In remembrance of the first wagon train to reach Oregon 150 years ago on the Oregon Trail, all 36 counties in the state will celebrate Oregon’s heritage this summer. It will be the largest statewide celebration in Oregon since the centennial celebration 50 years ago.
Once visitors get to Oregon there is a lot to see, but even more to do. There are several mountain ranges, the deepest canyon in North America (Hells Canyon), fertile valleys, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the world-renowned Pacific coastline and the vast landscape of the high desert. Oregon has 7 of the 10 climate zones that exist in the world.
Oregon is home to countless attractions: Shakespeare Festival, wind-surfing, the Oregon Ballet, mountain biking, antiquing and beach combing.
Most popular attractions: 400 miles of Oregon coast (natural); Timberline Lodge (man-made), year-round skiing an hour from Portland.
Other top sites: Multnomah Falls on the Columbia Gorge; Washington Park Zoo, Portland; Crater Lake National Park; Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City; Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport; Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland; Mt. Bachelor Ski Area, near Bend; Oregon Maritime Museum, Astoria.
Top annual events: Portland Rose Festival, June 3-27; Ashland Shakespeare Festival, May through September; Peter Britt Music Festival, June 18-Sept. 5; Cascade Festival of Music, June 18-26; Pendleton Round-Up, Sept. 15-18.
Hidden treasure (provided by Jonathan Nicholas, columnist for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland): “Above your picnic table, snow-stained summits scrape the sky. Below your lunch, Hells Canyon plummets toward the center of the Earth. At your heels, deer graze, salmon leap and a llama carries your lluggage.
“A llama? In Oregon?
“Yes, the northeast corner of Oregon is the hot new home of llama trekking, the most fun you can have in the great outdoors without actually carrying your backpack.
“From the tiny mountain community of Joseph, a time warp haven of local color and logging supply stores, hikers head into the pristine Eagle Cap Wilderness. A visit to this wildest part of the Wild West, seven blue highway-miles north of Interstate 84, is a journey to a land where elk easily outnumber the people. The people like it that way. So, most likely, do the elk. Best of all, this is the one corner of Oregon where it never, ever rains.”
Information: 800-547-7842.
