, and many other Asian trees and shrubs in fiery autumn color, set off against the subtle shades of our native conifer and bigleaf maple woodland setting. Gaze out across the city to see leaves changing color and dropping in neighborhoods all over the city. It is a shame to walk the garden in less than an hour and easy to spend two or more wandering the paths and pausing long enough to appreciate the tranquil atmosphere.

Elk Rock Garden, 11800 SW Military Lane, Portland OR 97219 / 503-636-5613

Maples, magnolias, oaks and any number of other deciduous trees are dropping leaves fast and furious. Some trees drop foliage early (like most ash); others late (like hornbeams, chestnut, oak and Styrax). Check in at the booth, make a little donation or buy a plant, and stroll the paths and lawns until you catch a view of the mighty Willamette, far below. Expect to spend at least an hour wandering - easily three if you walk up the madrone trails to look down over the river.

Hoyt Arboretum - 4000 Southwest Fairview Boulevard, Portland, OR 97221-2706 / 503-865-8733

Hoyt Arboretum ranges over 187 ridge-top acres and some 12 miles of trails. It contains a collections of trees, many of which go through autumn transformations including birches, maples, oaks, magnolias, witch hazels and more. It may take years to really explore Hoyt, but there's plenty to see in a one- or two-hour walk through the nearer trails. Or spend a few hours and venture further down your favorite trails.

Forest Park - NW 29th Ave & Upshur St to Newberry Rd, Portland OR 97219 / 503-823-PLAY (7529)

Forest Park contains over 5,000 acres, criss-crossed by trails running up, down and around, including the 30-mile Wildwood trail. The park is populated by hundreds of species of wildlife, as well as a wide range of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs and - of course - a wide range of native plants. Remember to look down (you'll see native banana slugs aplenty after rains) and to look up to spot luscious native licorice ferns and mosses dripping from overhead boughs of bigleaf maple. Pick any trail and you'll be rewarded with the subtle colors of our native deciduous trees: variations on yellow from the bigleaf maple, as well as yellows, reds and purples from the vine maple, yellow salmonberry, thimbleberry and devil's cane, and a beautiful tapestry of understory plants turning from green to gold and orange. A Forest Park hike can take anything from half an hour for a traipse up the trail at Mccleay Park to a full-day's hike into the deepest forest. Learn more about Forest Park's best trails here.

Trail City

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 08:56:00 -0700

35 outdoor urban adventures

Local's Guide to Mt. Hood

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:56:00 -0700

We scaled every snowy nook and cranny of Oregon’s iconic peak to deliver this user’s guide. Whether you’re a rabid ski bum or have never strapped on a pair of snowshoes, we’ve got the inside line on our beloved mountain’s essential experiences: the best places to sled with the family, the gnarliest runs, and even the coziest spots to sip an après-ski beverage (or two). Plus, we take a look back at Hood’s storied past.

8 Great Northwest Swimming Holes

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Image: Neil DeCosta

Finding liquid relief in Washington’s Lewis River

EVERY AUGUST as the temperatures (hopefully) soar, Portlanders turn their minds to water: where can we sink our toes, legs, or entire body into it? And—as yards turn a crispy brown and river levels fall—do we have enough?

Look to the pages ahead for some answers to both questions. We visit the region’s best swimming and wading spots, and show you why the closest choice, the Willamette River, may become the next great place to take a dip. And to ease your worries that the kitchen tap might go dry, we plunge into the past, present, and future of one of Portland’s greatest assets, the Bull Run water system.

Image: Neil DeCosta

Lewisville Park

Family Friendly | Fee $3 | Average August Water Temperature 84°

Back in the heyday of company picnics (circa 1986), when three-legged racing was practically an Olympic event, Battle Ground’s Lewisville Park could have been considered today’s London. The 154-acre park sprawled along the shores of the Lewis River holds acres of grassy expanse ripe for finish lines, plus picnic tables, barbecue shelters, playgrounds, a baseball field, and, of course, a swimming hole. Several, to be precise. But families—or family reunions—seeking a mellow day on the water best head for the Larch area of the park, where a smallish sand-and-pebble beach affords easy wading and swimming for those still sporting water wings. Mom and Dad can watch from the grass clearing directly behind the beach … or return alone another day for more secluded lounging in the Ponderosa part of the park, where the current is stronger and the beaches are smaller, but curtained by rows of swaying trees.

PACK IT

Waterproof, paraben-, PABA-, and chemical-free, Think Baby sunscreen ensures the only souvenir your kids will take home is a happy memory. Available at Milagros.

Moulton Falls

Family Friendly | No Fee | Average August Water Temperature 84°

Image: Neil DeCosta

The utility player of swimming holes, 387-acre Moulton Falls Regional Park has something for everyone: Instagram-worthy falls surrounded by plentiful flat rocks for playing lizard in the sun, inviting flat water upstream, two miles of trails tracing the Lewis River’s banks, and a three-story arch bridge daredevils (illegally) leap off. Even better, it’s free, which means it can get crowded, so arrive early to stake out your bit of beach or stone and savor this MVP.

FUEL UP

Tuck into hearty spaghetti with spicy Italian sausage and Kobe beef meatballs or a bowl of zuppa Toscana (spicy sausage swimming in a cream broth with fresh kale) at Galeotti’s in Battle Ground.

The Big Float

A swim beach? Downtown? On the Willamette? It isn’t as inconceivable as it sounds.

Image: Dan Gay

THIS SUMMER, Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park’s goose-poop-encrusted shore belongs to the birds. But if Will Levenson has his way, next summer the boulder-strewn bowl south of the Hawthorne Bridge could become human domain as downtown’s first public beach.

“The fact that people make jokes about the water quality in the Willamette doesn’t reconcile with our lifestyle at all,” the 42-year-old co-owner of Popina Swimwear says. Levenson wants to bring Portlanders back to the water by ripping out the concrete near the Hawthorne Bridge to expose the river’s sandy bottom.

In years past, just touching the Willamette near downtown was something you’d do only on a dare. Years of industrial dumping north of the Fremont Bridge coated the river bottom in contaminants, creating a Superfund site. Heavy rainfall overwhelmed the city’s inadequate sewer system, flushing a noxious mix of street runoff and wastewater into the river.

But millions of cleanup dollars have begun to restore the river. The Big Pipe now routes that gruesome mixture to a North Portland treatment plant instead. And according to the DEQ, swimming in the Willamette downtown is perfectly safe, most of the year.

To raise support and funds (it’ll cost about $1,650 to dump the concrete) for his swim beach, Levenson has arranged the second annual “Big Float,” an hour-long voyage from the west end of the Marquam Bridge to the newly restored Hawthorne Cove on the east side. It takes place July 29. Last year’s float attracted 1,300 fearless Portlanders perched atop colorful inner tubes and rafts. This year’s movement-as-party is expected to draw a flotilla of up to 4,000 people.

“If we can get a large number of people to swim and not have their skin fall off,” Levenson says, “it will make people reconsider the idea that the Willamette is swimmable.”

If that seems far-fetched, just remember, the effort to build Waterfront Park began with a picnic on the side of what was once a waterfront highway. —Sara Gates

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Alder Flat

No Fee | Average August Water Temperature 61°

Whether the “flat” in Alder Flat refers to the 40-foot-long stone and sand beach or the quality of the blue-green Clackamas River stretching slowly around a bend, we don’t know. What’s more certain is that you’ll rarely have to share. Thanks to a -mile hike to the water’s edge, only the adventurous frequent this idyllic swimming spot. (Fitting, since there is a slight but very manageable current.) Fir, ferns, and alder trees line the lush riverbanks, where just a few swim strokes away a trio of basalt boulders beckons from the middle of the river, gently, insistently, singing their siren song: Cannon-ball!

MAKE IT A WEEKEND

Turn this swimming hole into star-gazing ground by packing in a tent. Camping is permitted here, but there’s no potable water or toilets.

Photo: Courtesy Anna Verlet Shelton

This could be you savoring Buck Lake’s 72 -degree water.

Buck Lake

No Fee | Average August Water Temperature 72°

Pristine Buck Lake sits 70 miles from downtown Portland—15 of them corkscrewing Forest Service roads. But the crucial last half-mile is what keeps this stream-fed swimming hole relatively secluded and unspoiled: it’s traversable only by foot. Hike through gorgeous stands of old-growth fir, serenaded by a chorus of croaking frogs and willow flycatchers to the edge of the lake’s spectacular emerald waters—waters so clear you’ll be able to see every rock and log (and sometimes fish) beneath the placid surface. A rocky section to the left of where the trail meets the lake offers the best perch for the day—besides a raft in the middle of the lake, of course.

PACK IT

To discover more hidden gems like Buck Lake, get your hands on a copy of the out-of-print Oregon Swimming Holes. It might cost you $60, but it’s worth it.

Photo: Courtesy Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center

Opal Pool

Fee $5 | Average August Water Temperature 43°

One of the Northwest’s greatest ecological controversies—the fight for and against the endangered species listing of the spotted owl—detonated here in the 1990s, with conservationists eventually triumphing over timber interests. But the establishment of the near 23,000-acre Opal Creek Wilderness Area in 1996 preserved more than just habitat for our feathered friends. It also protected one of Oregon’s most scenic swimming holes—a 25-foot-deep turquoise pool at the base of a frothy Opal Creek torrent. There’s only one path into these breath-stealing jewel-hued waters, though: a 3.5-mile hike down an old rocky logging road and a final leap of faith from a 25-foot cliff.

MAKE IT A WEEKEND

The cabins at Jawbone Flats—an old mining camp less than a half mile from the pool—sleep between 2 and 16. From $195; meals start at an additional $10 per meal

Portland summers are short; make the memories last all year with Plywerk. The five-year-old Portland company prints and mounts your best shoreline snapshots onto bamboo frames for as little as $18. Upload that awesome Instagram shot of pops or your BFF falling out of his inner tube and—bam!—instant wall art to warm you all year through.

What’s Really Under Hagg Lake?

One editor dives into the history of her childhood swimming hole.

Image: Dan Gay

RUMORS THAT GHOSTS haunt Forest Grove’s Henry Hagg Lake have plagued me since I was a kid growing up in Washington County. The apparitions are purportedly the ticked-off residents of a cemetery buried under 53,640 acre-feet of water when the federal government dammed Scoggins Creek to create Hagg Lake in the mid-’70s.

“There’s a town under there,” my childhood friends would say in hushed tones at slumber parties. My still-calibrating bullshit meter buzzed. I’d posit questions about debris and disease. My friends just rolled their eyes, and I’d give up.

I heard the refrain repeated throughout my teens and 20s, though, so I finally decided to look it up.

The Federal Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest headquarters in Boise holds the bulk of the records relating to Hagg Lake. Archaeologists there unearthed two reports relating to the area: a 1965 archaeological survey of the Scoggins Valley and a 1956 orthoquad map. Both show farmland. Neither show a town.

So, unless a metropolis suddenly sprung up in the few years between the survey and the damming of the creek, little more than a few farmhouses and farm roads likely existed when the water descended on Skoggins Valley. No cemetery. No ghosts.

I know I’m too old for it, and it’s 20 years too late, but saying “I told you so” still feels good.
—KC

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Three Pools

Family Friendly | Fee $5 | Average August Water Temperature 64°

The Potamoi (Greek river gods) themselves might well have carved out this impossibly clear trifecta of swimming holes along the Little North Fork Santiam River. Once your feet hit parking lot pavement, a mere 64 steps separate you from Three Pools’ calm aquamarine “shallows” (ahem, they’re still 12 feet deep) near a towel-ready pebble beach. Upstream, a stone totem stands guard over two clear-to-the-bottom pools that eventually squeeze into a kind of natural waterslide. You’ll pay a price—crowds—for easy access to such a striking scene, but then again, few offerings worthy of the gods come without a little sacrifice.

FUEL UP

Fill empty tummies with quick and easy grub from Venti’s in downtown Salem. Built on chicken teriyaki, this 16-year-old café has branched out to vegetarian dishes like garlic-sesame tofu wraps and spicy numbers like Cajun rockfish.

Lost Lake

Family Friendly | Fee $7 | Average August Water Temperature 65°

Isolated (think 26 miles on winding back roads) but accessible (they’re good roads), Lost Lake sits high on Hood’s slopes, at a heat-blasting 3,100 feet. Besides the 10 degrees of mercury you’ll lose on your way up, you’ll also ditch the crowds. Shrouds of firs and pines offer prime fort-building terrain for the kids (and a welcome contrast to the scarred slopes of clear-cut you’ll pass on the way here) and ring the 175-foot-deep emerald waters. You’ll need a person-powered craft, like one of the paddleboats for rent outside the 1950s-esque General Store, to gain the best view of Hood’s perfect peak—from the middle of the lake—because no motorized craft are allowed. Which means only one thing will interrupt your serenity: water-bound first-timers’ inaugural whoops of glee.

MAKE IT A WEEKEND

Stay the night—or a week—at one of the lake’s six lodge rooms or seven rustic (read: no plumbing) cabins. From $70

DIY Swimming Hole: The Columbia

Fee $225 | Average August Water Temperature 68°

If the Clackamaniacs at Milo McIver State Park or the “wildlife” at other close-in cooling-off spots don’t jive with your idea of a relaxing afternoon, create your own sanctuary with a 21-foot pontoon rental from SK Watercraft. Essentially drivable swimming docks, these boats sport bench seats, flat fixed platforms, and space for 12 of your closest friends. Boating beginners can rest easy, too: the rental (from $225 per half day) comes with a boating permit and directions to the Columbia’s nearest safe and sunny swimming spots, like the beaches of Government Island, where bald eagles, blue herons, and the occasional camper are the only wildlife you’ll meet. — Camille Grigsby-Rocca

FUEL UP

Stop in to Portland classic Gartner’s Country Meats and stock up on everything from salami to pepper-cured ham before you leave the dock. Might as well throw in an extra pound of pepperoni too. Just in case you get stranded.

IN THE COOLER Ashland’s Caldera Brewing was the first Oregon brewer to blast the notion that good beer had to be bottled, putting its IPA in cans in 2007. Thankfully, others have followed suit, making our cooler hauling lighter (and tastier). Here’s what we’re packing this year: Caldera IPA (the original), Hopworks Urban Brewery’s Organic Lager (the new guy), and Fort George’s Vortex IPA (the classic).

How to Catch a Crawdad

...with your bare hands.

Image: Dan Gay

CRAWDADS (“crayfish,” officially) live in most of Oregon’s freshwater lakes and rivers; in fact, Oregon is second only to Louisiana in commercial production of these delicious summertime treats. You could buy a net or trap, drop it to the bottom of a lake with some bait, wait an hour, then draw up your crustacean bounty. Yawn. Instead, try catching ’em with your bare hands. Here’s how.

1. Find some shallow water, where crawdads like to hang out under rocks or other cover.

2. If you don’t spy any at first, start turning over small rocks, logs, and sticks. If you’re still not having luck, try luring them out with bait—usually something dead, like fish, but if you don’t want to share your hard-earned catch, a perforated can of cat food will work.

3. Once your target’s in sight, you’ve got two options. Grab at him fast and furious, or slowly reach into the water, then make a quick stab. Either way, aim to catch him behind his pincher claws, so he can’t reach back and pinch you. But be quick about it: crawdads swim backward, so if you’re slow, your fingers could end up in range. (It only smarts; no damage.)

4. Keep your catches—you’re allowed 100 per day—in a bucket of water. Continue to add fresh water to prevent premature croaking.

5. Cook ’em up. Spray ’em down to get the grit off, then toss them alive—if they’re dead, the meat will be mushy—into a pot of boiling water with your preferred seasoning (try Zatarain’s Crab Boil with some onions, garlic, and salt). Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until their pale shells have turned bright red. Then turn the heat off and let them sit in the seasoning for another few minutes (5–15). Eat the tail meat, tear off the heads, and suck out the innards. Sigh. Repeat.

Portland’s Top Trail Shoes

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Nicolle Clemetson

WITH 15 FOOTWEAR companies tinkering away in a city that hosts one of the country’s richest collections of close-in hiking options, Portland is a living laboratory for trail shoes. But the choices can be daunting: Waterproof vs. breathable? Light or heavy? Low profile or ankle-hugging? To help you decide, we enlisted the aid of walkers who really know their shoes—park rangers, Forest Service workers, Water Bureau field researchers, outdoor editors and writers—and put some of Portland’s best offerings to the test. Our wearers logged more than 200 hours in their shoes, rating them on everything from comfort and fit to traction, stability, and breathability. The results? Eleven trail-tested, trekker-approved kicks ripe for summer adventures.

METHODOLOGY: We approached all of Portland’s outdoor and activewear shoe companies about our Trail Shoe guide, inviting each company to submit up to two styles per gender to be reviewed. Some companies submitted four, others only one or two and some opted not to participate at all. Each company also filled out a survey about each shoe, so the testers might best understand how it was designed to be used. Testers included outdoor editors and writers, park rangers, forest service rangers, water bureau field workers, and outdoor program directors. Our testers scored each shoe from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) on a variety of metrics, including fit, comfort, traction, stability, breathability, and toe protection. Shoes claiming to be waterproof were also tested on this component. Scores were tallied to give us the top Portland trail shoes. To see detailed score sheet information as well as company surveys, simply click on the link below the shoe for a pdf (On the following pages).

TOP WOMEN’S TRAIL SHOES | TOP MEN’S TRAIL SHOES | TOP COED TRAIL SHOES

The High Road

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0700

Photo: Courtesy Oregon Historical Society

FAMED CITY BEAUTIFUL parks planner and designer John Olmsted’s 1903 plan to create a 40-mile loop of parks around the city still guides the modern Intertwine concept. But few Portlanders realize that Olmsted also had cars on his mind, noting that parks should be “approached by boulevards and parkways … located and improved to take advantage of the beautiful natural scenery.” However, only one of Olmsted’s “pleasure drives” got built: Terwilliger Boulevard.

The heirs of early Portland blacksmith James Terwilliger donated the first 19-acre right-of-way to the city for what Olmsted envisioned as a picturesque “gateway.” The now seven-mile roadway, which threads the West Hills beneath OHSU, was opened as a dirt road in 1912 and dedicated two years later with a ceremony featuring a 200-car motorcade. Although occasionally threatened by development, Olmsted’s vision won out: Terwilliger’s wide, tree-lined path and vistas of Mount Hood are forever protected in the 1983 Terwilliger Parkway Design Guidelines, which stipulated “unobstructed views and preserving the heavily wooded character.”

The 30-year-old Friends of Terwilliger have been equally central to the parkway’s beautification. Besides restoring watersheds and removing invasive ivy, the group celebrates Terwilliger’s centennial this month (July 20–22) with a 5 to 8k run/walk and—in a twist beyond what Olmsted imagined—a Sunday Parkways bike ride. terwilligerfriends.org

The Insider’s Guide to the Gorge

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:00:00 -0700

Photo: Courtesy Darren White

Looking east from Oregon’s Tom McCall Preserve

TWENTY-SIX YEARS AGO, after years of bitter feuding between conservationists, timber town residents, and politicos, the Columbia River Gorge became one of the country’s first National Scenic Areas. The designation both protected the landscape from unfettered development, clear-cutting, and other marring, and also allowed existing communities to grow. Today more than 2 million visitors each year enjoy the trails, waterfalls, and jaw-dropping vistas that dot the protected area’s nearly 457 square miles. But they also enjoy a growing culture of wineries, restaurants, and resorts. It’s a beautiful, sometimes boisterous mix. Here we offer an insider’s guide to the best, from good-to-the-last-slurp milkshakes to soul-stirring views and hidden waterfalls that, thanks largely to the scenic area, you still can have all to yourself.

WHERE TO STAY IN THE GORGE
Adventure begins (and ends) at these five hotels, inns, and B&Bs.

MARYHILL MUSEUM EXPANSION
Mansion turned museum Maryhill gets a 21st-century makeover with a new wing and outdoor pavilion.

WHERE TO HIKE IN THE GORGE
Five hidden hikes

WILDFLOWERS AND WATERFALLS IN THE GORGE
On your next trip to our Signature landscape, look for these five unique Gorge wildflowers.

WHERE TO EAT IN THE GORGE
Where to eat when you’re on the road

WINERIES WORTH VISITING IN THE GORGE
Five Gorge tasting rooms worth a visit

ADVENTURE IN THE GORGE
From kiteboarding to climbing, these classes introduce you to adventure.

KITE RIDER
Hood River resident Aaron Sales (yes, that’s his real name) dishes about life as a pro kitesurfer and snowkiter.

HOW’D THE GORGE GET THERE?
A look at the the Columbia River Gorge’s changing landscape

70 Ways to Discover the Oregon Coast

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:20:00 -0700

Image: Kingwu/Vetta/Getty images

With nearly 400 miles of sedge-swaying, Pacific-kissed shore, you could spend the entire summer plumbing Oregon’s coastal riches. And why not? Treasure awaits along every inch of Highway 101—from Astoria’s historic Fort Stevens State Park to Brookings’s jaw-dropping redwoods. Of course, like any good treasure hunter, you’ll need a map, which is where we come in. Whether you’re a fanatical foodie looking for the coast’s best cup of chowder or an outdoor adventurer searching for prime places to ride the tide, we’ve discovered ports of call and can’t-miss stops from north to south.

Get Out!

Mon, 17 May 2010 13:00:00 -0700

Image: Scott Spiker

Rialto Beach, Olympic Wilderness Coast: this is the only way to watch the sunset.

AFTER EIGHT MONTHS OF STARING LONGINGLY OUT OF OUR rain-streaked windows, it’s time to head for the hills—or the forests, or the mountains, or the wild, sandy beaches. But the Northwest’s abundance and variety of landscapes makes choosing between destinations a bit daunting. Our recommendation?

Total immersion: spend a weekend camping at each. To that end, we’ve picked the prime places to pitch your tent or strap on your pack this summer, all within three hours of Portland. And for those of you with a particularly virulent strain of cabin fever, we’ve presented a few far-off spots where you can easily get a week’s worth of cure. Happy healing.

Explore Hidden Oregon

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Greg Vaughn/Viewfinders Stock Photography

Jacksonville

SLIDE SHOWS

As Oregon winds down its yearlong 150th birthday bash, why not blow out the last candle by taking in some of the breathtakingly diverse landscapes that make up the roughly 96,000 square miles we call home. From the high-desert cowboy country and arid playas of the far east to the verdant valleys of the south to the coast’s rugged headlands, every inch begs to be explored. But no matter which corner calls your name, there are some off-the-beaten-path gems that shouldn’t be missed, like a sunset dinner overlooking Joseph Canyon, a weekend at a luxurious coastal cabin, and our personal favorite, a dip in the Alvord Desert’s hush-hush hot springs. We’ve lined up 30 adventures in the state’s five distinct regions—any of which might inspire a vigorous rendition of “Oregon, My Oregon!” (OK, maybe not the actual song, but the love, for sure.)

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NORTHEAST OREGON

Image: Kim Buzan

Downtown Joseph

The Cowboy Way

by Kasey Cordell

SLIDE SHOWS

By any measure, northeastern Oregon is a rugged place. The Wallowa Mountains rise out of a vast, sun-scorched emptiness like the teeth of a great white shark snapping the sky. This is Louis L’Amour’s Wild West, live. City slickers needn’t worry, though—the comforts of great wine, coffee, and bookstores await as well.

Hamley & Co

If you can’t find the perfect pair of cowboy boots here, you never will. Established in 1883, this Western haberdashery has a back wall lined with at least a hundred different varieties of shitkickers. Old Gringos, decorated Italian leather Justins, you name it. Mosey to the back of the store and see where the real cowboy work gets done—in the saddle shop where famed saddle-makers Duff and Bill Severe got their start.
30 SE Court, Pendleton; 541-278-1100; hamley.com

FIRST PERSON

Randy Severe

Owner of Severe Brothers Saddlery in Pendleton, which the Smithsonian has honored for leatherwork nine times

My father [Bill] and my uncle [Duff] purchased this building in 1946, and we’ve been here ever since. The shop hasn’t changed a bit. It still smells like leather; you can’t mistake the good smell of leather wherever you encounter it. I grew up in the shop, so I was always involved with horsemen of the West. From about 14 to 23, I rodeoed and worked on ranches from Montana to Arizona. I learned firsthand how the saddles and the gear get used. We’ve made saddles for Clint Eastwood. We made three for the movie All the Pretty Horses. I can honestly say there is no place like home—when I see the cattle as I’m coming in, and I think, ‘There’s a guy out there who needs a saddle.’ —As told to Kasey Cordell

Joe & Sugars Café

A favorite of La Grande locals, this tiny café uses beans roasted by longtime La Grande resident Al
McCloud (who once owned the café) and offers caffeine fiends at least three different varieties each day. The Joe & Sugar Blend is nice and smooth, but if you really want to sink the spurs into your brain, opt for the Colombian Roast. Just don’t hold us accountable for any speeding tickets.
1119 Adams Ave, La Grande; 541-975-5282

RimRock Inn Restaurant

When you arrive for dinner at the RimRock Inn, you might think you’ve reached the edge of the world. A hundred yards from the restaurant’s back porch, the earth drops away, plummeting into Joseph Canyon. Farther east, the scorched landscape crinkles into countless coulees before taking a final plunge into Hells Canyon. Such ruggedness is best tempered with a delicate Willamette Valley pinot and a tender steak prepared by chef Otto Nielson. And for breakfast? A sunrise that paints the canyon pink, purple, and orange. Just reserve one of the three tepees along the canyon’s edge.
(Open May through mid-October) 83471 Lewiston Hwy, Enterprise; 541-828-7769; rimrockrestaurant.com

The Bookloft

Stop into the Bookloft for a healthy collection of volumes full of local history and lore—especially about Oregon’s Nez Perce tribe. The shop is a fraction of the size of Powell’s Books, but it has all the heart. You might even stumble upon a reading during the Fishtrap literary festival (fishtrap.org) in July and February. Plus, there are dynamite pastries from Joseph’s Wild Flour Bakery. Try the Goldie, a delicious kind of albino brownie.
107 E Main St, Enterprise; 541-426-3351; bookloftoregon.com

Earth & Vine

This spacious store specializes in smaller labels, like a white merlot from the Gilstrap Brothers vineyard in nearby Cove. Owner Mary Ellen Stevenson is a Baker City native who’s happy to tell you not only what gives the Gilstrap Brothers Rio Grande Rhonde its light, fruity taste (the Kuhlman Foch grapes, a French hybrid that’s taken a shine to Eastern Oregon’s arid climate), but also where to replace those blue jeans you just tore a hole in (hint: try the feed store on the way out of town).
2001 Washington Ave, Baker City; 541-523-1687

Sawtooth Crater

This splendiferous hike is so well hidden that a few folks in the local ranger’s office hadn’t even heard of it. About 30 miles northeast of Baker City, the easy 1.5-mile out-and-back jaunt ends atop a 420-foot-tall volcanic plug. From your perch, smack in the middle of a mile-wide bowl, the Wallowas and the Blue Mountains rule the skyline. Don’t forget the self-timing camera for your summit shot: chances are, you’ll have the crater to yourself.
La Grande Ranger District; 541-963-7186

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SOUTHEAST OREGON

Image: Patricia Harkins

View from Steens Mountain

The Big Empty

by Rachel Ritchie

SLIDE SHOWS

The landscape of southeastern Oregon lifts you up and swallows you whole. Some call it the Big Empty, but this dry, sprawling, mountain-studded swath of earth is brimming with beguiling geologic gems, extraordinary wildlife, and the mythic history of Oregon’s earliest days. And whatever you do, don’t miss the state’s best milkshake.

Alvord Hot Springs

Mesmerized by the sound of tires on gravel and riveted by the sight of the majestic Steens Mountain, you might easily overlook this small corrugated-steel shack just off E Steens Road. But you’d be wise to seek out the bubbling hot springs here. While soaking your road-weary body in a pool of 112-degree mineral water, a surreal theater will unfold on the stark white playa—from shimmering mirages to languid sunsets and unraveling cloud banks.
Access: Just east of E Steens Road, 65 miles south of Route 78

Fields Station

FIRST PERSON

David Thompson

Co-owner (and manager and cook) at the Hotel Diamond; proprietor of Swamp Creek Ranch

My grandmother came here from Kansas on a wagon when she was 8. I grew up on the McCoy Ranch. I remember the storefronts around those big poplars were still there. When there were barn dances, we used to sneak out and throw rocks through the dusty old windows. We all went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. I left to study journalism at Eastern Oregon University. My family is Danish, so I spent a semester studying in Denmark. I always love coming home because everybody here waves. And I love the open landscape—the desert plateaus and the lava buttes—just to see the horizon, not blocked by anything. —As told to Rachel Ritchie

The perfect antidote to a day spent baking in the Alvord Desert lies in the lonely town of Fields (population: about 12), where you’ll be greeted by the welcome oasis of Fields Station—a combination café, gas station, general store, post office, motel, and RV park. Saddle up on one of the counter’s eight seats and prepare to be soothed by what have to be the most divinely down-home cheeseburgers, fries, and milkshakes anywhere.
22276 Fields Dr, Fields; 541-495-2275

Hotel Diamond

In the Diamond Valley, where lava fields and rambling ranches abut the verdant marshlands of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (a mecca for bird lovers), you’ll find the stately Hotel Diamond. Eight modestly appointed rooms in this 111-year-old bed-and-breakfast set you up for exploring the diverse valley. The decadent home-cooked meals (fresh-baked bread, meatballs, and buttermilk pie) served nightly will etch this place into your gustatory memory for years to come.
10 Main St, Diamond; 541-493-1898; central-oregon.com/hoteldiamond

Peter French Round Barn

The legend of Peter French, Oregon’s first cattle king, looms large in this part of the state, and a lasting monument to the surly rancher’s empire sits just 20 miles north of Diamond. A simple marvel of construction, this circular barn, supported by 12 unmilled juniper posts, is where French trained horses each winter. Stop by the Round Barn Visitor Center for an informative tour, or wander at your own pace, admiring the lava-rock corral and the sunbeams that sift through countless holes in the shingled roof.
roundbarn.net

Steens Mountain Loop Tour Route

Every stretch of road in southeastern Oregon seems to unveil another jaw-dropping vista. But the dramatic beauty of these arid climes culminates on this scenic loop—reaching 9,733 feet, it’s the highest road in Oregon—that darts east from Frenchglen to lead you through sagebrush steppe, juniper woodlands, and aspen groves to the vertiginous rim of Steens Mountain. Keep an eye out for pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and golden eagles as you twist and turn along a sequence of sublime viewpoints.
Access: Steens Mountain N Loop Road, east of Frenchglen

Diamond Craters

Scientists gush over this 17,000-acre patch of earth, which, geologically speaking, is unlike any other place in North America. Step out of the car at the 12 stops along this 40-mile dirt road, and you’ll be surrounded by every feature of basaltic volcanism conceivable. As you scramble over the rocks, moving backward in geologic time, you might imagine the landscape as it appeared 17,000 years ago—lava slides oozing, boulders (or “volcanic bombs”) launching skyward, and cinder cones spewing ash and dust.
Access: Junction of Lava Bed and Happy Valley Road —Alexandra Berke

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CENTRAL OREGON

Image: Brian Barker

Sno Cap Drive In

The High Desert

by Bart Blasengame

SLIDE SHOWS

South of Salem and east over Santiam Pass lies a world diametrically opposed to our own. It’s an arid playground of towering presidential peaks and high-desert pines. Take in the wild backdrop from the decks of some of the state’s grandest lodges or enjoy the taste of savory barbecue mixed with the scent of sweet juniper riding on the breeze.

Sno Cap Drive In

Well, hello 1950s America. Entering this Sisters landmark is like being zapped into TV Land primetime. Beskirted cheerleaders and football heroes from the local high school (go Outlaws!) are permanent fixtures. But the stars of the show here are flat, griddle-cooked hamburgers—so juicy, you’ll want to order a double. And what the heck—down a thick chocolate shake as well. They didn’t count calories in the ’50s, did they?
380 W Cascade Ave, Sisters; 541-549-6151

Pine Mountain Observatory

FIRST PERSON

Roy Slicker

Owner/cook at Slick's Que Co in Sisters

This year, I was elected to the board of directors of the National Barbecue Association to represent the 10 Western states, and I spent a lot of time educating people on barbecue. We’re a Texas-style barbecue. We smoke the old-fashioned way—low and slow. There’s hundreds of pictures of barbecue places on the wall; we play great old music. It’s just a lot of fun. I make my own rubs, my own sauce—served warm—and I smoke my meats for 18 hours. We also have a hand-washing machine on the wall that will clean your hands and give you a massage at the same time—great for barbecue cleanup.—As told to Bart Blasengame

West Texas—home to the renowned McDonald Observatory—doesn’t have a monopoly on starry nights. Central Oregon’s wide open spaces and dearth of city lights make for prime sky-watching. Located about 30 miles east of Bend, Pine Mountain Observatory is the epicenter for the astronomy set. Tours end in the fall, but there’s still plenty of earthly fun: the adjacent Forest Service campground is a well-kept secret. Use it as home base for exploring 6,500-foot-tall Pine Mountain. Topside, daylight vistas include Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, Three-Fingered Jack, Mount Jefferson, and Mount Hood. Take that, Texas.
34 miles southeast of Bend on Highway 20 east; 541-382-8331; pmo-sun.uoregon.edu

Kokanee Café

Perched near the gurgling banks of the Metolius River, the Kokanee is the epitome of cabin chic. The rustic abode seats about 60 people, and the menu offers everything the discerning carnivore could want (venison, salmon, lamb, duck), while the extensive wine list and riverside setting amps up the white-napkin romance. Entrées are in the $20 to $30 range, but if you’ve just spent a weekend roughing it, don’t you deserve a little elegance?
25545 Forest Service Rd, Camp Sherman; 541-595-6420; kokaneecafe.com

Five Pine Lodge

From the outside, they look quaint. Cute, even. But once inside Five Pine Lodge’s individual boutique cabins, it’s clear you’re not on the frontier anymore. Soaking tubs. Forty-two-inch plasma televisions. Italian tile showers. The fireside dining at Chloe and the Asian-themed spa treatments available at Shibui seal the deal.
1021 Desperado Trail, Sisters; 866-974-5900; fivepinelodge.com

Lara House Lodge

Not every lodge in Bend is done up in a log-cabin theme. Welcome to Lara House, a charming six-room bed-and-breakfast occupying an aspen-lined 1910 Craftsman. Aesthetic departure aside, a stay here lands you right in the mix of Bend’s lively downtown nightlife. So when the band finishes up at Bendistillery, it’s just a short walk back to your suite, where a terry-cloth robe and a nightcap of complimentary local wine await.
640 NW Congress St, Bend; 541-388-4064; larahouse.com

The Badlands

Oregon’s newest desert wilderness (deemed so by President Obama in March), these 30,000 rugged yet spellbinding acres are a vast departure from Portland’s green, wet climes. Primordial rock formations, a hundred species of birds, and thousand-year-old junipers dominate the surrounding area. But there’s room for you, too, thanks to 50 miles of two-track trails and a plethora of hiking options, including the dome-shaped Badlands Rock, whose trail reopened in September after being closed the prior six months for prairie falcon nesting.
17 miles east of Bend on Highway 20; 541-416-6723

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SOUTHERN OREGON

Image: Brian Barker

Watchman Peak, Crater Lake

Down South

by Brian Barker

SLIDE SHOWS

No two parts of Southern Oregon strike the same chord. Ashland is a refined piece of chamber music; Jacksonville, a down-home square dance. Organic farmers, Shakespearean actors, skilled artisans, and ranchers all draw their inspiration from a collage of verdant green pastures, sun-soaked foothills, deep blue alpine lakes, and a storied past that lies just beneath the surface.

Mount Scott, Crater Lake

For the best view of Crater Lake’s rippling shades of cobalt, cerulean, and indigo, skip the river of brake lights lining the park’s popular Rim Drive. Instead, point your boots up the mellow 2.5-mile approach to Mount Scott. At 8,929 feet, this is the park’s loftiest perch. The view from the summit squeezes in the entire caldera, with Mount Thielsen’s shark-fin peak and the Three Sisters as exclamation points in the refreshingly car-free perspective. (Campgrounds open through mid-October.)
nps.gov

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

FIRST PERSON

Barbara Steele

Co-owner of Cowhorn, a certified biodynamic winery in Jacksonville

In 2000, I was working with a think tank that was consulting with the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, which did San Francisco’s farmers market, and also with several large organic farms. But I was doing crop harvest and yield spreadsheets. It wasn’t sexy at all. I said, ‘I want our own farm.’ I bought the property in 2002. It was over two years of building roads, irrigation, fencing, preparing the fields. The soil dictated either we raise cattle or plant grapes. I know zip about animal husbandry. I love what’s around us. The Siskiyou Crest is the second most biodiverse region in the world, second only to the rain forest. People in the valley are working on small-diameter woodland management, which is the future of forestry in America. I’m proud to be a part of that community. —As told to Brian Barker

Southern Oregon’s natural splendor isn’t confined to Crater Lake. South of the park, along Route 62, the 2.3-million-acre Winema National Forest, Upper Klamath Lake (the state’s largest lake), and the Sky Lakes Wilderness (where hundreds of high-alpine pools await) all beckon. If you turn west on Highway 140, near Rocky Point, you’ll spot Mount McLoughlin’s solitary 9,495-foot-tall cinder cone and the rustic Lake of the Woods Resort, home to a killer cobbler.
volcaniclegacybyway.org

Schneider Museum of Art

For a respite from the typical “stay four days, see four plays” Ashland visit, check out this gem at Southern Oregon University. Exhibits of top-notch contemporary artwork, such as the quilts of Gee’s Bend, routinely pop up here. The building alone (designed by Pioneer Courthouse Square architect Will Martin), with its convex, mirrored façade turned toward the golden Siskiyou Mountains, makes a welcome stop during a stroll to the nearby Plaza—Ashland’s version of Pioneer Courthouse Square.
1250 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland; 541-552-6245; sou.edu/sma

Palace Café and Charcuterie

Consider this slick lunchtime hot spot a great place to start exploring Ashland’s hip Railroad District. A few blocks removed from the crowds at the Shakespeare Festival, savvy locals dine on tri-tip roast beef sandwiches with caramelized onions and salad Niçoise with roasted olives and Pacific ahi. (A small deli also offers pickled salads and house-cured sausage.) Down the block, the art galleries lining Fourth Street will keep your eyes entertained as you walk off your meal.
542 A St, Ashland; 541-488-4311; palacecafeashland.com

Jacksonville Pioneer Cemetery

This beautiful and well-maintained 32-acre graveyard is populated with some of the first citizens to be buried in the state. Dating back to 1859, the plots are divvied up by religious affiliation or allegiance to fraternal societies like the Improved Order of Red Men. Headstones range from a gorgeous white marble sculpture of a kneeling girl to lonesome wood markers. The most famous resident? Peter Britt. The final resting place of the noted pioneer photographer and Jacksonville luminary lies within earshot of the town’s beloved musical festival that bears his name.
N Oregon & E Streets, Jacksonville

Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden

The climate and well-draining soil of this new vineyard (the first grapes were planted in 2005) bear a likeness to France’s famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. Translation: expect to sample some really excellent vino here, especially Rhone varietals like the 2007 syrah, which swirls with hints of black cherry and cassis. The Spiral 36, a white table wine with rich oak and apple flavors, could be Southern Oregon’s answer to the Willamette Valley’s pinot noir, but for less than $20.
1665 Eastside Rd, Jacksonville; cowhornwine.com

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COASTAL OREGON

Image: Greg Vaughn/Viewfinders Stock Photography

Yachats State Park

Water Ways

by Brian Barker

SLIDE SHOWS

With so much of its landscape shaped by hot lava that plunged into the ocean thousands of years ago, no one would ever call the Oregon Coast soft. Yet the region also has a salty tranquility, evident where the cool air meets the sands of a lost beach. And cozy places to enjoy the delights of an incoming storm or a delicious fish taco are always within reach.

Commodore Hotel

From its creaky waterfront piers to the decades-old broadcast Scandinavian Hour on local radio station KMUN, Astoria is an old soul that wears fishing line more easily than trends. Juxtaposed against this barnacled backdrop is the Commodore Hotel. Opened in 1924, the hotel was shuttered in the mid-1960s, only to be purchased intact (cobweb-draped cocktail glasses still on the bar) last year. Thanks to a remodel that echoes Portland’s utilitarian Ace Hotel, the Commodore now wears a stylishly friendly charm. All it needs is the next generation of Astoria noir.
258 14th St, Astoria; 503-325-4747; commodoreastoria.com

Fish Tacos at Luna Sea

FIRST PERSON

John Maré

Founder of the Community Green Bike Program, a bike-sharing program in Waldport

We rolled out about 30 bikes in 2006. As people found out, they started donating. We keep a hundred in circulation. It’s an honor system. For some, it’s their only form of transportation. The local school is the Waldport Irish, so I painted them green. Both my wife and I are from South Africa, so we’ve always liked the ocean. In Waldport, the people you see are mostly locals—you get to know them all. From the mouth of the river to where the beach ends in the south is about seven miles. It’s perfect for running. When the tide is farther out, that sand is so dense you can even ride a racing bike on it. I turn 75 tomorrow. I still run and cycle. In between, I swim. I guess doing those things keeps one alive. — As told to Brian Barker

Pan-seared to lock in a marinade of paprika, cumin, lime, and garlic, the big meaty chunks of fish on the seasonal menu—halibut, ling cod, salmon, or snapper—are as fresh as owner Robert Anthony’s most recent catch. (He owns his own fishing vessel.) Cupped between flour tortillas stuffed with a bed of coleslaw studded with wedges of tangy red and green apples, they make for the Oregon Coast’s most unexpectedly delicious dish. Don’t be surprised if lunch inspires a return trip for dinner.
153 NW Hwy 101, Yachats; 541-547-4794; lunaseafishhouse.com

Umpqua Discovery Center

This children’s museum in Reedsport could give OMSI some stiff competition with its 7,000 square feet of exciting, lifelike, interactive exhibits. (In fact, OMSI assisted in funding the center’s exhibits.) But here, the subject is the history and ecology of Oregon’s south coast. Listen to native Kuuich Indian tales told around a crackling fire. Walk across a creaky dock that was lined with salmon during the area’s schooner-era heyday. If the kids still aren’t wide-eyed, send them down the slide that leads to a bear den.
409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport; 541-271-4816; umpquadiscoverycenter.com

South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

Inside this 4,800-acre coastal stew of saltwater marshes, freshwater streams, and upland forest, kayakers paddle glassy waters, disturbed only by flapping snowy egrets. Nearly 8 miles of hiking trails depart from the interpretive center, the most serene of which is the Hidden Creek Trail, a 1.2-mile saunter to a large observation deck near Hidden Creek Marsh. Shielded by massive tree boughs, this is the perfect place to spy Caspian terns hunting fish or to simply watch ripples fan out across the water.
61907 Seven Devils Rd, Charleston; 541-888-5558; oregon.gov

WildSpring Guest Habitat

Nestled amid magnificent Port Orford cedars, each of this resort’s five cabins sports vaulted ceilings, walk-in slate-tiled showers, pillow-top mattresses, and classy antique furnishings. If you can bring yourself to leave your abode, stop by the guest hall overlooking Port Orford Bay. Floor-to-ceiling windows, plush leather chairs, a well-chosen wine list, and a thumping stereo make for an incredible storm-watching post. Binoculars provided.
92978 Cemetery Loop, Port Orford; 866-333-9453; wildspring.com

Oregon Redwoods Trail

Not many folks know that an arm of California’s famed redwood forest reaches into Oregon. To find the trail that leads to the trees, drive 11 miles south of Brookings and turn left onto Winchuck Road. After 1.5 miles, turn right onto Forest Service Road 1101, a 4-mile-long, well-maintained dirt road that ends at the trailhead. The 2-mile loop feels like setting foot in a cathedral, one in which you are the sole parishioner.
www.fs.fed.us