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Oregon Travel

For more than 150 years Oregon has sparkled in the American imagination like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is a land where countless Americans have believed their dreams would come true. During the 19th century, mere rumors of the territory’s incredible fertility were enough to induce “Oregon fever.” Thousands of land-poor pioneers succumbed and traveled 2,000 miles across the wilds of the American West. Those who survived learned happily that most of the rumors were true. The Willamette Valley was an agricultural heaven. The winters were mild, the rain was gentle, and the soil was among the richest in North America. They also learned that Oregon was one of the West’s most diverse territories. Although the Willamette Valley was an agrarian dream, to get there, one had to cross the Snake River gorge, the Blue Mountains, and the trackless high desert east of the looming Cascade Range.

Fort Clatsop, Oregon

To mark the bicentennial of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's famed journey west, my husband, Larry, and I visited Fort Clatsop outside Astoria, Oregon to see where the Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-'06.

Latourell Falls, Oregon

Many waterfalls grace the spectacular Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in northern Oregon, but few rival little-known Latourell Falls in Guy W. Talbot State Park.

Klootchy Creek Giant: Tallest Sitka Spruce, Oregon

Nestled in an old-growth forest in the far northwestern corner of Oregon stands the world's tallest Sitka spruce tree--a 216-foot-tall specimen.

The giant's trunk is 56 feet in circumference, and its crown spreads 93 feet. Believed to be about 750 years old, the tree is located in 10-acre Klootchy Creek County Park.

Tillamook County Fair, Oregon

Forget the Indy 500. The wildest auto race on the planet takes place every summer in Tillamook, Oregon, where daring drivers race "stripped" Model T's while hugging live pigs!

Pig-N-Ford races have been held for over 40 years and often attract standing-room-only crowds to the Tillamook County Fair grandstand.

Spruce Goose at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon

My husband, Bill, is a former military pilot, so we always stop at airplane museums when we travel. On a recent trip to Oregon, we discovered the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville.

One of its star attractions is the legendary Spruce Goose, the huge wooden military cargo plane designed and built in 1947 by the Hughes Aircraft Company, owned by the late reclusive millionaire Howard Hughes.

Prospect RV Park Near Pearsony Falls, Oregon

The area around Prospect, Oregon is beautiful--it's on the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway, which is often called the "Highway of Waterfalls." When my wife and I camped at Prospect RV Park, we found pretty Pearsony Falls--plus two taller falls, within about a mile of our campground, and more nearby.

Sumpter Valley Dredge, Oregon

The dredges that once mined gold out West typically aren't open to the public. So my husband, Larry, and I jumped at a chance to board one of the biggest ever made--the venerable 1,240-ton Sumpter Valley Dredge (above) outside scenic Sumpter, Oregon.

Wallowa Lake, Oregon

Wallowa Lake is known as the crown jewel of northeastern Oregon, so naturally, camping at Wallowa Lake State Park is a royal treat.

This park is nestled on the southern shore of Wallowa Lake, among the Wallowa Mountains. The area is often called the "Switzerland of Oregon" because it looks a lot like the Swiss Alps.

Toketee Falls, Oregon

Toketee Falls in southwestern Oregon ranks among the state's most gorgeous waterfalls. Given the sheer number of falls here, that's high praise, indeed!

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Oregon

If you want to experience the Oregon coast but are pressed for time, head for the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.

Gunderson's Cannery Cafe, Oregon

As a military family, my husband, John, and I have lived and traveled all over. But we've never eaten anywhere like Gunderson's Cannery Cafe on the waterfront in Astoria, Oregon.