Eastern Oregon

Travel Guide

Next Stop on the Eastern Oregon Swing is Leslie Gulch. A 20 mile dirt road leads past fantastic basalt rock formations terminating at the Owyhee River. There is a small but nice primitive campground (no water or electricity) with covered picnic tables and boat ramp access to the Owyhee river.
Next Stop on the Eastern Oregon Swing is Leslie Gulch. A 20 mile dirt road leads past fantastic basalt rock formations terminating at the Owyhee River. There is a small but nice primitive campground (no water or electricity) with covered picnic tables and boat ramp access to the Owyhee river.
You may have to stop for the occasional cattle drive on US Highway 395 in Eastern Oregon. We were one of only two cars waiting patiently as we admired the scenery of this beautiful herd being ushered across by real deal cowboys and their herding dogs. Yep, this may be the life for me.
The mountains of the Oregon Coast Range as seen from the eastern slope of Elk Mountain. None of these mountains tops off at much over 3000 feet (900 meters), but don't be fooled by that. Elk Mountain is one of the toughest short climbs (we're talking "hikes" here), that you'll ever find. And, if you're not a stickler about remaining on your feet the entire trail, you'll have a grand old time.
Here in the Great Northwest, those of us to take to the great outdoors generally have one destination, the Cascade Mountain range that runs pretty much through the center of Oregon and Washington going North/South. There is the Olympic Range to the north and west, the Blue Mountains to the East and Steens Mountain at the edge of the desert near Nevada. In fact, there are mountains all over the place, but those of us who hike and climb have essentially become snobs for the soaring peaks of the high Cascades. So much so that when someone tells us about a place called the “Coastal Range” sitting on the eastern rim of Oregon’s beaches, with its peaks topping out at a mere three thousand feet, we politely smile, and give off a glow of arch and patronizing wisdom. Three thousand feet is like a day in the park; a game of “Shoots and Ladders.” We’d hardly start breathing heavily before the whole thing was over and we were packing up the car. Well, folks, I am here to tell you; that kind of pride serves you well until you find yourself in the unenviable task of having to swallow it. This weekend my hiking partner and I took to the road to make what we thought would a pleasant little jaunt up a version of “Candyland” called Elk Mountain. What we “thought” could not have been further from the truth. Meter for meter and foot for foot, it is one of the hardest climbs we have ever done. Most of the first two miles is on no less than a 40% grade, some of it steeper, and I found myself clambering and clawing that ascension almost as often as hiking it. The next two miles start with a near vertical drop of almost 60 feet (what the hiking books call a scramble), in which I was forced to use a part of my body not generally applied to locomotion just to keep my arrangement with the law of gravity at an even status quo. At a certain point, the trail forks indecipherably, and the two of us found ourselves on the wrong tine of that fork as we watched the path erase almost like magic in front of us. We took our life into our hands (frequently along with handfuls of wild rosebush thorns) by pushing up a seventy-five foot embankment to get enough elevation to see where we had gone wrong. By grace or by fortune, that dropped us right back on the trail, at which point, the mountain seemed to believe that we had been taught our lesson. There were more deep vertical scrambles (always down, why down?) and belly scraping, heart-pounding ascensions, but nothing of the kind we had already seen. The last 4 miles bound and bounce down an old logging road, depositing you back at the place where you started, like Dorothy waking up in her bedroom; sad with newfound wisdom and heart aching with wonder. It was painful, it was dangerous, and I tell you, my friends, I had a blast. Beyond the sheer physical exertion, there are simply things to see that will make you marvel and gasp and keep you in a state where you feel as if you have permanently dropped your jaw. And if this hyperbolic rant didn’t convince you to try it for yourself, maybe some of discoveries I post in the near future will. If you’re up to the challenge, and don’t mind a little dirt, I highly recommend it.

Where to stay in Eastern Oregon

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Riverside

While there might not be top attractions in Riverside, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Pendleton Woolen Mills and Roy Raley Park.

Riverside
Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario

2 out of 5
266 NE Goodfellow St. Ontario OR
The price is RM278 per night from 4 Mar to 5 Mar
RM278
RM312 total
4 Mar - 5 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Ontario. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their reviews. Popular ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,441 reviews)
Spotless room. Easy check in

Reviewed on 2 Mar 2026

Red Lion Inn & Suites Ontario
Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton

3 out of 5
304 Se Nye Ave Pendleton OR
The price is RM366 per night from 15 Mar to 16 Mar
RM366
RM416 total
15 Mar - 16 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Pendleton. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,007 reviews)
Clean room and tooth brush available because i left mine home.

Reviewed on 2 Mar 2026

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton
River Lodge And Grill

River Lodge And Grill

3 out of 5
6 Marine Dr Boardman OR
The price is RM452 per night from 27 Mar to 28 Mar
RM452
RM502 total
27 Mar - 28 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach hotel in Boardman. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
Clean Rooms and very quiet

Reviewed on 17 Feb 2026

River Lodge And Grill
See all 520 properties in Eastern Oregon
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort

3 out of 5
3641 NW Oceanview Drive Newport OR
Stay at this beach aparthotel in Newport. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,534 reviews)
Absolutely spotless clean room! Very nice upbeat staff, and nice and quiet

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2026

Little Creek Cove Beachfront Resort
Rockaway Beach Resort

Rockaway Beach Resort

3.5 out of 5
615 N Pacific St Rockaway Beach OR
Stay at this beach condo in Rockaway Beach. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (811 reviews)
Dated but clean. Plenty of room

Reviewed on 1 Mar 2026

Rockaway Beach Resort
Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro

3 out of 5
3133 Ne Shute Rd Hillsboro OR
Stay at this business-friendly aparthotel in Hillsboro. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (2,078 reviews)
The staff were polite. And breakfast good. But I had reserved a suite with 2 beds in the room; however, was told they didn’t have them. Had reserved through Hotel.com. The couch would fold out, but when pulled out there were waded up dirty sheets. Lucky clean sheets in closet. I had my dog with me ...

Reviewed on 2 Mar 2026

Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Hillsboro
See all 18,810 properties in Oregon
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Wallowa Lake - Joseph Oregon

Wallowa Lake

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Wallowa Lake during your travels in Joseph. Stroll along the lakeside in this family-friendly area or seek out the hiking trails.

Wallowa Lake
Motorcycle camping and touring

Wallowa Lake State Park

You can take time to visit Wallowa Lake State Park during your travels to Joseph. Wander the lakeside or discover the mountain views in this family-friendly area.

Wallowa Lake State Park
Shot from the park. Beautiful I'm winter

Hat Rock State Park

You can take time to visit Hat Rock State Park during your travels to Hermiston. While in this family-friendly area, you can savour the bars and cafes.

Hat Rock State Park
A park bench overlooks the McNary Dam in Umatilla, Oregon, USA

McNary Lock & Dam

McNary Lock & Dam is just one of the places to see in Umatilla, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Take in the entertainment choices while you're in the area.

McNary Lock & Dam

Wildhorse Casino

Why not roll the dice with a visit to Wildhorse Casino during your time in Mission? While you're here, you can savour the top-notch restaurants.

Wildhorse Casino

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

Catch an event at Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame during your trip to Pendleton. While in this family-friendly area, you can savour the top-notch restaurants.

Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame

Things to do

Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour

RM336
per traveller
96% of travellers recommend
Half-Day Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Portland: Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise

Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River

RM509
per adult
96% of travellers recommend
Portland: Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River
get into the photo at our favorite waterfalls!

Silver Falls Waterfall Hiking Tour from Portland

RM391
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
Silver Falls Waterfall Hiking Tour from Portland
Top Portland City Sights Tour

Portland Morning City Tour

RM345
per traveller
92% of travellers recommend
Portland Morning City Tour
Columbia River Gorge Air Torus

Stunning Air Tour of the Columbia River Gorge by Envi Adventures

RM470
per adult
94% of travellers recommend
Stunning Air Tour of the Columbia River Gorge by Envi Adventures
Portland: Ghosts, Poltergeists, and Psychopaths Walking Tour

Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour

RM95
per adult
88% of travellers recommend
Portland: Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists Ghost Tour
See all activities in Eastern Oregon
Dawn ascent of vibrant balloons over water

Prosser

John Day Highway Panorama

John Day

View of the Wallowa Mountains from the top of Mount Howard in Oregon

Joseph

What to choose?

Touchet